This post is about a furniture flip project where I transformed an old and tired cabinet to look modern and new using chalk-based paint.

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Have you always loved a specific piece of furniture but … don’t really relate to its style anymore? Been there, done that!

But hey, don’t throw it away. All you need is a furniture flip — brownie points if you do a good DIY. In this blog post, I’m going to share a fun DIY makeover I gave to an old chest of drawers, transforming it into a sleek and contemporary dresser.

Follow me as I walk you through every step of the process to simply enjoy a fun before-and-after — or even get some inspiration for your next design project! 😉

Here’s a peek into all the materials needed for this project.

• Dixie Belle White Lightning
• Microfiber cloth
• Screwdriver
• Dixie Belle Slick Stick Primer
• Chip brush for Primer
• Spray bottle
• Dixie Belle Mini Paintbrush
• Dixie Belle Driftwood Paint
• Sanding block
• Dixie Belle Gator Hide Topcoat ( Spray wax is shown in the image above, but I ended up using Gator Hide)
• Rub’nBuff

Oh, and before we get to it, I’d like to give credit to Areeba and Shayna’s projects for inspiring me to do this makeover. Thank you, ladies!

Step#1: Removing The Hardware

To start off, I unscrewed all the hardware using a Philips head Screwdriver, including the drawer pulls.

And to make sure nothing got mixed up — and well, to satisfy my OCD — I placed all the hardware pieces for each part of the drawer into separate bowls.

Super organized and easy to put back together without getting lost in a plethora of screws and pulls!

Step#2: Cleaning, Cleaning, Cleaning – Most important for a good furniture flip project!

One step that’s absolutely necessary for old furniture pieces is cleaning. A thorough, deep clean helps get rid of dust and residue that may have accumulated over the years, ensuring the final product looks anything but old.

For my project, I used Dixie Belle Paint’s White Lightning Cleaner — totally recommended! I mixed two tablespoons of the product into a gallon of hot water and soaked a piece of microfiber cloth into it.

I then proceeded to clean the entire piece of furniture (inside out) with the damp cloth. If you decide to do this too, be sure to use gloves (and wear painting pants — which, this time, I, fortunately, remembered to change into 😊).

Step#3: Applying Primer

The chest of drawers was a highly textured piece, so I expected the paint to adhere to the rough texture. And so, I omitted the sanding part and skipped straight to priming — and it was a success!

I chose to use a primer because the final product I envisioned was a light color while my original piece was dark. Priming would help make a smooth transition from dark to light hues. For this purpose, I chose the Dixie Belle Paint Slick Stick and a chip brush.

I first applied one coat and let it dry for two to three hours. I then applied the second coat and let it dry overnight, just as the instructions recommended.

Here is the cabinet after the first and second coats of primer.

The following day, I proceeded to the main part: painting!

Step#4: The Game-Changer for furniture flip: Painting

The painting was the step where I finally saw things coming together. I started off by misting the synthetic brush with water in a spray bottle. This makes the color go on easily and gives a smooth finish. You may also mist the furniture piece for fantastic results.

For the paint, I chose Dixie Belle Paint’s Driftwood Chalk Paint — it was a light, serene, and natural tone of gray. The soft hue of this color perfectly contributed to the contemporary version of the product I aimed to attain.

While painting, I took a small amount of paint each time to avoid brush strokes and get a neat finish. if by chance there were brush strokes, I would lightly sand the area with a sanding block before applying the next coat.

After thoroughly applying the first coat, I let it dry. However, the paint looked patchy and you could see bits of white primer peeking through since there was only a thin layer of paint. 

So, I proceeded to apply the next coat. The second layer improved things, while the third provided just the coverage I needed.

When all three layers dried, the chest of drawers began to look much more like the contemporary dresser I envisioned — very neat, sleek, and streak-free.

Step#5: Updating The Hardware

Next, I wanted to upgrade the hardware from matte black to metallic, antique gold. So, I used Gold Leaf Rub ‘N Buff and rubbed it onto the drawer pulls.

This is what they looked like after one coat.

It took about two coats to get the coverage I needed. Once applied, I placed the hardware pieces back into their respective bowls and allowed them to dry.

Step#7: The Final Step — Gator Hide

With the painting done, and the hardware ready … we’re finally nearing the end of the design project! 

As a part of the final step, I used Dixie Belle Paint’s Gator Hide using an applicator sponge to seal the product. I applied thin coats in a single direction (without stroking back and forth) while applying light pressure on the sponge. 

After the first layer, I waited for 2 to 3 hours before applying the second for optimal results.

The Final Product

Finally, I screwed the hardware back on, and voila — my brand-new dresser was ready!

It looked modern with an antique finish, complementing my ambiance in more ways than one. For the extra decorative touch, I topped it with a gold frame, some coffee table books, and a bunch of green and white flowers; the green was perfect for adding a pop of color!

Enjoyed what you saw? I hope you are inspired to flip some furniture of your own. If you do recreate this, don’t forget to share it with me.

Don’t forget to pin this project so you can refer to it later!

Pin it to Remember it!

Let me know your questions and comments below. If you like this DIY furniture flip post, check out the following DIY posts.

HOW TO MAKE AN EASY DIY FALL CENTERPIECE (WITH A TWIST!

How to Make a Beautiful DIY Diwali Decor – Floral Diya Hoops

Be sure to follow me on Instagram where I share more details of my projects and more about me as well. If you want to get started on your own DIY journey, but don’t know where to start, download my beginner guide to get you started.