We found this old dresser at a thrift store. We gave it a fresh coat of white paint and then painted a Moroccan-inspired design on the drawer faces.
Remove drawer pulls and hardware. Use sandpaper (goes with the grain) to remove the top layer of finish. Make sure to sand all the corners and crevices. This will help the new paint adhere better. After sanding, wipe down the dresser with a damp cloth to remove dust and debris.
Use a larger brush to paint the entire dresser. Let it dry completely, then apply a second coat of paint. We painted our dresser all white; You can also paint the sides and top off one of the pattern colors.
Plan the pattern for the drawer fronts. You may want to draw it on paper first. Use painter's tape to mark the pattern on the drawers. For our pattern, we measured about an inch from the top of the drawer and placed a piece of painter's tape horizontally across the drawer. We then measured an inch from the bottom of the drawer and ran another piece of tape across the drawer, making sure we had equal blank space above and below each band of tape.
Use a tape measure to find the center point of the drawer. Working from there, create alternating Xs and diamonds on the face of the drawer. We made three X's and two diamonds. Make sure each space is the same size.
Use a small brush (or sponge) to carefully paint over the first color. We use the darker color in the centers and the lighter color on the outside. Try to rub more than spread, so the paint doesn't get under the painter's tape. Let dry and paint a second coat if necessary..
When the paint is dry, carefully remove the painter's tape. Lightly sand the drawers to remove any excess paint. Use a small artist's brush to fix any color overlapping or bleeding. Let dry.
We added a second pattern inside the diamond shape to give our dresser a bit more detail. Place the template in the center of the diamond and tape it down. Use a flat head sponge to apply white paint. Let dry, then remove the stencil.
Susan Teare, Joanne Palmisano
A thrift store office has been given a makeover with pretty blue paint, white stripes, and floral stencils.
Put the handles back on the drawers or find some fun replacements.
