- Melissa Geskie
Mad Hatter Makeover
Updated: May 8, 2019
A creation of style and whimsy, this serpentine dresser was in need of a makeover. And what a beauty she turned out to be! Ombre colors, copper feet, leopard spots in gold. Gold leaf with stripes of Fluff and Caviar. After fitting her with the updated hardware she was shining in the light.
First things first, always prep your piece properly before you begin to paint. This includes repairing any loose pieces of veneer, and damages to the wood. After you have cleaned your piece of furniture with Dixie Belle's White Lightning cleaning solution you can sand and prep the piece.
Dixie Belle Paint List
Paint the areas you are placing the stripes in Fluff. Two coats. In this case I choose to do each drawer in stripes, one area on top and one on the side.
Paint the ombre effect onto the dresser. In this case I started with Bunker Hill Blue to Yankee Blue. Then the ombre graduated to Aubergine. From the Bunker Hill Blue I moved to Palmetto. Finally finishing the blend to Copper on the right leg. Keep your paint moveable by using a spray bottle and separate brushes for each color used.
After the Fluff white has dried it's time to move on to taping off your stripes. I use blue painters tape. I mark off each stripe on the surface where I want the black to be. Here is a little tip to help with bleed through under the tape. After your tape is pressed down take some of the white (Fluff) and repaint the edges overlapping the tape. When it's dry it stops the black (Caviar) from bleeding through and under. On one drawer I decided to do a diamond pattern. The options for stripes and tape are endless! Experiment with your piece to see what you like!
After the black has dried, gently remove the blue painters tape. You should be left with clean lines and if not - minor touch ups could be needed. Place drawers back into the dresser to have a good line to apply the gold leaf in the next step.
Using sheets of gold leaf, and adhesive apply where the edges of your stripes meets the color. I like to use Mod Podge for adhering the sheets. You can also add some Satin Varnish to the glue to thin it out and allow it to dry quicker. Apply with a paint brush and gently place the gold leaf onto the furniture. Wait until the adhesive is dry, then you can brush away the excess leaf. This photo shows the overlap of the gold leaf excess. I used wood knobs, hand painted in black then leopard print stenciled over the top for a small detail. I also used the same stencil to do small amounts of leopard to break up the black and white stripes. I purchased the stencil at Hobby Lobby.
Final step is to seal you furniture. Using Dixie Belle Gator Hide, seal the entire piece to protect the paint finish. Stage and photograph.
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