Nightstand Makeover: From Classic to Cowboy

This nightstand was fit as a fiddle when I bought it.

I was so excited to saddle up and get going on its makeover that I forgot to take a “before” pic. (This is the online marketplace shot.) Remember the denim effect dresser I posted back yonder? (Vintage Dresser Makeover: From Dingy to Denim) Well, my client requested a nightstand to match. Yeehaw!

Step One: The Frame

This piece was far from being put out to pasture. All it needed were cosmetic changes. After removing the drawers, I sanded with 220-grit sandpaper. Then I primed with my usual Zinsser® BIN and painted the piece in Farmhouse® “Classic White” paint. I followed this with two coats of Minwax® Polycrylic tinted with the white paint. I added an extra coat on top since this bronc was going to be ridden hard.

Step Two: The Drawers

These dresser drawers were like one-eyed jacks: just one center knob for each drawer. But the hardware to match the dresser required two screw holes. So my initial task was to use wood filler to eliminate the single knob holes.

This wasn’t my first rodeo for creating a denim effect, so I repeated the process I used on the dresser drawers. After priming, I added a coat of “Classic White.” To get the denim look, I created a wash of four parts water to one part Farmhouse® paint “Old Navy.” I applied the wash and went over it in both directions with a detail brush designed to create a linen look. After adding a few irregular marks to make the “denim” look more worn, the drawers were ready for their hardware and liner.

Step Three: The Hardware

Aren’t these pull handles great? I’m lucky I had a couple extra left over from the dresser to use for this project. Serendipity! Just like finding a good leather belt to hold up your dungarees!