Pop of Red Dresser

When it comes to repairing old dressers, I’ve seen quite the spectrum of original conditions.  Water damage, bent hardware, chunks missing, splitting veneer, broken legs, and even dog pee.

But this piece...

…this piece might take the cake. 

The previous owners had been keeping it practically unsheltered in their carport for who knows how long.  Exposed to the elements, every inch of the cherry veneer was clinging on for dear life.  As soon as I touched it, the veneer started flaking off like bad dandruff.  Poor thing. The state of this thing meant I couldn’t restore all of it back to its former glory. The drawer fronts, although in need of excessive touch-ups, were mostly salvageable.  But the sides were an irrestorable tragedy that would have to succumb to a good coat of paint. But this meant I had a fun opportunity on my hands… a chance to play with color:

So if paint had to be on the agenda, I chose a sassy red-orange to play off the red cherry tones in the drawers.

The drawers had a lot of chipped veneer around the edges which I painstaking patched and painted to match by hand.  Then I reoiled the wood to bring it back to health like a good moisturizer for cracked hands in winter.

The original wooden pulls were also too damaged to keep so I replaced them with brass whistle knobs that match the brass keyholes in the top drawers.

I was able to keep the original gold capped tapered legs however!

To style it, I used my painter’s pallet and the most exquisite golden foliage I could find.

GAH! This is why it’s my favorite time of year to style with tree branches!!! (I can’t help myself - just see here and here and here).

Pop of Red 8 Drawer Dresser
Now Available for Sale
33.5”W x 18”D x 48”H
$495


If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, email me at cate@stylemutthome.com

Leather Headboard || 2018 Flip List Item No.1

We’ve got a month and some change left in the year and I still have projects left on the 2018 Furniture Flip Bucket List and have only coordinated one room tour since we moved into our new place last Spring. I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m running a bit behind on a lot of things in life, but hey - who isn’t?

Let’s do a little something about that today shall we? I’m fixin’ to kill two birds with one post: item No.1 from the flip list and a master bedroom reveal!

I often use my annual Flip LIst as a declaration on intent for the year. It’s a combination of fun projects I have my eye on and personal challenges I’d like to tackle. Item No.1: Miter Corners definitely falls into the challenge category. I kind of figured I’d try to hone this new skill on a picture frame or something small, but then ended up with the idea to try a headboard shortly after we moved in.

When we moved in, the bedroom was a baby blue. It just wasn’t our style so we promptly painted it a StyleMutt favorite: Swiss Coffee.

The white allows the warm tones in the wood and the leather to pop.

The white walls also showcase the many green accents we have sprinkled around the room - the emerald velvet curtains, the pops in our artwork, and our little succulent garden.

Hanging directly across from our bed where I can look at it every day is our Laura Gunn Still canvas print - a dreamy colorscape of all my favorite moody greens. Don’t mind Thor #theotherstylemutt, the bedroom is equally his domain.

The bedroom has been finished for a few months now, but the DIYed headboard was the perfect special occasion to finally do a full room tour.

This was my first time trying to miter “properly” - using the right tools and mostly the right methods.  And I have to say, I’m darn proud of myself! 

I mitered the top corners and used a simple butt joint for the bottom brace. Then I slung some of my favorite leather across the frame and stapled it in place on the backside. 

They angles might not be perfect, but they’re pretty close for a first try. 

He could care less, but I love how the leather brings out the auburn in Thor’s coloring.

Well on that note I guess I’ll let this little guy get his nap. That leaves only one last project on the Flip List - here’s hoping I won’t slack off for the rest of the year!

Six down, One to go. Catch up on the 2018 Furniture Flip Bucket List:

Gray + Wood Dresser

I know. I know.  It’s been ages since I had a new piece to share.  But the dry spell is over mis amigos - I’ve got a fresh flip to reveal.

It started with a cute dresser score on facebook marketplace.  It was further out then I usually drive for a potential piece but it was a beautiful commute through some fall countryside so I didn’t mind all that much. Once I saw it in person, I was pleased to find that it really only needed some minimal repair work and an easy-to-execute fresh look:

The wood was mostly in great condition and I really didn’t want to paint it at all if I could help it.  But the sides and top needed a little wood filler so it was going to need at least a little paint. 

In my true-to-form fashion, I decided on a two-tone look to mask the repairs I had to make but still celebrate the wood.  I wrapped three sides in True Taupewood - my new favorite greige used here and here.

If you’ve been following along with our past projects, you’ll notice I’ve been favoring this style of two-tone (wrapping just the outer edges).  But in an effort to not seem like a one-trick pony, this time I decided for a lighter paint to contrast my go-to dark inky color.

Instead of carrying the paint down the sides of the legs (like I did here), I kept the base and my beloved tapered legs in the original wood finish.

The original piece also has dull metal handles which I promptly refinished in  gold to bring a little sparkle back to her front.

Finally, I have a piece to style with my moody Mr. Grocery Bag Man thrift score.

Plus the wooden fruit collection my aunt won for me at an auction. 

If you’re interested in a smart new little piece, hit me up for pick up or shipping options.

Gray + Wood Dresser
Now Available for Sale
32”W x 19”D x 37”H
$495


If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, email me at cate@stylemutthome.com