Today is Part Two of the French Provincial dresser makeover!

Today, it’s time for part two of the French Provincial dresser makeover! 

If you missed part one, you can see it HERE.

I’ve added two videos (How to Blend Colors, and How to Add Highlights) to this post so that you can get a better visual, so be sure and check those out.

In today’s post, I’m sharing the next layers of color that I’ve applied to the dresser. The layers are applied over the base coat, and the colors that I’m using are Steel Blue, Country Blue, Poetic Blue, and Silver Like, all from Pure & Original Classico Paint line which is a chalk based paint.

Silver Like is the color I used for the highlights.

I love using layers of paint to create a finish with depth and movement, instead of one coat which creates a flat finish. It’s all personal preference, and you can do as much or as little as you want, depending on the look you’re going for. 

Here’s where we left off in the last post. The dresser is painted in one coat of Steel Blue.

STEP ONE: ADDING LAYERS OF PAINT

Using a paper plate, I place a small amount of paint in three of the colors that I’m using (Steel Blue, Country Blue, and Poetic Blue) because I will randomly mix bits of all of them on my brush as I go.

Also, I normally use an angled Purdy brush, but for this step, I’m using a round brush because I do lots of “dabbing” the paint and the round brush seems to work better for this. 

Starting on one section at a time (I usually start on the top, working the sides, front, then the drawers), I start with the darker colors (Steel Blue and Country Blue), working from the outside in, dabbing it on and then apply the lighter color (Poetic Blue) in the center of the area that I’m working on. 

Once the colors are on, I take a spray bottle with water and mist it very lightly, and then blend the colors using long, even strokes.

I usually work the paint in both directions to blend and then finish with going in the direction of the grain. 

TIP: Make sure your spray bottle has an adjustable nozzle so that you can spray a very light mist of water. You don’t want it saturated, just very lightly misted.

Remember that if you don’t like a section, just paint over it….don’t get stressed about imperfections….those are what will make your piece unique and one of a kind!

I apply the paint the same way on all of the sections of the dresser. The top, sides, front and then the drawers.

This is the stage that you will start seeing your beautiful color emerge!

STEP TWO: ADDING HIGHLIGHTS

After I finish applying the paint layers, I let the dresser dry for several hours, and then add highlights by using the color Silver Like.

To add highlights, I go back to the Purdy angled brush and I used the dry brush method, which is simply dabbing the brush in the paint and then wiping it off so that there is only a small amount of paint residue left on the brush. 

I added this color to the edges and raised areas, anyplace you want to see a highlight. Again, it doesn’t have to be perfect, and remember it’s only paint….you can always go back over it!

And remember those blemishes on the top that I decided not to sand smooth? There’s a reason…..once it’s painted and highlighted, those blemishes turn into wonderful texture and distressing. 

I will let the dresser dry overnight and then in the final step, I will add the glaze for that fabulous “patina”, and then a couple of coats of wax.

Stay tuned for Part Three and the Final Reveal!

Cheers, Cindy