Playroom Dresser Redo

There's a brand new dresser in the playroom!

But, she's not really brand new. This is how she used to look:

Not a beauty, exactly, but lots of fun little details. The large mirror on top was loose, and not in great shape, so I removed it altogether. Since she will live in a playroom, I didn't want to risk any accidents. It was heavy.

A quick coat of primer, left over from my last dresser redo, prepared the sides for paint.

Inspired by this dresser redo by Go Now to Your Dwelling Place, I decided to leave the top in a natural wood finish. I did some light hand sanding then stained it with Minwax dark walnut.

The top and sides got three thin coats of latex paint: Benjamin Moore's Simply White, color matched to Behr premium. This is leftover from painting the playroom trim and shelf, so it blends right into the room.

I just painted right over the keyholes and scratched the paint off with my nail before it dried completely. Who needs tape?

The hardware is original. I love the worn look. Doesn't it pop nicely against the white?

I have thought about distressing the piece, but I read on Miss Mustard Seed's furniture blog that latex paint really should cure for a month before sanding. So I'm going to live with the dresser like this for now. I think I really like it as is! When I make a final decision, I'll give it a coat of polycrylic.

The dresser seems happy in her new home! I think it will serve us well as a combination toy storage unit and bedside table, when the room is being used as a guest room.

One more before: