How To Transform a Vintage Dresser Into a Shabby Chic French Country Sideboard

BLOG, AUDIO, and VIDEO: How I transformed a small vintage dresser into a shabby chic French country sideboard with chalk paints and rub-on transfers

Vintage Dresser Makeover Using Chalk Paints to Create a Shabby Chic French Country Patisserie Sideboard

by Kim Hansen, Co-Founder and Artist, JK Hansen Studios

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ON THE HUNT TO FIND THE PERFECT PIECE

It’s difficult for me to visit a thrift store, estate sale, or garage sale without finding a piece of long-forgotten furniture to take home with me to transform and bring back to life. I even find myself searching through Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist hoping to find that one unique piece. I no longer look at an old dusty, beat up, scratched, or a dinged piece of furniture the same way. Instead, I envision something special ~ a piece I would take home and lovingly and meticulously transform into a one-of-a-kind beautiful piece of art.

Take for example this piece I found on Facebook Marketplace. It was in fairly good shape. The owner’s had been using it for their son’s dresser, but I immediately saw something different ~ another French Country Patisserie Sideboard! If you do any sort of entertaining, you know how useful a sideboard/server can be. Not only is it a great place to store your tablecloths, linen napkins, placements, and chargers ~ it’s perfect for a dessert bar!

PREPPING THE DRESSER FOR TRANSFORMATION

As you can see from the before photo, the dresser was in pretty good shape. So the preparation was going to be easy. Even the inside of the drawers looked brand new! I began prepping the dresser for its transformation by removing the hardware, then lightly sanded the edges and cleaned the entire dresser with a soft damp cloth.

BASE COAT

Next, I added about one tablespoon of water to Waverly Chalk Moss Acrylic Paint for the base coat. I used a two-inch paint brush to apply two coats of the Moss by following the grain with back and forth paint strokes and a tapping motion. I always allow a bit of the original wood to show through here and there ~ I think it gives the piece dimension and a variation of colors. (Watch How to Video)

I allowed the first coat to dry before I applied the second coat.

APPLYING THE SECOND COLOR

I used Dixie Belle Farmhouse Green Chalk Mineral Paint and Waverly Chalk Moss Acrylic Paint thinned down with a little water. Using a blending technique, I grabbed a little of the Moss (darker green) on the right side of my two-inch paint brush… and the Farmhouse Green (lighter green) on the left side… then followed the grain with back and forth and up and down brush strokes. In the areas that I wanted a lighter look, I used more of the Farmhouse Green. (Watch How-To Video)

I allowed the Farmhouse Green and Moss chalk paints to dry.

HIGHLIGHTS

Next, I mixed Dixie Belle Buttercream Chalk Mineral Paint with equal parts of water for the overall highlights. Using a two-inch paint brush I applied the Buttercream with back and forth and circular motions to the front, sides, bottom and details with a dry brush technique— almost like dusting. The ‘dusting’ really gives your arm a workout! You need a lot of patience for this technique. To paint the details, I laid the paint brush flat and ran the brush lightly across the details. Again, I used a very dry brush. (Watch How-To Video)

AGING, TRANSFERS, AND HARDWARE

To give the piece an aged look, I applied Dixie Belle Bronze Patina with a 1″ dry brush to the edges, inside corners and sides… and for the extra WOW factor… I applied re.design with Prima’s ‘Brigitte’s Patisserie’ rub-on transfer to the center of the dresser…

and the address rub-on transfer to the bottom of the middle drawer. I added a kiss of Modern Master’s Champaign Metallic to the dresser’s details. I repainted the original hardware with Modern Master’s Silver Metallic paint.

FINAL STEP

The next morning I applied two coats of Rust-Oleum Chalked Protection Top Coat Wax Matte Clear to protect the finish and the transfers and put the hardware back on.

DONE!

BEFORE AND AFTER

I feel so blessed I am able to use my combined thirty year’s experience as a commissioned artist, muralist, and faux painter and apply that experience and creativity to transform long-forgotten pieces of furniture into unique one-of-a-kind pieces. Be sure to visit our Etsy shop to see what other pieces of art I have created.

Thank you for visiting our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, or leave a comment below. Your feedback is always appreciated. I hope I have inspired you for your next DIY project! (Watch How-To Video)

ARTIST: The French country sideboard and ‘Tuscan Hillside Farmhouse’ wall mural in the background were hand painted by artist and muralist Kim Hansen.

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