Mid century makeover

By Jody Findley, Owner at JF Furniture Design in Lizton, IN.

This mid century makeover was an inherited heirloom piece that I did for a friend as a gift to her mother. The dresser was in need of a repair on the veneer on the front of the door, so we chose to paint that area in a soft, neutral color. We chose General Finishes Antique White milk paint. For the stained areas, Brown Mahogany Gel Stain by General Finishes provided the rich warmth we were wanting.  I gave this dresser a thorough cleaning and sanding prior to starting, and after making the repair to the veneer, I applied oil based primer to seal in the tannins on the walnut wood doors. I then applied the silky smooth milk paint to the door fronts and backs.  For the rest of the piece, I used a dry brush technique to apply the gel stain. The difference was AMAZING! After a cure time of 72 hours, I sealed the entire dresser with General Finishes High Performance Top Coat in gloss followed by a final coat of satin. This mid century makeover was placed in a prominent place in her new home. Don’t you love it?!

Project Category

Upcycling Merit CategoriesJava Jive

Products Used

  • Oil based primer Kilz
  • General Finishes Milk Paint
  • General Finishes Gel Stain
  • General Finishes High Performance Top Coat

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