enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

Dressertransformation2 We went from a perfectly fine gray dresser with boring knobs, to gray with exciting white knobs (from Anthropologie), to turquoise with the same exciting knobs.

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And in true Elise fashion, I rushed right into this project without sanding the wood on the drawers or the top and I can already tell we are going to have a bit of a problem with paint chipping off. In my defense, the existing wood felt like it could handle more paint. And also in my defense, sometimes when I rush wildly into projects we get things like our headboard. So you win some, you lose some. And eventually we might strip and sand and repaint the exact same color because I love it. Unless anyone has an idea for some sort of clear sealer we could paint on top? Because that would be awesome.

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If you're curious, it's BEHR Cozumel and it took two coats. (And the color is actually the most accurate in the top "before & after" photo.)

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I hemmed and hawed a bit about such a bright color. I mean, what if I didn't like it? What if it ruined my fancy piece of furniture? And then I thought, dude, you're 25. If you can't paint a dresser a bright color at 25, you are looking at a long and boring future. Also, my fancy piece of furniture came from Ikea. So it's not like I'm destroying a piece of history or anything.

And that is the long winded way of saying : "I love it. I should have sanded it. Oh well, I love it."

Super excited to tackle the rest of our bedroom. Finally.

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58 responses to “new dresser obsessed.”

  1. Sarah Avatar

    I recently painted a set of old end tables in my family room a fun paprika color. And I felt the same – oh no, I just painted something a COLOR! In my family room. Where I see them everyday! But, I think they look fabulous. And the color grows on me more every day. Also, they were free, so if I grow tired of them, I will just move them to another area of my home or give them away. Oh, and a tip on the sanding, I did sand my end tables using a pad sander (battery operated) and spray paint. That type of sander helped me move super quick. And the spray paint provided great even coverage. But, like you said, live and learn and when you get bored of it, try again!

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  2. Tanya Avatar
    Tanya

    Have a piece of glass cut for the top of your dresser. That will help keep the top in better shape and avoid some of the chipping.

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  3. Ell Avatar
    Ell

    If it makes you feel any better, I believe that dresser (and most from Ikea) is covered in a type of laminate that cant be sanded off really. Your best bet is to paint some heavy primer, then move strait to paint. The chipping will happen, but thats just the nature of Ikea. The more you paint over the it less it will happen. (Painted many ikea things myself!)
    p.s. hemnes rules.

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  4. Marcia (123 blog) Avatar

    No idea about the painting but it is BEAUTIFUL!!!!
    LOVE the colour 🙂

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  5. Elizabeth Avatar

    Oo I love this! I have been searching and searching for something that I can paint turquoise. I am looking for something to be a “statement” piece in my house. I love this! It is inspiring me 🙂

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  6. Rachell Avatar

    I get nervous about bright paint too, but then when I look back, I always appreciate my courage in the matter. That color is gorgeous!

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  7. IslandJen Avatar

    Dear Elise – I’m just going to disclaim now that I’m stealing this color for my own project..I’ve had a bookcase waiting to be painted for a year now, but haven’t found a color that’s inspired me. I think Cozumel may be it…thanks for the inspo! 🙂

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  8. Michelle Wengert Avatar

    Turned out completely awesome. Fancy ikea dressor turns fancy statement piece!! I am in love with the knobs, even more now against the Cozumel paint.

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  9. Lisa Fine Avatar

    I love how colorful it is. I feel like so many of us, especially as we grow older, stick to very mute colors. It’s much more fun to have some color in our lives.

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  10. Brianna Avatar
    Brianna

    Looks good. I love the color.

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  11. Nadia Avatar

    I LOVE IT! I cannot believe that the dresser is from ikea. I am moving in a few short months and have been thinking about unique pieces and to think that I can go and buy something from ikea and paint it? well, truthfully the thought never crossed my mind. so thank YOU for the beautiful inspiration! ciao!

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  12. Jennifer Johner Avatar

    So gorgeous!! We painted our Ikea kitchen island last year with turquoise paint, sealed it with 2 coats of polyurethane (very very very stinky stuff) ..did the trick! No chips on it yet, and it gets beat on every day! 😉 LOVELY dresser! So very inspiring.. and the knobs, swooooooon!!!

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  13. Alice Avatar

    Love the new color !!! Makes me think i might not get rid of all my furniture when i move at the end of the year, but just paint them and change the knobs !!! Thanks for the inspiration !

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  14. Olivia Avatar

    That kind of dresser color might actually turn me into a morning person where I would be excited to get up early and start my day! 🙂

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  15. elise blaha Avatar

    good to know! thanks!

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  16. elise blaha Avatar

    good to know! and I totally agree – love hemnes.

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  17. Brittany Avatar

    I love the knobs and that they aren’t all the same! Neat idea.

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  18. summer Avatar

    LOVE.
    elise, wow. i really don’t think i could love it any more.
    i wish you could come do the dresser i have set aside for the baby’s room!!!

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  19. Monica Avatar
    Monica

    I love this post, especially the point you made to yourself about your future being boring if you can’t paint a dresser bright at 25- I’m glad you did it!

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  20. Funnelcloud Rachel Avatar

    Wow – I can’t believe you made something from Ikea look that good! Can we see a photo of it in your bedroom?

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  21. elise blaha Avatar

    Eventually. Ive got a lot of updating to do in there first.

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  22. jessica o'brien | jessohbee Avatar

    fun!!! that is actually very close to the color that was on my bedroom walls in high school! though mine was more teal / green. i agree with you – it’s IKEA, have fun! plus, IKEA pieces will break before you get sick of it. ha.
    there are wipe on polys that you can put on to protect the top + make it shiny. you just apply with a rag, but my advice is THIN coats or else they’ll yellow over time.

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  23. desiree Avatar

    How fun! I love the color and the knobs are awesome. 🙂

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  24. Jennifer Avatar
    Jennifer

    looks great!

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  25. Gen Avatar

    It looks great! I am glad you went with this color and I love the thought process behind it!
    Did you paint it all with a paintbrush? and did you seal it with any polyurithane?

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  26. kristen Avatar
    kristen

    Wow – it looks awesome! LOVE the color!

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  27. Laura Avatar

    The knobs are amazing! I love how they’re not all the same – such an easy idea but so fun!

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  28. Amy Lapi Avatar

    i painted a huge entertainment center in my living room the same color a couple of weeks ago and same story, threw the paint on like “furniture renovator” is my job title. anyway, some of it has begun peeling, so i’m curious to hear about some sealer. also, i try to not “scratch” it with dvd cases and such.

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  29. Heather Green Avatar
    Heather Green

    Love your dresser. My scrapbook room is painted that exact color!!
    Heather

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  30. elise blaha Avatar

    Yep, just a paint brush. And as mentioned in the post – no sealer yet. I have decided to try and get by without.

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  31. leni Avatar

    sadly, if the paint doesn’t stick, adding a sealer on top of the paint won’t do anything to make the paint stick. you’ll have to sand it and repaint it. it’s the only way. on the bright side, it might look really good when the paint comes off a little; think of it as a little “stressed” or “antiqued”! 🙂

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  32. leni Avatar

    they yellow because of the sun. a good hardware store will sell you sealer that doesn’t yellow, just be sure to ask.

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  33. leni Avatar

    but if the paint doesn’t stick, adding sealer on top, won’t help. it just means that the sealed paint will fall off the same as the unsealed paint is now.

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  34. Chelseabird Avatar

    It looks lovely! Great job!

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  35. elise blaha Avatar

    thanks! I think I am just going to leave it and redo it later if we have too. 🙂

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  36. jodi Avatar

    i absolutely LOVE it.

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  37. Mel Avatar

    It looks fantastic!!
    My DD has a very similar dresser which we painted a very similar color and added glass knobs…and I love it…BUT your knobs are totally giving me knob envy…so I may have to add a few flower knobs to her dresser.

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  38. Lyndsey Avatar

    I LOVE the color… this dresser is a little piece of joy

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  39. Julia Avatar

    oooo… i love it too.

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  40. Jen Avatar

    I love that you do that, too (just jump into projects without really prepping, etc)
    I can see tiny hints of the old wood under that paint… and I almost wonder if it will get a lot of great character with the slight chips of paint that may occur.
    (unless that’s so not what you want)
    I think using a varnish (indoor, wellll ventilated area) would help some, but it’s quite possible it wont have a long effect. (but just think of the next fun color you can paint it 😉

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  41. Seaweedandraine Avatar

    Looks funky! 🙂 Enjoy the new colour – and you are so right… don’t get bogged down at 25 😀 leave yourself plenty of room to breathe :)Great job (even minus the sanding 😉 )

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  42. Home theater builder Avatar
    Home theater builder

    I really appreciate ur beautifull painting work,This one is a lovely color.. http://www.edgonline.com/ Perfect finishing …

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  43. Jamie Avatar

    LOVE this! And you’re statement about being 25 and not being able to paint a piece of furniture made me smile – I should take on that kind of thinking more often! 🙂

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  44. breanne Avatar
    breanne

    thats the exact color i used as my accent color in my old bedroom. when i have a place again, it will make it’s appearance! LOVE the dresser!

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  45. Chelsea Avatar

    I love it! The color is great!!!!!

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  46. {be}well Avatar

    oh my. honest to goodness, before i even saw this, i am doing the EXACT same thing to my dresser right now. only my drawer pulls are more of a brushed nickel wide handle things. and im torn between buttercream yellow or seafoam green for the paint. what a trip. beautiful work.

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  47. Furniture and Decor Avatar
    Furniture and Decor

    I really wonder without having any knowledge about painting u have done a Excellent job!!!Hats off to ur Superb Powerfull work..Color too looks Pretty Cute Awesome Finishing!!!! http://www.vivamagonline.com Hope u enjoyed the color …

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  48. cheap wardrobes Avatar

    The dresser turned out big time! It looks like an expensive piece of furniture. Great job turning this dresser in to something fun and fancy.

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  49. Sevenoaks Furniture Avatar

    I restored my own childhood dresser and painted it and it looks new again and then I let my daughter use it for her to treasure also.

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