Mint-ish french provincial dresser

This style of furniture is my favorite! I could work on this style over and over and never be tired of it. The hardware that comes with these vintage pieces are just so pretty! All that ornateness!

This was a standard dark piece to begin with. The hardware was all very dark too so it needed to be scrubbed clean. I use Bar Keepers powder to clean the old hardware. The whole piece of furniture got a good cleaning before I started the painting. I did prime the dresser with a Zinsser oil primer before painting. Always clean your furniture before painting and sometimes you will need to scuff sand and prime.

I used Fusion Paint on this piece called Laurentien. I just love this shade of light green. I applied 2 coats of the paint. Then I did a very light coat of a sheer gold from Modern Masters. I applied it with a chippy brush and did it in a very light pattern, kind of feathering. My brush had only a tiny bit of the metallic paint on it. It's kinda dry brushing it on. Modern Masters has amazing metallic paints! When you are using the paint as just a little added bling you want to use one of the sheer versions, not opaque.

I then sealed it all with Artisan Enhancements topcoat.

The top of the dresser: I sanded it all down to get rid of the old look. When I sand I start with an 80 grit to get rid of the original stain. Then I move to a 150, then a 220. I then brushed off all the dust (you want to make sure you are sanding outside) and then brought the piece inside to start the staining. First though I took off any remaining dust with a tac cloth. Because I was planning on using the gel stain, I first applied mineral spirits. Then I started applying the gel stain. I used General Finishes gel stain in Java. It is a very dark stain. I used a foam brush to spread it on. Then I wiped it all smooth (using long stroked across the whole top) with a staining pad wrapped in a knee high. You could also use a lint free towel to wipe the stain. I applied 2 coats of the stain, waiting 24 hrs in between the 2 coats.

Once the stain sat for a couple days I applied the gel topcoat urethane sealer. This stuff is top-notch amazing stuff! I applied 4 coats of it. Whenever I use the gel stain I always seal with the gel topcoat. IT is oil based so much better to use than a water based sealer. In between the coats I waited 24 hrs. I applied the topcoat with a sponge brush and the wiped it all with a lint free towel. You can buy the lint free towels (paper rags) at Home Depot. Check out my YouTube channel for how to use gel stain and gel topcoat.

I always let my pieces sit for 2-4 weeks before letting them be taken away. You want to make sure the pieces are properly cured before using. Always use coasters though on furniture. Don't ever let a glass of ice water or ice anything sit on there too long without a coaster.