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Curated by: Olive Street Designs (240 videos)
This French Provincial dresser came to me as a gift from a follower and fellow furniture refinisher who had simply run out of space. It was worn out, missing hardware, had sticky drawers, a scratched-up top, and was clearly in need of a full refresh—but I could see the potential. I started by stripping the top and sanding it smooth, originally aiming for a lighter finish. That plan didn’t last long. A white pickling stain quickly turned into a disaster, and what followed was a series of stain experiments that just weren’t working. But sometimes the best results come from persistence. After several attempts, I landed on dark walnut—and it was the perfect shade. A total happy accident. After sealing the top, I added a medium brown toner to fine-tune the color, and from there the finish finally clicked. I applied multiple rounds of topcoat, sanding in between each layer to build that smooth, buttery finish that makes all the difference on a vintage piece. Next came full prep on the body of the dresser—which included a fun round of “drawer jenga” since all the drawers were in the wrong spots. During that process, I opened one of the drawers and discovered something exciting: this dresser is a Bassett. That explained the solid construction and classic lines hiding under years of wear. From there, it was sand, prime, paint, seal, and topcoat—repeated until everything was just right. I finished the piece with beautiful new hardware that elevated the entire design and brought this dresser fully back to life. This project is a reminder that refinishing isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes it’s messy, sometimes plans change, and sometimes you stumble into the exact finish a piece was always meant to have. In the end, this once-forgotten French Provincial dresser is refreshed, restored, and ready for many more years of use. If you enjoy real furniture makeovers, honest process videos, and seeing how worn-out pieces are brought back to life, this one is definitely worth watching start to finish. If you want to learn more about stripping furniture, you can pick up my Guide to Furniture Refinishing at https://www.olivestreetdesigns.com/ebooks Amazon Storefront – Lists of my favorite products! https://www.amazon.com/shop/olive.street.designs Painted in Homestead Blue by Fusion Mineral Paint Use the link for a discount at checkout! https://bit.ly/4lMCH9R Products: Krud Kutter Degreaser https://amzn.to/3FVMcEM Sanding Nets https://amzn.to/4qpbdcW Carbide Scraper https://amzn.to/4j8eQ3K Detail Scraper https://amzn.to/4qEeo1b Contour Sanding Blocks https://amzn.to/4eACzHr Sanding Pads/Sponges https://amzn.to/49mgNGo Shellac Spray https://amzn.to/4a21Rh0 Medium Brown Toner https://amzn.to/4qP0edm Topcoat https://amzn.to/3PUJy3i Gel Stain https://amzn.to/4qFdKAz Long Pulls https://amzn.to/3LU77Lj Knobs https://amzn.to/4tfrX95 Equipment: Drawer Hardware Jig https://amzn.to/42Bqq1Y Sprayer https://amzn.to/3LFFVzN SurfPrep Detail Sander Use the link or code OLIVEST for a discount https://surfprepsanding.com/product/3x4-electric-ray-sanders?aff=181Furniture Cordless Screwdriver https://amzn.to/4bhW495 Mini vacuum https://amzn.to/4qeDqUf Dollies https://amzn.to/4ix6qSP DISCOUNT CODES – use these codes or links to save with every order! Farmhouse Paint https://farmhousepaint.rfrl.co/oqzxr OR use code olivestreet10 Fusion Mineral Paint https://shop.fusionmineralpaint.com?sca_ref=7908488.jnYbzqmz8NT7y My favorite detail sander Use the link or code OLIVEST for a discount https://surfprepsanding.com/product/3x4-electric-ray-sanders?aff=181 Olive Street Designs