DIY Vintage Apothecary Dresser Transformation
Jessica Slowey Gouveia gave this dresser a beautiful makeover and was so sweet to share with us the process! Above is what the dresser looked like before…
During the process of staining…
And the after photo! I just love the look and her farmhouse decor pieces on top just make it even more lovely!
Jessica said “I have been in love with Apothecary style pieces for a while. I love the vintage look of old library card catalogs, and I really wanted one in my home, but due to their antique nature they so expensive! I started looking at tutorials online and realized I could make my own. I scoured local marketplace ads for the right piece to transform. I was looking for a piece that had many drawers. I scored a kids Fisher Price dresser (which crazy enough retailed for over $400 and I got for $50). I looked on Amazon and found great vintage looking hardware for a great price! Once I got this dresser home I realized I wanted to get it to the natural wood state, so I used Citristrip to strip the original stain (messiest part). With the raw wood expose I began layering Minewax gel stain (in the shade of “coffee”) to get the desired aged look. (Side note: Gel stain is so easy to use! It’s a pudding like consistency that you apply and wipe off. I have used it on several projects and it’s easy to use and gives amazing results!) This piece took three layers of stain, and on the final layer I rubbed off just enough so the shade underneath showed through. I added a top coat of Polycrylic matte coat the top to the dresser, to seal it as I knew I would be placing decor on it. On the final part of the project, I got assistance from my hubby who templated the screw holes for the catalog name holders and the drawer pulls, drilled the holes, and added them on to the dresser. This piece goes perfectly in my entryway. It’s my favorite transformation to date!”
Beautiful!
