Color me Coral

This post has been sponsored by Sherwin-Williams. All opinions are 100% mine, if you've been reading for a while, you probably know that :) 

Over the weekend I started painting this dresser that I picked up at a thrift store a few months ago, solid wood (maybe oak?), dovetail drawers, for $8 - yes please!

It doesn't look too bad in the photo above, but looking a little closer, it had been repainted with a thick nap roller, leaving a textured surface. 

Using good supplies/techniques and will produce a much better result and save you time if you ever decide to repaint. Read on to see what supplies I like!

Enter in lots of sanding ...

 

I used my orbital sander with 60 grit sandpaper to remove most of the textured surface, and then went back over with a 120 grit sandpaper to smooth everything out. 

I patched a few holes with wood filler and filled the holes from the old hardware. One was broken so those definitely needed to be swapped out. I decided on brass ring pulls, so new holes were drilled about 6" from the edge.

After removing the dust with a microfiber cloth, I used SW Premium Wall & Wood Primer, I find that it has good coverage and adhesion, gives a smooth result while creating a surface that the top coat adheres well to. 

After allowing the primer to dry I used a fine grit sandpaper to quickly sand the surface. I then wiped it down with a microfiber cloth to remove any dust.

For the top coat, I decided to use one of my favorite paints, SW Pro Classic, it is water based with a hard enamel finish like an oil based, but without the fumes and the brush cleans up with water. The enamel surface is ideal for furniture in high traffic areas for maximum durability. 

I used two thin coats and mixed in a little XIM extender to level out any brush strokes prior to drying. The key to reducing brush stokes, is using thin coats and not over brushing, it will level out when it dries. My favorite brush is the Purdy Clearcut Glide 1.5" and 3".  

I decided on SW Ardent Coral, a fun, bright, pink coral for the top coat. I'm most likely putting it in my closet for additional storage, but before I move things around I took a few photos with my new stencil.

I picked up a partial piece of drywall at Habitat Restore for $2.50, and plan to use it to try out my new stencils. Stenciled wall is also SW Ardent Coral.

I made my DIY Brass Ring Pulls for the hardware.

Much much better than the previous textured surface! And I love the bright pop of color, making it a great accent piece!  

Stencil is now available through my Etsy shop, click here to view