Are you ready to see a classic cedar chest transformed into a standout piece? Denise from Salvaged Inspirations took on this makeover using Dixie Belle Silk All-In-One Mineral Paint, adding beautiful trim and even creating a custom color that brings out the unique character of this chest. With her creative eye and expert techniques, Denise has brought a fresh look to a timeless piece. 

(The following is an excerpt from Salvaged Inspirations. Read the full article here.)   

Picture of a brownish orange painted chest sitting on a brown rug, in front of a white wall; a green plant hangs from the top over the front right of the chest; a gray and brown chair sits to the left of the chest

This cedar chest makeover is a PERFECT example of how a little trim can totally change the look of a plain piece of furniture. If you’ve never added trim to your pieces, I hope this salvaged chest makeover inspires you to give it a try! 

"Before" photo of cedar chest sitting on a brown wooden floor, in front of a white wall

Here’s the cedar chest I started with. It’s a good solid piece and the inside is meticulous! 

The outside needed a little love though. The veneer was chipped and scratched. 

"Before" picture of the left side of the cedar chest showing the chipped corner.

And there was a big stain that had penetrated the veneer on the top. 

Up close "Before" of the side of the cedar chest showing a stain on top of the chest; two white pieces of paper are on top of the chest

WHAT YOU’LL NEED 

CLEAN AND SCUFF 

This white lightning cleaned this cedar chest on the inside and out. I wiped it down a few times and then used clean water to remove any residue. Then the outside of the chest was given a quick scuff sanding. 

A hand in a yellow rubber glove washing the top of the cedar chest with a yellow sponge

HOW TO ADD TRIM 

After I figured out my spacing it was time to add the trim to my furniture. 

Here’s the step-by-step to add trim to furniture ~ 

  1. Measured furniture 
  2. Measure and cut trim to size 
  3. Calculate the spacing between your trim design (as above) 
  4. Measure out your spacing and mark where your trim will be added 
  5. Adhere the trim with wood glue 
  6. Secure with a brad nailer/trim gun 
  7. Remove excess glue 
  8. Prime and paint or stain 

8 sections numbered for how to apply wood trim to a piece

PRIME 

Once all the trim was added on, I primed with this Bonding Boss Primer. It was my first time using this 2″ synthetic chip brush and I loved it. It works even better than the regular chip brushes for brushing on this primer and it’s super cheap! 

WOOD FILL IMPERFECTIONS 

When the first coat of primer was dry, it was easy to see where ALL the imperfections like the chipped veneer, scratches, trim nail holes etc required filling in with wood filler. I used Dixie Belle White Mud because it’s so easy to hand sand. 

White primed cedar chest with a jar of white Dixie Belle Mud sitting on top; a hand holding a putty knife is applying Dixie Belle Mud to the corner of the chest

CUSTOM PAINT COLOR 

With fall just around the corner, I’m thinking of changing leave colors, cooler temps, and pumpkin lattes, which are just a few of my favorite things! I created a custom FALL paint color using the Dixie Belle Color Lab. I wanted to create a caramel-eee / pumpkin spice-eee yummy color for the upcoming season. Ultimately, I used the top formula and added approximately 80% Yellowstone to 20% Prickly Pear. 

A screenshot of paint colors from the Dixie Belle color lab

When I painted on my first coat, it looked nothing like my screenshot. My paint studio is filled with heavy duty lighting so I can see everything I’m spraying and painting along with taking videos and images that YOU can see. I often have to remember this when using new-to-me colors. They often don’t look anything like what they will look like in natural lighting. 

Orange paint being applied to the cedar chest

The second coat started to look a little more true to what I was after. The third coat was a charm when I brought it upstairs! 

Orange painted cedar chest

FINISHING DETAILS 

For the finishing details, I removed the painters’ tape from the hinges and legs. I used Gold Gilding Wax to make the bottom part of the brass legs look new again. I also painted and touched up the inside rim of the chest. No topcoat was required because it’s included with the SILK All-In-One Mineral Paint! 

Gold Gilding Wax being applied to the foot of the cedar chest with a small paint brush

THE FINISHED LOOK 

Here’s the cedar chests’ finished look. Oooooh-la-la! 

Orange painted cedar chest sitting on a brown wooden floor with a rug, in front of a white painted wall; a green plant sits on top of the chest and an oval black photo is on the wall.

The custom paint color looks MUCH different than it did while I was painting it under all that fluorescent and camera lighting.  After it was all dry and I brought it upstairs into natural light and I like it so much better!! 

And here’s a close-up look at the trim with the chest opened up. 

Orange painted cedar chest open with a white pillow and blanket hanging out of the chest; a green plant is behind the chest 

A big thank you to Denise from Salvaged Inspirations for sharing her cedar chest makeover with us! Her addition of trim and custom Silk All-In-One Mineral Paint color shows just how versatile our products can be. We hope you’re inspired to try something similar on your next project! For another Silk All-In-One Mineral Paint project completed by Salvaged Inspirations, check out our blog, Yellowstone Silk Painted Side Tables.

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About the Author

Salvaged Inspirations

Denise is a blogger, self-taught furniture artist, writer, photographer and the owner/creator of Salvaged Inspirations. She is a lover of all things vintage, repurposed and restyled. A thrift enthusiast, she’s always in pursuit of the next creative upcycle.

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