Today is Themed Furniture Day, one of my favorite days of the month! Our theme this month is Red, White and Blue, which is one of my favorite topics to be creative with. Growing up in the North, where old buildings and barns are everywhere, it’s easy to understand my love for vintage red, white and blue and all things Americana. This little Americana Dresser makeover in red white and blue wasn’t planned.
I just started painting and figured it would turn out the way it was meant to turn out.
I love when I can let a project take its own form and just be whatever it wants to be when it’s finished.
This petite Americana dresser makeover began like any other makeover, I was going to give it a quick once over with some TSP and a rag before painting. Until I started examining the veneer edges. Lots and lots of edges needed repair. About 2 days worth 🙁
My How to Paint a Dresser in 7 Steps post will really help you if you are tackling this type of project as a beginner.
Metal office clamps and liquid nails are awesome and inexpensive for this type of job.
The dresser, or chest of drawers got two coats of Born On The Fourth Of July, by American Paint Company with a 4″ foam roller. Followed by a light sanding with 320 grit paper and then a good distressing on many of the edges with 220 grit. I have lots of Annie Sloan Clear Wax left over from other projects, so I gave it two coats of clear wax. I’ve been using this wax brush in my classes and it works great for the money.
Wasn’t sure where I’d work the red and white in with the blue. I had to since this was my themed entry, and Americana dresser makeovers are kind of supposed to have red white and blue in them, yes?
I thought of painting inside the drawers, or on the drawer edges. But since this little dresser is going in my husband’s office/guest room, the Americana part had to be understated. Otherwise, I’m sure he would have said “thanks honey, you shouldn’t have” and started on about not having extra room in the office.
Truth be told, I’m just trying to clear out the garage and the project pile. Anyone who needs a piece of furniture is fair game right now.
Family, friends…no one is exempt:)
The knobs were the perfect place of course! They started with a basecoat of Lamp White by Fushion Paints. This is a lovely aged grey-white color.
I counted 72 strips of Frog Tape that I’d cut. Yes, this part was a bit tedious. It wasn’t so bad since it was getting late, I just poured myself a glass of wine and settled in for the long haul 🙂
I used a stencil brush and dry brushed some Country Barn, also by American Paint Company onto the knobs first. The stars are hand drawn and uneven, which is how I wanted them. I painted the blue by watering down the Born On The Fourth Of July that I used on the dresser body. It went on like watercolor, a fine tip brush made it easy to paint around the stars and details.
A little distressing here and there, a coat of clear wax followed by some dark wax for character and the knobs turned out perfect!
They were just enough of a wow on my Americana dresser makeover to make it stand out and not too much to be over the top.
Some people might call this an Americana chest of drawers makeover. I guess it depends on which part of the country you are from:)
I staged it with a bunch of fun items I’d shopped my house for. Those red white and blue candle holders are an easy upcyle project. They fit just right.
This may be one of my favorite patriotic makeovers. It’s hard to choose.
Here’s another one of my all time favorite red ,white and blue furniture makeovers. We use these Americana Decoupage Chairs when friends come over and of course on holidays.
So…which one is your favorite?
The Americana dresser makeover with hand painted red, white and blue knobs or my patriotic chair makeover with those fabulous decoupaged stars?
If you love red white and blue as much as I do, you’ll want to see what the rest of the DIY Furniture Girls came up with too. Click on any picture and you’ll go right to that project!
You’ll find my project linked up to these fabulous parties!
Love a good dose of DIY home decor, home improvement, the challenge of woodworking and creative ways to make your home look fabulous?
Me too!
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Disclosure: I may have been compensated, given product or tools that I used in this DIY post. All opinions that I share are always 100% my own. I use affiliate links in my posts. If you should make a purchase I will receive an itty bitty commission at no cost to you. Thank you in advance for supporting my blog and two fur-ball cats who believe they are privileged.
Stacy @ Anastasia Vintage says
Just gorgeous! You went through quite a bit of work to create those knobs, but it was so worth it! 🙂
Wendi says
Hi Stacy and thank you! I love these knobs and would make them again in a heartbeat:) It’s been a fun tour, I loved the theme! Thanks so much for your visit!
handmade by amalia says
I love the dresser! The knobs are such a cool finishing touch.
Amalia
xo
Wendi says
Thanks so much Amalia! The knob are may favorite part. Thank you for your visit!
Serena @ Thrift Diving says
Aww, these knobs are really cute, Wendi! What a great thing you could sell in your shop, too! 😉
Wendi says
Thanks Serena! I wish I’d made more, I can think of other projects where they’d look great too! Thanks so much for your visit friend:)
Tami @ Curb Alert! says
Wendi, don’t you just love those extra little repair surprises? NOT! Those KNOBS! Love them, they really complete the entire look of the dresser. Great job!
~Tami
Wendi says
Hi Tami & thank you! I’m not a fan of those extra repair surprises either! It always happens when I’m pressed for time…wait, that’s always! LOL Thanks for your visit!
shanna gilbert says
I love this piece Wendi! It turned out fabulous! I can’t believe you painted those knobs! Love them!s
Wendi says
Hi Shanna & thank you! You know how it goes, you get an idea in your head and run with it. If I’d stopped to think about cutting all those strips of tape, I may not have done it! Thanks so much for your visit!
Paula@SweetPea says
The knobs really make this piece a knockout! I know your husband is so pleased to have this in his office for extra storage.
Wendi says
Hi Paula, He is! It was fun to watch his reaction when he came home and saw the whole project done. He really liked it. Thanks so much for your visit my friend!
Kim Lane says
Those knobs are perfect–just right! Loving that blue… It all just came together didn’t it? I love when that happens. That sad little dresser is so happy now.
Wendi says
Kim, I love when a project comes together in the end. I forgot to take the before photo, you described the dresser right, it was sad but had so much potential! Thanks so much for your visit and nice comment!
Christy@ Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer says
I am totally in LOVE with your Americana knobs!! Kudos to you for all those tiny details, but they make this piece for sure. What a wonderful addition this dresser would make to any space!!
Wendi says
Hi Christy and thank you! I know you know how it goes when a “brilliant” idea takes hold. I didn’t think about how time intensive the knobs would be…all I saw was how I thought they’d look. Glad I followed the vision, plus it was fun:) Thanks so much for your visit!
Karin Chudy (ART IS BEAUTY) says
What a labor of LOVE with those knobs, Wendi! But they are perfection for this piece. I always thought that “born on the 4th of july” was the perfect NAVY color.
Outstanding job as always! Just Beautiful.
Wendi says
Hi Karin…Oh my gosh, how funny I don’t run into too many people who know American Paint Co! I agree, it’s a gorgeous blue. Thanks so much for your thumbs up and have a great weekend:)
Kim Jones says
Hi, Wendi,
So enjoyed your makeover! This is really a beautiful Americana dresser and your hand painted knobs are fabulous! Great job!
Wendi says
Hi Kim and Thank you! I’m happy with how the project turned out and love the knobs!! Thanks so much for your visit:)
Lucy ~ Patina Paradise says
Okay, those knobs would look gorgeous sitting in a bowl on a piece of furniture. They are works of art! Loving both of your Americana pieces!
Wendi says
Hi Lucy and thank you! I can see you doing a project like this I know you love texture and interesting finishes:) Thanks so much for your visit!
Jody says
I am from the North also and I love our USA. The drawer pulls are the bomb and I want some. Thanks for sharing. I am still looking for chairs to paint red, white and blue.
Wendi says
Hi Jody, Thank you! I had a good time with this project, so glad you liked it too:) Good luck hunting for your chairs, I hope you find some soon!
Patty says
Oh my goodness! I love that little dresser. I can’t imagine it any other way now that I have seen it, the little dresser directed you perfectly, and those knobs are just the icing on the cake, just perfect. You are such an artist and I love your work.
Wendi says
Hi Patty! Thank you:) I forgot to take a before picture of this little guy, but it was boring plain. The knobs made the look! Thanks so much for your visit & sweet words, they made my day!
Terry says
Oh My Goodness you are talented! & have the patience of Job to paint all those handles! What a brilliant idea! What a handsome makeover! Well done! I hope you have an amazing day!
Smiles!
Terry
Wendi says
Hi Terry! Thank you so much, I think the patience factor was increased with the glass of wine:) You know how ideas take over a project, once I decided to paint those knobs, I was on a mission to make them awesome:) Thanks so much for your visit and have a fantatstic weekend yourself!
Marie, The Interior Frugalista says
Seriously girl, those hand painted knobs are gorgeous!!! I’m sure hubby was thrilled with his new office dresser, how couldn’t he.
Wendi says
Hi girlfriend! Thank you. I had fun painting those knobs with a patriotic theme. Yes, he did like the dresser too. He needed something to store extra office supplies and I needed something for guests. It’s a win-win 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Jeanie says
It looks great Wendi – I adore the knobs! Pinning!
Wendi says
Hi Jeanie…Thank you! The knobs were fun. I had a good time painting them. Thanks so much for your visit!
Amy says
Oh my goodness, those knobs are sooo darling! Totally worth the frog tape fun. I love that blue too, so pretty.
Wendi says
Hi Amy and thank you. Yes, the frog tape fun was err…fun, and it was totally worth it:) Thanks so much for your visit!
Lindsay Eidahl says
The knobs steal the show!!! THey are perfection for this makeover. Love the blue color you chose for this makeover!!
Wendi says
Hi Lindsay and thank you! I love how they turned out. This color of blue is just gorgeous. It’s one of the prettiest blues I’ve seen yet. Thanks so much for your visit.
Mary-the boondocks blog says
Wendi the dresser is beautiful by itself but those knobs are “all the money” as we greeks say! And the fact that you had the patience to actually paint the design on like that shows why you are the master!! A gorgeous Americana piece indeed!
Wendi says
Hi Mary…you are too kind! You know how these projects go, we get a “brilliant” idea and run with it without thinking in advance what it involves..LOL I’d have painted the knobs anyway just because the idea seemed cool. Thanks so much, and I love the phrase “all the money”!
Larissa ~ Prodigal Pieces says
Those knobs!! You did an amazing love to this chest, Wendi. Americana is where it’s at!
Wendi says
Hi & thanks so much Larissa! I love Americana anything. This months theme was a fun one:) Thanks so much for your visit!