Plain Dresser Turned Awesome -- Furniture Redo "AUSTIN"

I don't believe this little guy could have been any more plain.  Back around the 1970s he was given a weird two step treatment: to make worn wood look "new" again, they painted a kind of orangish tan base coat, then a varnish coat over that.  This was supposed to simulate wood (like the wood that was hiding underneath).  Anyway, the top varnish layer had mostly peeled off, exposing the orangish base coat -- UGH.

 

So I had no qualms giving the dresser a coat of white chalk paint -- almost dry brushed it on because I wanted just a very thin layer.  When it dried I did very light distressing, it was already a little flaky. 

If I would have had more time I may have given it a coat of light brown wax -- but being blessed with 55 degrees on winter day, I had to try to finish two pieces of furniture in one day. 

 

I had been hanging on to these well-worn license plates for awhile, waiting for a nice flat-front dresser to use them on.  I switched out the ugly painted knobs for some nicely aged oak ones. 

I thought the whole thing looked a little masculine, so I named him "Austin" with a nod to the 1956 Texas license plate.