There’s something special about spotting a piece others might pass by and seeing what it could become. In today’s guest blog, Denise from Salvaged Inspirations takes a thrifted French Provincial dresser and gives it a fresh, coastal-inspired look using one rich, timeless color.
With years of experience and a true eye for detail, Denise shares how a simple approach—paired with the right products—can turn a well-loved piece into something that feels completely new again. From prep to finishing touches, this makeover highlights how versatile painted furniture can be and how even a single color choice can make a statement.
If you’ve ever wondered what’s possible with a thrift store find and a little creativity, you’re going to love this one.
(The following is an excerpt from Salvaged Inspirations. Read the full article here).
Hi, creative friends, and welcome back to another Furniture Fixer Upper tour! I’m on a hot streak at the thrift stores! I found this sweet French Provincial dresser for $20.99, and it stopped me in my tracks. I brought this dresser home and gave it a fresh, modern dresser makeover using ONE rich, timeless color that completely transformed the look. Wait until you see how a single shade can take a dated piece from forgotten to fabulous!
In today’s post, I’m also sharing –
- How to test for lead paint
- A primer that sticks to ALL slick surfaces
- How to add Antique Gold Highlights to hardware & details
- And my FAVORITE way to tint topcoat for a rich finish!
Below is the three-drawer dresser I found selling for $20.99 at the Stoney Creek Thrift Store. This was an awesome price, as thrift store prices have increased over the last few years.
I was hoping this was a solid wood piece, but it was a wood composite with a laminate top.
It was also filthy and stained, but nothing a little TLC couldn’t fix. Challenge ON for this thrifted dresser makeover.
SUPPLIES
French Provincial Dresser – SALVAGED
White Lightning Cleaner
Auto Sponge
Sanding Sponge
Lead Paint Tester Kit
Bonding BOSS Primer
2″ Angled Paint Brush
Nautical SILK Mineral Paint
Heirloom Roses Rice Paper
Antique Gold Gilding Wax
Gator Hide Topcoat
TOOLS
Heat Gun
Plastic Putty Knife
Bosch Orbital Sander
Astro Euro HVLP Paint Sprayer 1.7mm Nozzle
CLEAN | REPAIR | SAND
To start the prep process, I cleaned the top, sides, and legs with a heavy-duty furniture cleaner, and a large automotive sponge. For the gorgeous wood carving on both sides, I used a dollar store brush to get into all the details.
HOW TO TEST FOR LEAD PAINT
Someone loved this dresser enough to give it a prior makeover. It had been painted over the original factory finish with a glossy paint. By the looks of the paint, it looked like this was done many, many years ago. So as a precaution, I brought out my Lead Swab Test to make sure I wasn’t working with lead paint. If you work with a lot of furniture, I highly recommend keeping a pack of these on hand. Safety first, and this kit is super inexpensive and gives such peace of mind when I’m in doubt.
- Remove a test swab from the package.
- Spray the swab with water or dip into some vinegar and remove excess. (read package!)
- Rub the swab on the painted furniture for 20 seconds
- Check the color against the chart on the package.
- If the color is in the red zone, lead paint has been used.
Once I knew the paint was NOT lead paint, I scuff-sanded the entire dresser with a rough 60-grit sandpaper using my orbital sander. The drawers were hand-sanded with an 80 grit sand paper. A lot of the paint was flaking off, so there was a lot of sanding. I think I was at it for almost 3 hours.
I came down the following morning to prime. Because this dresser had a laminate slick top, I brought out Bonding BOSS primer, which sticks to all shiny surfaces. It also blocks stains and odors. This is water-based, so no heavy fumes. For it to bond to the surface, 24 hours is required.
The following day, the scratch test passed with flying colors.
NAUTICAL SILK MINERAL PAINT
The color I chose to paint this piece is called Nautical SILK All-In-One Mineral Paint. It’s a gorgeous traditional deep-sea blue with a big personality that commands attention! I used my 2″ angled paint brush to get into all the crevices on the details. This paintbrush also gives a super smooth finish. I’ve had this brush for 6+ years and have used it on soooo many makeovers. If you buy a quality brush and look after it, i.e., clean it after each use, it will last you years.
This dresser makeover took two coats for full coverage.
TINTED TOPCOAT
To protect this paint finish, I sprayed three coats of Gator Hide, which I tinted with a small amount of Nautical Blue Paint. This isn’t necessary when spraying a topcoat but I do find it can give a little bit more depth when topcoating a dark color. If you brush or sponge your topcoat onto a dark painted finish, this can greatly reduce brush marks and streaks as well. I like to lightly sand between the first and second coat for a super smooth finish.
ADDING ANTIQUE GOLD HIGHLIGHTS
I waited for the topcoat to dry before adding the antique gold gilding wax to the floral details. Using an artist’s brush, I lightly brushed the gilding wax onto the florals.
The hardware I did the day before so it was 100% dry when I reinstalled it onto the dresser. I boiled the handles in a water/vinegar mixture until all the paint loosened up. I cleaned all the old paint off and painted the two handles and top pull with the gilding wax. What a difference! They look like brand new ‘vintage’ hardware.
For the very last detail, I lined the bottom of the drawer with this lovely Heirloom Rose Rice Paper. I was running out of daylight to stage and style, so I haven’t adhered it yet, but I think it’s a perfect match.
THE BIG REVEAL…
Here’s the finished look!
And check out the Heirloom Rose Rice Paper in the drawer. It’s a perfect match.
The antique gold gilding wax looks so elegant and really pops against this beautiful, rich blue.
Here’s another look at this $20.99 French Provincial Dresser before and after. I hope it’s inspired you and given you some ideas for your upcoming furniture painting projects!
Denise’s nautical dresser makeover is a great reminder that it doesn’t take a complicated process or multiple colors to create something beautiful – just the right vision and a few trusted products. That deep, classic blue paired with subtle details brings out the character of the piece while giving it a fresh, updated feel.
Whether you’re working with a similar French Provincial piece or something completely different, projects like this show how approachable furniture painting can be – and how rewarding it is to give new life to something old.
A big thank you to Denise from Salvaged Inspirations for sharing her creativity and process with us. Be sure to check out the full tutorial for all the details, and let us know – would you go bold with a single color like this, or mix in multiple finishes for your next project? If you loved Denise’s one-color approach on this piece, be sure to check out another beautiful makeover by Salvaged Inspirations featuring a mid-century desk: https://blog.dixiebellepaint.com/a-mid-century-desk-makeover-with-dixie-belle-paint/.
