My mum passed on to me her love of antique furniture which has grown into my love for upscaling old pre loved pieces.
When I started to design our master bedroom I knew I wanted a larger set of bedside drawers in the same colour or similar as the gunmetal blue I was planning to paint our double doors entering the room. So when no such bedside drawers existed I took my search to Facebook Marketplace which is where I found a second hand set.
The aim was to look for pieces that were wider than a typical bedside standard sizing and had beautiful detailing to match our wall panelling. When it came to the cost of what sellers were asking, it really did range from $20 to $300 per piece.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN PURCHASING SECOND HAND
Buy solid timber not veneer.
Select pieces that can be sanded back and repainted. You don't want to have to fix chipped or damaged wood if you don't have to.
Make sure the original handles can be removed as you will most likely want to replace them.
Try to negotiate the price if the listing has been up for over 1 week.
STEP ONE
Remove the handles and fill any holes with a filler (I use the Polyfila range seen here).
STEP TWO
Sand down the piece. If the piece is rough it's expected a lot of sanding will be needed however if the piece is in good condition a light sand is all that will be required.
STEP THREE
Prime the timber with a typical white primer from your local hardware store. It should only need one coat unless you are painting over an existing bright/dark colour like red, yellow or black.
Select your paint. I used the base of Taubmans Ultra Enamel Oil Base with the tint Deep Storm by Dulux and did two coats. This paint takes quite some time to dry between coats so I would recommend painting one coat and leaving it for 24 hours before applying the second coat.
STEP FOUR
Measure up the new handles and drill new holes. We use an A3 piece of paper to then measure up the first drawer and use as a template for the next few drawers.
TIPS
I don't paint inside the drawers. Noone sees them except yourself so there really isn't any need.
The Taubmans Ultra Enamel Oil Base takes time to dry. Let it sit before adding the second coat. If you apply it too early the first coat with start to show streaks and clumps.
Look to purchase handles on eBay. This is where I find some really low cost options. Just make sure you order than in advance as most times they are shipped from China and can take many weeks to arrive.
And just like that you should have a gorgeous new set of bedside drawers! Please send me your photos if you undertake your own DIY drawers as I would love to see them. x
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