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In this post I will show you how to paint a metallic dresser. I usually use an eggshell base for painting furniture, however for this project I used a matte silver metallic paint. My idea was to balance out the other dark grey pieces I had already painted in my bedroom. I had added Silver leaf as accents to one of the pieces and thought this would be a perfect tie in to paint a metallic silver dresser. You can see those pieces in my post How to Paint wood Furniture. Take a look!
Table of Contents
How my painted furniture got its start
I love to paint wood furniture. This is how my sister Nicole and I started Double Arrow Designs years ago. I explain how Double Arrow Designs was created here. In our first piece, Nicole found a wood bookshelf and thought after carrying it to the bus stop that she would casually get on the bus. Well the bus driver took one look at her and the bookshelf and denied her entry! She walked blocks and finally hailed a taxi while carrying it through the cold New York City streets. She wondered if her judgment was off by picking up this specific piece. But we transformed it into a unique bookshelf that sold quickly on our Etsy store.
Seeing beauty in the ordinary
Creativity is a process, it’s a way of thinking… It lives inside your head until you execute your idea into something tangible. The beauty of these design projects is that I don’t have anyone telling me how to do it, or what something should look like. This goes on everyday as a creative in my field. Everyone wants to be the designer, yet they have no idea what it takes. The good thing about that is, I can use my talent and skill for myself and for the people around me. This is one of the reasons I continue to write my posts. I hope that you continue to read and enjoy my content. Please feel free to share with anyone that you think would enjoy this creative journey.
How I ended up painting my furniture
We redid my daughter Emma’s room this past fall. Her university granted everyone a refund on housing 3 weeks into the semester. There was a mass exodus and she found herself back at home with all her college dorm stuff stored in the basement. On the first night back she said to me from her bedroom ” Mom, don’t take this the wrong way, but I really don’t want to be here”. I replied from my bedroom “Emma, don’t take this the wrong way, but I really don’t want you here either!” My first thought after this exchange was that it was going to be a long fall semester.
I had just started my new website. Brian and I were finally going to be empty nesters with both kids away in college. The uninterrupted time before and after work was just what I had been looking for. Everyone around me was asking me if I missed my kids, I was like “miss them? I am too busy to miss them!” This came to a crashing halt In September. So we needed to make a plan in order for her and I to have a successful few months.
Metallic dresser redo
We decided to redo her bedroom into an at home dorm room. You can see how we designed that here. I ended up acquiring this white chest of drawers from her. This piece fit perfectly in the corner, but did not go with the rest of the furniture in the bedroom. I also didn’t want to paint another piece in dark grey. The idea to paint this silver metallic came to me one day while looking at this white dresser. The silver metallic would pair well with the grey, giving the pieces in the room some dimension. Then I could finish it off with the same crystal knobs, which would tie all the pieces together.
Keep in Mind that your results will vary, depending on your dresser, technique, and supplies.
Steps to paint a Metallic dresser
- Always clean your piece first, this may seem obvious, but painted dust and dirt is not a good look on any repurposed piece.
- Empty all the drawers, I know this sounds obvious, however just do this.
- Remove all the drawers from the body of the dresser.
- Unscrew any handles, in my case I am replacing. However you can paint these as well. Removing will allow you to efficiently paint them.
- Place a drop cloth or paper underneath your piece.
- For this specific piece I am Lightly sanding, when I say lightly I really mean lightly! All you want to do is create a surface for the paint to grab onto.
- Grab a good quality brush. I only use Purdy brushes. For this project I used an extra soft brush for latex paint.They are more expensive, however if you wash them after each use these brushes will last a long time.
- I used Modern Masters matte silver metallic paint for this project. Using my brush I paint the body of my furniture, then the drawers.
- While painting use one direction strokes to keep surface consistent. My strokes would be full length across the surface. Metallic paint can be a little tricky so we want to make this as smooth s possible.
- Wait to fully dry, I usually wait 4-6 hours, then apply a second coat.
- On this specific project my second coat of metallic paint left some grit. I used my fine sanding block, and with the same direction that I applied the paint i remove any roughness left my the paint
- with a soft rag, or damp paper towel I wipe down the surface.
- Apply the sealant coat. I usually wait 24 hours to apply Minwax poly acrylic in clear matte. This seals your paint underneath to prevent paint coming off. Again, I wait 4-6 hours and apply a second sealant coat.
- Reattach knobs. On this project I used crystal knobs to complete the look.
Completed look of the painted metallic dresser
There you have it! how to paint a metallic dresser. A completed one of a kind dresser that looks fabulous! It layers in perfectly with the other dark gray furniture pieces. This adds dimension and depth to my bedroom.
METALLIC DRESSERS
Of course not everyone is a DIY’r. Or may not have the time to do these projects. Either way, I have also included some Glam silver dressers below for anyone loving this look! take a look.
- Safavieh American Homes Collection Havana Grey Chest
- Pulaski Diva Five Drawer Chest
- Silver Benzara Wooden Dresser
- 3 Drawers Chest Silver Dresser with Bronze Metal Frame
- Exquisite Hollywood Regency Flair Design – Silver
- Silver Wood Bow-Front Mirrored Chest
Related posts
Take a look at some of my other painted furniture projects below!
- Painted Side Table Makeover
- How to paint wrought iron furniture
- Painted Wicker Furniture Makeover – Quick & Easy!
Please share your projects! I always love to see what other are doing and creating. There are so many variations that can be done, depending on your piece.
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