(Finally) Baby P's Furniture

I mentioned in a previous post that we are on a budget for our nursery... A budget that didn't allow for all new furniture. And I had some furniture in that room already. It was my furniture set that I got for my 12th birthday. It's pretty simple, classic design. Nothing life changing. And little bit country chic (perhaps minus the chic part) with it's light knotty oak finish. But it's sturdy. And it's ours. And it's...

 

Completely not the look I had in mind for my nursery.

A quick jaunt around the interwebs to discount furniture sites and even craigslist quickly made me realize that purchasing a new (or new-to-us used) set of furniture would be out of the question. We just couldn't justify that kind of money. And even though I knew I should be content and just work with what I had...

I didn't want to.
So I pouted.
And I thought.

And I wondered if I could refinish the furniture?
Negative, ghost writer.
It's not real wood. It's particle board. Laminate junk. Still sturdy. But particle board nonetheless. You can't sand and stain that junk. Can I paint it? Well... I didn't really want traditional flat white furniture for Baby P's room, because I was hoping the furniture would be stuff we could keep around for a long time. You know... grow with it. I didn't want it to look too juvenile. Also, you may recall that we really wanted (and therefore purchased... well, grandma and grandpa purchased) a new crib in espresso finish. Nice and modern and classy. And a far cry from the fake light oak particle board furniture in the rest of the room.

So I dared to think something I swore to myself I would never ever think, much less include in my decor. (I think I was tainted by the 90's sponge painting craze? That my mother embraced whole heartedly in every room of our house.) I dared to think... maybe... just maybe... I could do some kind of a faux-finish that wouldn't look terrible.
And then I cringed at that word.
Faux-finish.
Gross.
I took my pregnant but determined self to the Home Depot to figure it out. Got in an argument with my husband about whether or not you can stain particle board (you can't, Z. You just can't.). Got into an argument with the sales associate about whether or not you can use an interior glaze medium on furniture (You definitely can, associate. You suck at your job. Go read a crafty blog and be schooled.) And stomped out of the store annoyed but undeterred.
I shared my plan with my husband who looked at me skeptically and didn't think it would work. I shared my plan with my parents who looked at me skeptically and didn't think it would work. I shared my plan with my friend Joy who said... "Okay. Want me to come help?"
Bingo. She gets one million points for the correct response. Z and my parents are in the hole.

Everything sanded... and the bureau in the bottom right corner is primed

So here's the plan:
Step 1: SAND    Step 2: PRIME    Step 3: PAINT    Step 4: GLAZE   Step 5: TOPCOAT    Step 6: Sip lemonade on the patio and revel in my brilliance and how easy that whole thing was.
Should take me 3 days--tops-- including a whole afternoon for sipping and reveling.
I was wrong.
This project took me the better part of three weeks to complete. About halfway through our dear sweet child found that nice sciatic nerve in my spine and dedicated his evenings to pressing his skull into it with all the force his 10 oz. would let him. And it was enough to take me down and bring me to tears regularly. Z says I am not allowed to swear around the baby now that he can 'hear' us. I am pretty sure I was swearing AT the baby during this process. Not gonna win me mother of the year, I know. But DANG that was some evil nasty thing to do to one's mom. That's all I'm saying about that.

It just took forever. After sanding and priming (which took up the first week...) it took 4 coats of the chocolate brown to cover the furniture. Four coats! Four hours drying time between coats. 9 drawers, 2 cabinets, bureau and dresser... four coats. Heaven help me. I thought I would never get through. Then I glazed the thing in black to create a faux-finish (cringe) wood grain. Then 2-3 coats of the safecoat acrylacq.  Stick a fork in me. I am SO DONE with this project.
Last night I finally... FINALLY reassembled everything and installed all the new hardware and...
I love it! It looks good, faux finish and all. And I am sad my photography isn't better and you can't see it well, but check out the fake-out wood grain from the glaze on my glossy drawer fronts:

Pretty, no?

Lots of shelf space inside those doors and two big drawers.


I love it.

This will be the changing table, and count those 7 drawers for storage and little clothes!

I am so proud.
And... the non-believers?
Well, my husband is super impressed with the finished product. "It looks like real wood grain... like it was made that way, not refinished in a stuffy room in our house," he said. Yup.
My parents are baffled by the transformation. My dad keeps saying... " When you told me your plan I thought it was going to look terrible and cheap. But this looks really nice-- classy and professional." Yup.
So two thumbs up from them.
And even though it wasn't CHEAP (you know, not as cheap as just using what we had) it was a lot cheaper than buying new stuff, and it looks stellar, and as I have more time than money right now... the time investment to save money but still have fab furniture was worth it to me. And the whole thing still cost under $100 for classy brand-new looking furniture. I am very happy.

Price breakdown:
Primer and Chocolate brown interior paint: $16
Glazing medium and tint: $14
Safecoat Acrylacq: $27
New hardware (17 knobs!): $38
TOTAL: $95.00

One more look...

LEARN TO DO THIS: Re-finish a nightstand!

Happy Labor Day! I've been 'laboring' (I'm terribly witty...) on this one for a couple weeks now... finally finished it up, put it together and in place today...
When we bought our new bedroom set after we got married, we decided not to spring the extra $150 for the matching night stand. Would have been nice... but Z kinda had that money earmarked for a new Wii... soooo... we did without. We actually had been using an wooden tv tray for the alarm clock and what not that goes on a nightstand while I tried to find a better alternative.
Enter craigslist... where I found THIS charming little thing for $20.

 The person I bought it from said this of her antique night stand,  (and I quote) "It needs re-finished, but it's really sturdy." By the time I got the thing to my car, the drawer front had come off, and a piece on the front was wobbling conspicuously. Sturdy my arse! Oh well, I was going to have to take it all apart to stain it anyhow. It was pretty dinged up and was this nasty orange-ish color. gross. And had this greenish tarnished brass pull-- knew that had to go.
OK, so I got out my husbands little 'mouse' sander and sanded away. I used a paint/varnish stripper on the trim/detailing. All those little grooves were a pain in my bum! Here it is naked:

And then I put on 3 coats of walnut stain/varnish, (sanding between each coat, what a pain...) and glued and nailed the whole thing back together to sturdiness again! And we changed that yucky pull to a much prettier brushed nickle that matches out bedroom set... and...

SO. MUCH. BETTER.

Now, it was my first time refinishing something... so i am sure you can pick out the blemishes if you wanna try real hard... you can find plenty of stuff like this:

Sigh. Imperfections.

But that's only if you are trying to find fault, because for the most part it looks great! I am pleased!

Now all that's left to do is put is in place... so it can replace this mess: (honestly this is the reason I try to stay away from that side of the room, it is scary and kinda gross. I need to teach Z about trashcans and stacking things. anywho...)

BEFORE...

Gross, right? Um, here's how it looks with new nightstand in place. MUCH better! Much more organization! Much more happy! (although the bed is still not made, don't judge me. The sheets are in the wash...)

Good project, and good sense of accomplishment! Hooray!