oak dresser in general finishes coastal blue milk paint
I’m a sucker for a classic makeover using General Finishes Coastal Blue Milk Paint. This lovely and rich navy color is the perfect option if you have a piece that needs to look classy and handsome.
Such was the case with an oak dresser that I recently finished for The Rusty Gold Antique and Artisan Show this week!
why i love oak
Oak is one of my favorite types of wood to refinish. It’s solid, sturdy and has amazing grain patterns. This species whitewashes well and typically stains beautifully. It’s hard, durable and handsome. Plus, it comes in a wide array of species and cuts too!
My oak dresser has bits that were quartersawn and regular horizontal cut. Here’s a great example of that difference.
The top drawers are made from quartersawn oak, which gives them those little medullary rays (or diagonal stripes). Compare that to the bottom drawers, which are cut in a horizontal pattern, giving them the traditional grain pattern you see on oak.
painting the oak dresser
My color choice for this piece was General Finishes Coastal Blue Milk Paint. This deep and rich navy is one of my favorites. It’s my go-to color when I have a piece that may bleed through if I use a lighter color (like a white or cream). Because I was crunched for time this week as I was preparing for my market event on Saturday, I needed a fast makeover.
So Coastal Blue it was!
It covered extremely well and after 2 coats, my piece was perfect. I chose not to do any kind of distressing and I sealed it with General Finishes High Performance Topcoat in Flat.
refinishing the drawers and top
Once the body was taken care of with Coastal Blue Milk Paint, I turned my attention to the drawers and top. Using CitriStrip, I removed the original finish and sanded the surface down completely. For more information on how to do this process, you can visit this blog post.
For my stain of choice, I went with General Finishes Gel Stain in the color Antique Walnut.
This has become my favorite color choice to use because it gives me a lovely warm brown color without being too dark, like Java.
To learn how to apply General Finishes Gel Stain, you can watch this video below.
After my Gel Stain had dried completely, I sealed it with 2 coats of General Finishes High Performance Topcoat in Semi Gloss. I opted for a bit more shine than usual because I wanted a more glossy finish on this piece. As a side note, the more glossy your topcoat is, the more clear it will be and the less of a chance you’ll have of cloudiness in your finish.
To learn how to apply High Performance Topcoat, you can watch this video below.
the results
The combination of the warmth of Antique Brown Gel Stain and the deep rich navy of Coastal Blue Milk Paint are a winning combination.
As a special surprise, my Mom helped me line the drawers of this piece with a nautical themed paper.
It’s a nice little punch of detail when you open the drawers.
This dresser will be coming with me to The Rusty Gold Antique and Artisan Show this Saturday, May 11th at The Lebanon Expo Center. I’ll be setting up a 10 x 20 space filled with fresh painted pieces, home decor, antiques, Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint and General Finishes products.
The show runs from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. If you’re local and able to make it out, I’d love to see you! I’ll also be doing a Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint demonstration once things get rocking and rolling.
If you like this look, pin these images to save for your next project!
