We've Been Busy!! {Ombre Mint Dresser}

Projects. Projects. Projects have been filling most of our weekends. We tackled quite a few since I've been on a nesting kick to get things done before I pop. One such project was our downstairs tv situation. It had become quite a situation...

{the before... all manner of bad.}

We got a tv as a birthday gift a few years ago from my parents. We don't have basic tv but sure enjoy movies and hulu. So, it's been sitting on this small entertainment unit right from the beginning. One of those "temporary solutions that quickly turned permanent" as the years piled on. Enter Theo: our tornado toddler. He would get into the DVDs and fiddle with our player every.single.day. It was getting old. Quickly.

So, W found a great deal on Amazon for a tv wall mount and I hunted craigslist {like it was my part-time job} looking for a dresser that would fit our mini-wall's dimensions without being a road obstacle for foot traffic. Found a dresser, but didn't love its look so I knew immediately when we bought it that I'd be re-doing it. But it had a veneer finish. My quick search online led me to chalk paint.

I'd heard of the stuff but didn't really know much beyond the words "chalk paint" "shabby chic" and "Annie Sloan". So after a mini-lesson {there are a lot of posts out there on it}, I learned about its "chalky" or thicker properties, zero prep-work benefit, and that it adheres to pretty much any surface without hassle. I also learned the price point of AS chalk paint. Yikes! So when I found I {Heart} Naptime's homemade recipe, I figured "why not?" All I had to buy was my normal paint in the colors I wanted + plaster of paris. Easy enough.

4 T Plaster of Paris to 2T HOT water
Mix in container until all the clumps are gone
Mix into 2 cups of paint

At the store, I bought my Plaster of Paris {$6}, my normal gallon of classic white, and then four sample sizes of a paint card I liked: graduating shades of mint. I went with a half batch of chalk paint in each of the five colors because my dresser had so many different colors and not much of each. Worked like a charm.

I did minimal sanding since I didn't really want a distressed look for the dresser. I then covered it in a polyurethane protective coat that we already had on hand. I would love to try the wax finish sometime. Heard it really finishes off the piece nicely. Next time. ;)

We mounted the tv, put the dresser in {after drilling a hole in the back of the top drawer for cords}, and mounted my antler project: ebay antlers + white spray paint + gold craft paint

We are loving the extra storage {currently the bottom two drawers are still empty! So huge for us. ;)}, and the simple fact that T is not creating a mess nor are our movies out for all to see {tacky!!} Definitely one of those "feels so good" projects.