Treasure Chest- Before & After


I am so excited about how this chest of drawers turned out. This is what she looked like before. Don't worry this isn't a real Eastlake chest.


I couldn't wait to see what the Silver Leaf Rub n' Buff would look like on the top so I went right for it. Even before I did my repairs... Shhh... don't tell. 


When I took off all of the old hardware, I found 3 holes. Since I was going with single drawer pulls, I went ahead and patched the other two with wood patch.


For the paint I chose Benjamin Moore's Radiant Skies. The trim and key-holes are Rub n' Buff Antique Gold. 


After one coat of paint, I distressed with an 80- grit sanding block. The second coat is a light coat of Valspar's Antiquing Glaze. I finished up with a quick white wash to brighten the piece.


I sealed her up with Johnson's Paste Wax.


Since it was an older piece and had stinky drawers, I added a few sheets of my biodegradable dryer sheets to freshen it up.



I love this little chest. I think it looks like it belongs in princess' forgotten tower. 


And of course she is for sale. But until she goes I will be enjoying her in my new office. 

~Link Parties~
Between Naps On The Porch
Southern Hospitality
Stories Of A To Z
Perfectly Imperfect


Shaklee Laundry- Nontoxic, Natural, No Fragrance, Biodegradable & Recyclable Sheets






41 comments:

  1. Mrs.GrinderMay 13, 2011 at 6:03 PM

    this is amazing!! i've been wanting a chest for quite some time now, i'm so inspired! xox

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  2. AnonymousMay 13, 2011 at 6:09 PM

    Love it! And great colour choice. It looks almost regal :)

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  3. AllieMay 13, 2011 at 6:23 PM

    I am constantly amazed at what you can do with a piece of furniture! This is spectacular! Wow, you've done it again :)

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  4. Jaime CostiglioMay 13, 2011 at 6:40 PM

    Sarah absolutely beautiful. Wondering how do you go about selling your pieces? Do you have a shop space or Craigslist? This piece is truly well done with an extra bit of flair.

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  5. Prudently Painted VintageMay 13, 2011 at 7:02 PM

    Love it! So beautiful. You are so good at attending to every detail! I would have a hard time letting this piece go!

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  6. The Vintique ObjectMay 13, 2011 at 9:14 PM

    Another amazing reveal by the amazing Sarah! I just adore those keys and love that you highlighted them with the gold.
    Camille

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  7. HeidiMay 13, 2011 at 11:17 PM

    So glad to see the pic of the Rub n Buff in process. I had all these weird finger-y swishes, but I see it's just part of the process. I'm making slow progress! :)

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  8. Sarah, Three BoysMay 13, 2011 at 11:23 PM

    I know! It looks like a disaster going on. But if you just keep rubbing it will shine right up. My hand looked like the tin man when I was finished with it:)

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  9. Cassie BustamanteMay 13, 2011 at 11:47 PM

    love the color on this one, sarah! it's so pretty!!

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  10. Ashley White Interior DesignMay 14, 2011 at 12:02 AM

    What a cool piece! I love it! :)

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  11. Tammy@Beatrice BanksMay 14, 2011 at 10:59 AM

    Oh my! Another beautiful piece. You sure know how to transform things. Lovely.

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  12. Coastal Health and HomeMay 14, 2011 at 1:47 PM

    Hello Sarah,
    I just wanted to stop by and say "Hello".

    Best,

    Coastal Blue Ocean

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  13. Debra@Dejarenew.blogspot.comMay 14, 2011 at 8:50 PM

    Gorgeous!! Love the silver.

    Deb @ Dejarenew

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  14. Deanna@SentimentalRedoMay 14, 2011 at 9:18 PM

    Very pretty piece. You colors were perfect for it.

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  15. MaryMay 14, 2011 at 11:18 PM

    Great job!!! Love this piece! :-)

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  16. MarianneMay 16, 2011 at 3:37 AM

    What a wonderful makeover! I love the new finish, she really stands out in a crowd.

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  17. JulianneMay 16, 2011 at 1:17 PM

    Wow, you are so talented! The finish is amazing!

    I have just started a new blog, I'd love for you to come check it out!

    repurposedlifedesigns.blogspot.com

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  18. AmyMay 16, 2011 at 1:48 PM

    Re: I finished up with a quick white wash to brighten the piece

    Can you explain this part further? Product/Brand/Technique?

    I'm in love w/your paint effects!!!!

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  19. Sarah, Three BoysMay 16, 2011 at 2:28 PM

    Hi Amy- Sure so sometimes after I apply the antique glaze I find the finish to be too dark. The dark glaze tends to mute the color of the paint and can also give it a "dirty" look. Which is fine for some pieces like the buffet I did. But the glaze gives the finish some depth and interest which is why I used it. So to brighten it I did a white wash which brought the color back to life. What I do is mix about 1/2 white paint and 1/2 water into a bowl and mix it up. This is hardly scientific:) then I dip a clean rag into the mixture and wipe the piece down. I leave it on for about a minute, maybe less and then wipe it off (just like the glaze.) I love how you get the depth and interest from the dark glaze but still keep that light, airy feeling!

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  20. Sue@Uniquely ChicMay 16, 2011 at 10:04 PM

    This came out fantastic! Yay you! Great color you chose for this.

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  21. abeachcottageMay 17, 2011 at 9:26 AM

    wow,well done! It is such a beautiful piece, love the distress look and the pulls too.

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  22. KathMay 17, 2011 at 7:30 PM

    wow the change is amazing. it looks really great. I love that color. I am a new follower now and excited to see your future posts.

    kathryn
    www.thedragonsfairytail.blogspot.com

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  23. KKMay 17, 2011 at 8:26 PM

    Your chest of drawers turned out so pretty. I love the color and the details are fabulous.

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  24. Crazy WonderfulMay 18, 2011 at 7:29 AM

    GOR-GE-OUS!!! Looks like a million bucks! What an amazing transformation, well done my friend :D

    Shelley
    www.westermanfam.blogspot.com

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  25. AnonymousMay 18, 2011 at 12:05 PM

    Gorgeous! it turned out so amazing! I never thought of the dryer sheets, what a great idea!! I've had some stinky drawers, haha!

    I'm your newest follower, found you at Cassie's POWW.

    Id love for you to come visit me!
    paintedparlor.blogspot.com

    julie

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  26. InMyOwnStyleMay 23, 2011 at 6:13 AM

    I love the color and softly distressed look of this. Did you use flat paint? It really came out beautiful.
    My best- Diane

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  27. Sarah, Three BoysMay 23, 2011 at 11:01 AM

    The paint is an eggshell!

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  28. Catherine @ van Breugel DesignMay 23, 2011 at 11:44 PM

    Wow, it is beautiful! I love seeing what you do with old furniture. You inspire me! thx

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  29. JessiMay 24, 2011 at 8:08 AM

    Beautiful!!! We love blue at our house -- this would fit perfectly ;-)

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  30. Red, Blonde and BurlapMay 25, 2011 at 12:47 AM

    Oh my gosh this is BEAUTIFUL! Wowza. I've been wanting to try rub n' buff for awhile now, I think this seals the deal!

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  31. Journal SwagMay 31, 2011 at 11:58 AM

    Hi, it is gorgeous!! So, you did the rub n buff -first-, before the paint? Could you explain? Didn't the paint cover up the rub n buff?

    Thank you,

    Sheila :)

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  32. Sarah, Three BoysMay 31, 2011 at 12:26 PM

    Hi Sheila- I did the silver rub' n buff first on the top, then painted the chest blue. My last step was to add the gold rub n' buff to the trim and key holes. It goes right over the paint with no problem!! I love this stuff!!

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  33. EllaBoo and Co.May 31, 2011 at 9:19 PM

    Hi Sarah,

    it's absolutely gorgeous; you did a wonderful job. I found you on The Lettered Cottage and I couldn't believe what I was seeing - check out this post I did just yesterday http://ellabooandcompany.blogspot.com/2011/05/we-finally-had-beautiful-sunny-day.html

    thank you for sharing your lovely talent!

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  34. DeanaJune 9, 2011 at 1:59 AM

    love the colors you chose! looks so much better, like a totally different piece of furniture. this post would be a fabulous addition to my weekly blog party "from trash to treasure" I'd really love it if you joined in!

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  35. nicolette {momnivores dilemma}June 19, 2011 at 10:26 PM

    I would love that in my front room. Simply lovely.

    I am pinning you to my "covet" folder over at pinterest as I have an old wine cabinet that needs some love later this month...

    :)

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  36. RebeccaJune 23, 2011 at 12:36 PM

    I absolutely love the finish on this piece. Great job!

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  37. Kristin @ Yellow Bliss RoadJune 23, 2011 at 2:22 PM

    This is gorgeous. I love the keyhole accents and that you brightened them up with the gold paint. nice touch.

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  38. Anita @ GoingALittleCoastalOctober 21, 2011 at 9:29 AM

    This is so pretty Sarah. Did you use the Johnson's on top of the rub-n-buff as well? The color is fantastic!

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  39. Sarah, Three BoysOctober 21, 2011 at 9:30 AM

    Yep, Johnson's on top too! Love the stuff.

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  40. DesignitgirlNovember 17, 2011 at 9:50 PM

    I love that piece, its beautiful. I am a huge fan of drawers, chest, cabinets etc that utilizes a key i think its romantic!

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  41. ackerleyacton8February 4, 2022 at 5:24 AM

    Thanks for this information as I want to buy American Made Wood Chests online, keep sharing such information.
    CIGAR HUMIDORS

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