House to Home: Dresser Redo

Last week was a great, productive, week for me.  So many projects, big and small, completed in such a short amount of time.  (I'm now looking back on the time before I had kids and wondering how I could have possibly wasted all that time!!)

First project up for your viewing pleasure is this lovely dresser.  Well, this is how the dresser started.  Can you see it?

This is the only picture I could find of a 'before' shot.  Here's a little closer.

Basically, it's a six drawer dresser that is about 34" high and 46" long.

This dresser has been in our family for years.  That fact would make you think it's a prized antique.  Um..... it's not.  It's just old.

I had it in my room growing up and my parents were nice enough to let me have it when I got married.  (I think my mom may have even had it when she was growing up.)  Maybe not the most attractive piece; but, free is always great when just starting out right?

I finally got the go ahead from Kevin to overhaul the dresser in the summer of 2012.  I think?  Or maybe I just decided I wouldn't be in trouble for cutting it apart at that point.   Because, you know, once the drawers start to fall apart and the remaining drawers make awful squeaking noises when being pulled out or pushed in, you no longer have to worry about really messing things up.

Anyway.... This is how far I got that summer.

The kids were getting ready to start school, life was busy and we ended up getting blindsided by some medical issues, so the dresser got put on the back burner.  (Read more about all that on Madi's Milestones. Link to first post.)

Not to say that those three years leading up to today were all hunky-dory, but I'm glad I wasn't able to  finish the dresser before now.  The darker the surface, the more dust and dirt shows.  And black shows everything!

So I decided to go with the color white when I picked up my paint brush last week.  No dust showing on that surface!

I covered the dresser with 3 coats of Behr Premium Plus Paint & Primer in One in Ultra Pure White from Home Depot.  Both a brush and small roller were needed to do the project.

Obviously, the inside needed to be painted since it all showed.  This really sucked up a lot of the paint, but having a 'paint and primer in one' helped to get the coverage needed.

I also skipped painting the areas that wouldn't be seen unless you are sitting or laying on the floor.  (Just stay on your feet if you come visit, m'kay?)

You can still see the grooves from the original construction where the front drawer supports were.  I decided to leave them as is instead of filling with wood filler.  Adds a little charm to it - at least, that's what I'm telling myself. 

This is the new home for this piece.  It fits just about perfect along a short wall toward the back of our living room.  

To make it useful and not just pretty (ha!), I had several bins on hand that fit perfectly.

These little fabric bins were purchased from Target when I first started on the project.  I already had a vision in mind and knew if I waited I wouldn't be able to find them later.  (I have no idea if they are available in the store, but I couldn't find them online anywhere.)

I also found some Threshold Milkcrate Decorative Baskets at Target on a different trip.  They've worked great as toy bins in our living room for a year or so.  Nice and roomy storage, but don't scream 'toy bin' when you see them in the space.

All the bins fit perfectly in the space!

In the small bins, we have puzzles for the younger kids.  The big two house all the Duplo Legos.

I took one of the lamps that we rarely use and set it on top.  Little by little, I'm sure I'll fill the space, but for now I'm pretty content.  Family pictures will be printed off and used to cover the wall above the dresser, too.  That will be done with a couple of friends who have a better eye for that kind of thing, though.

So, this is where we are right now.

So pleased with the results!!  Let me know what you think!