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You are visiting: Home » Decorating/DIY » Create Your Decor » How to Make a Midcentury Modern Inspired Two Tone Dresser

How to Make a Midcentury Modern Inspired Two Tone Dresser

by Lindsay Ballard on December 21, 2013 23 Comments

how to finish a midcentury modern inspired two tone dresser via MakelyHome.com

When we last left my DIY midcentury modern inspired dresser, my husband Tom (who built this dresser from scratch) handed it over to me for finishing.  When he left for work the next morning, he said, “Don’t ruin it.”  Oh, great.  Thanks for the vote of confidence!  I think he was only half joking.

I wanted to paint the box of the dresser in a bright white gloss and stain the drawer fronts in a medium brown for a two tone look.  I love this look, and it will be perfect in Emma’s bedroom.

I sanded the entire piece with a 220-grit sandpaper.  Then, I primed the box (inside and out) with a good oil-based primer.   Once the primer was dry, I used Glidden Trim and Door extra high gloss paint in bright white.  This is a thick, gel paint that doesn’t show brush marks and drips like traditional paint.  Glidden sent me some of this paint to try out on this dresser, and I think it was definitely the right choice for this project.

DIY Crate and Barrel Midcentury Modern Inspired Dresser via MakelyHome.com- painted with @GliddenPaint Trim and Door (in Extra High Gloss Bright White) and stained drawer fronts

The recommended method for applying this paint is with a brush, but Glidden says that a high density foam roller can also be used.  I went the roller route since I was painting a surface that was large, flat and smooth.  It covered wonderfully in two coats.  Although the finish isn’t as perfect as I get from my paint sprayer, it still looks a lot better than I would have gotten with traditional latex or oil-based paint. Glidden Trim and Door paint is an aklyd and dries really hard – which makes it great for not only trim and doors but for a piece of furniture in a child’s room.  I used it on the trim in our powder room, and it has held up perfectly.

While the paint was drying, I stained the drawer fronts with American Walnut from Rustoleum (same paint I used for my CB2 clock project) and waxed the fronts and drawer sides with Miss Mustard Seed soft wax (my favorite top coat product right now).

DIY Crate and Barrel Midcentury Modern Inspired Dresser via MakelyHome.com- painted with @GliddenPaint Trim and Door (in Extra High Gloss Bright White) and stained drawer fronts

The finished dresser is exactly what I had pictured in my mind when I dreamt this whole thing up in the first place.  EXACTLY.  It’s so nice when that happens!

DIY Crate and Barrel Midcentury Modern Inspired Dresser via MakelyHome.com- painted with @GliddenPaint Trim and Door (in Extra High Gloss Bright White) and stained drawer fronts

And look at that super high gloss paint.  It’s so shiny that it reflects my upcycled Elvis artwork!

DIY Crate and Barrel Midcentury Modern Inspired Dresser via MakelyHome.com- painted with @GliddenPaint Trim and Door (in Extra High Gloss Bright White) and stained drawer fronts

(Just for the record, Emma doesn’t keep to keep my Elvis in her room.  She may get him in my Will one day, but she’ll have to earn him.  I love him that much.  She does, however, get another super special project that I can’t reveal yet.)

DIY Crate and Barrel Midcentury Modern Inspired Dresser via MakelyHome.com- painted with @GliddenPaint Trim and Door (in Extra High Gloss Bright White) and stained drawer fronts

And Jack (white) and Duke (brown).  They were so happy to come in while I was shooting the dresser. Look at Jack’s face!  He’s so proud of himself.

DIY Crate and Barrel Midcentury Modern Inspired Dresser via MakelyHome.com- painted with @GliddenPaint Trim and Door (in Extra High Gloss Bright White) and stained drawer fronts

Again, I want to give a HUGE thank you to my friend Rayan for designing the plan for this dresser and to my husband Tom for building it (I didn’t ruin it!).  I am in awe of you both and would like to be you when I grow up.

Are you inspired?  Who says you can’t have a $1600 dresser for 1/5 of the price?  I sure don’t!

This is a sponsored post from Glidden.  All opinions – and Elvis artworks – are my own.   

About Lindsay Ballard

Lindsay Ballard is a former college mascot turned political geek turned roller derby playing, DIY fanatic.

Lindsay chronicles her projects, design ideas, and lifestyle tips here at Makely, where she shares tutorials and inspiration. Her DIY designs are bold and graphic, while her spirit is fun and full of color.

Lindsay lives outside of Austin, Texas with her husband (Tom), children (Zack and Emma), and dogs (Duke and Jill). She plays roller derby for the Rockin' City Rollergirls out of Round Rock, Texas.

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Comments

  1. mary@athomeonthebay says

    December 22, 2013 at 9:58 am

    It looks amazing Lindsay! I love that Jack is smiling for the camera.

    Reply
    • Lindsay Ballard says

      January 5, 2014 at 1:55 am

      He is! Silly dog. Thanks, Mary!

      Reply
  2. Catherine says

    December 22, 2013 at 9:59 am

    I need this dresser!! So much gorgeousness.

    Reply
    • Lindsay Ballard says

      January 5, 2014 at 1:55 am

      Thank you, Catherine!

      Reply
  3. Laura @ SNL Painting says

    December 26, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    Cute dresser! I really love the little added touches of this. Really cute and amazing.

    Reply
    • Lindsay Ballard says

      January 5, 2014 at 1:55 am

      Thanks, Laura! I appreciate it!

      Reply
  4. kim says

    January 18, 2014 at 4:10 pm

    I love that elvis!! Where did you get it? Make it?

    Reply
    • Margo says

      May 2, 2014 at 8:00 pm

      I too want to know more about Elvis. I love it!

      Reply
  5. Brooke Dalling says

    April 25, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    I am refinishing a dresser similar to this one. After reading your blog I decided to use the same paint, and wax you did. I have a question though. Did you wax the high gloss paint or just the stained drawers? I usually do a semi gloss paint and after I am done I lightly sand and marks or imperfections And then do a heavy gloss top coat. You didn’t mention a top coat on the white paint so I am wondering if you just left it. Since it’s white I don’t want to put a oil based top coat because it would yellow.
    Thanks. Brooke

    Reply
    • Lindsay Ballard says

      April 25, 2014 at 2:22 pm

      Hey Brooke! I waxed the stained drawers and just left the high gloss painted alone. They didn’t need anything after that Trim and Door paint.

      Reply
  6. Jenn(ifer) says

    February 4, 2015 at 3:10 pm

    Hi Lindsey.

    I still love this dresser and just stumbled upon it again when looking for a good idea for drawer pulls. I was wondering what your experince with the “cut out pulls” is. Do they work well?
    Thanks a bunch!
    Jenn(ifer)

    Reply
    • Jenn(ifer) says

      February 5, 2015 at 7:16 am

      PS: apologies for misspelling you name, Lindsay!

      Reply
    • Lindsay Ballard says

      February 6, 2015 at 8:39 am

      Hi Jenn! Yes, the pull outs work great! We haven’t had any problems with them at all. Tom routed them, so they are nice and smooth. 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Build Your Own Crate & Barrel Steppe Dresser - Makely School for Girls says:
    January 5, 2014 at 2:01 am

    […] Want to see the finished dresser?  Click here for the reveal! […]

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  2. Centsational Girl » Blog Archive BOTB 1.17.14 » Centsational Girl says:
    January 17, 2014 at 11:12 am

    […] can’t help falling in love with this two tone midcentury dresser built from scratch at Makely Home for […]

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  3. How to Remove Paint Odors says:
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About Makely

Lindsay Ballard is a former college mascot turned political geek turned roller derby playing, DIY fanatic.

Lindsay chronicles her projects, design ideas, and lifestyle tips here at Makely, where she shares tutorials and inspiration. Her DIY designs are bold and graphic, while her spirit is fun and full of color.

Lindsay lives outside of Austin, Texas with her husband (Tom), children (Zack and Emma), and dogs (Duke and Jill). She plays roller derby for the Rockin' City Rollergirls out of Round Rock, Texas.


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