Bespoke Milk Painted Empire Dresser

Sep 29, 2020 | Antiques, Hemp Oil, Miss Mustard Seeds Milk Paint, Tough Coat | 0 comments

A Dresser Inspired by a Sweater

On my last trip to Walmart, I found a sweater in a brilliant reddish orange shade called “Orange Harvest”. It fits great and I’ve received a lot of compliments on it.

Source: Walmart

I love the color so much that I was determined to recreate it using Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint.

Custom mix of Tricycle and Mustard Seed Yellow by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint
My color ratio was roughly 3/4 Tricycle and 1/4 Mustard Seed Yellow. Outback Petticoat pulled it too far into the coral family
Mixing a custom color using Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint
Give your powder a quick dry mix before adding water

This empire dresser had the right presence and shape to handle such a vibrant color choice, so the decision was made!

Empire dresser waiting to be painted in Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint
This piece was in good shape – it just needed a fresh finish

After some trial and error, I’m happy to say that I nailed the color, and my dresser is absolutely stunning!

Empire dresser painted in mix of Tricycle and Mustard Seed Yellow by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint with Amber Bottles and Pumpkins
I can’t stop staring at this bespoke color!

Prepping Without Sanding

My empire dresser had a relatively shiny existing finish. Typically, I would have prep-sanded this to help Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint adhere. Unfortunately, the ornate curves on the front of this dresser made it tough to get in there to sand.

Empire dresser waiting to be painted in Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint
This is what my piece looked like before I started

To give myself a break from sanding, I applied an even layer of Miss Mustard Seed’s Tough Coat.

Miss Mustard Seed's Tough Coat and a Cling On F40 brush
Applying a layer of Tough Coat on smooth and shiny finishes helps Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint adhere without sanding!

This water-based polyurethane provides a surface that Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint can adhere to without the need to sand! My ClingOn! F40 made short work of the flat parts and my Bent P20 brush got into those hard-to-reach curves like a champ.

Horizontal shot of bent angle cling on brushes
Bent ClingOn! Brushes are a must-have in your workshop

Mixing My Custom Red/Orange Paint Color

Once the Tough Coat had dried, I mixed up a custom blend of Tricycle and Mustard Seed Yellow by Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint.

Mixing a custom color using Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint
Give your powder a quick dry mix before adding water

It took me a few tries to get the right blend of colors. In the end, the closest mix was about 3/4 parts Tricycle and 1/4 part Mustard Seed Yellow. To be completely honest, I was nervous all throughout the painting process.

First coat of Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint on an empire dresser by Eight Hundred Furniture
The first coat – it only gets better from here!
Two coats of Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint on an empire dresser
Don’t be intimidated when you first apply Milk Paint! It always looks scary before it looks beautiful.

Miss Mustard Seed herself once described the Milk Painting process to me like getting your hair highlighted. It looks scary when your hair is in foils and when they’re removed, the color doesn’t look quite right. That’s because it’s raw, just like Milk Paint. It’s not until the finish is applied and your hair is washed and styled that the highlights look just right. Painting furniture is a lot like that, and I had that uncertainty in my gut until the moment that I applied Hemp Oil Wood Finish to the color, and it came to life!

It Was Worth It To Hang In There!

In the end, my intuition paid off big time, and the dresser turned out AMAZING!

Empire dresser painted in mix of Tricycle and Mustard Seed Yellow by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint with Amber Bottles and Pumpkins
I can’t stop staring at this bespoke color!

Distressing this piece was pure joy. As the sandpaper wore away the edges and bits of chipped veneer, the charm of the dresser grew exponentially.

Distressing on an antique dresser with red/orange Milk Paint
You can highlight and accent the flaws of a piece with distressing to make it charming!

Don’t let chipped and imperfect bits like this turn you off from a project piece. If you want to repair damaged veneer though, I have a great post that teaches you how to do that!

Cluster of amber bottles on empire dresser in Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint by Eight Hundred Furniture
Amber bottles have the perfect color for Fall decorating!

The hardware isn’t original to the piece, but the knobs are old. I pulled them from my stash and they add a nice sparkle as opposed to the boring round knobs.

Top drawer of Empire Dresser painted in Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint by Eight Hundred Furniture
Empire dressers have the BEST details!

Staging this dresser took me a lot longer than I care to admit because I wanted to get it just right. My goal was a pure Autumnal vibe, so I took to the yard and found this beautiful branch from an obliging Dogwood tree.

Empire dresser painted in mix of Tricycle and Mustard Seed Yellow by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint
This mix of Tricycle and Mustard Seed Yellow is the exact shade I had in my mind

The pumpkins are from a local farm and the red bush clippings were gathered from the bushes in my backyard.

Stacked pumpkins on an empire dresser in Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint by Eight Hundred Furniture
This bespoke color is perfect for Fall!
Amber bottles and fall decor on empire dresser in Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint by Eight Hundred Furniture
Don’t be afraid to decorate with natural elements!

Inspiration Is Everywhere

Not to sound cliche, but inspiration truly is everywhere, dear friends. If you see a color you’re drawn to – whether it be in a sunrise, on a leaf, the pattern on a dress or the color of a sweater – bring that color to life on your next furniture project!

Sweater from Time and True from Walmart
This is the sweater that inspired the color of my empire dresser!
Empire dresser painted in mix of Tricycle and Mustard Seed Yellow by Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint with Amber Bottles and Pumpkins

This piece will be traveling with me to Miss Morgan’s Milkweed Antique & Artisan Show this coming Friday and Saturday (October 2-3). If you’re able to come, I’d love to see you!


Looking for another Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint Bespoke color for inspiration? Take a look at this repurposed oak desk side!

Welcome to my happy place!
I'm Jenn Baker - Milk Paint lover, photographer, blogger, and QVC Guest Host. Click below to learn more about me and my creative business.  LEARN MORE ABOUT JENN

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