Updating Great Grandma's Vanity

Behold Great Grandma's matching antique vanity that pairs with the recently reloved highboy. It too will be enjoyed for years to come with its new warm white makeover.

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The chest of drawers was picked up and the vanity dropped off to have the same reloving. I am a big fan of vanities as they remind me of my Grandmother. They also are a piece of furniture no longer made as much as they were in the past.

Just look at this girls sweet curved legs, scalloped edge and large folding mirror.

The pretty hardware was carefully removed as step 1.

A deep cleaning with Dixie Belle white lightning cleaner in a bucket of warm water with a scrub brush was step 2. This is a very important step to remove years of dust, grime, fingerprints etc and give the piece a fresh clean start.

Just look at the cleaning water video

I love that the antiques were all marked for proper drawer location seeing they were custom made for each spot.

The upper back edge was removed for ease of painting. The first coat is Dixie Belle BOSS tinted white. On the high boy I used the clear BOSS but either work well when choosing white as your paint color.

I like to use a Dixie Belle premium chip brush to apply the BOSS. These brushes are so affordable but provide great coverage and expendable if lets say paint get forgotten before washing :)

The mirror had most of the edges filled with paper to make it easier to paint. On goes the BOSS coat on it as well.

Everything has a coat of the white BOSS.

Including the mirror frame.

The above 2 pictures show why Dixie Belle BOSS is a very good idea on antiques. You can see areas of bleed thru as discoloration/yellowy spots.

I like to smooth each coat with a sanding sponge to give a soft smooth surface. Then a second coat was brushed on and sanded again with a bit of distressing of the edges at the same time.

One of the areas of bleed thru was very stubborn so I sprayed on Zinsser Bull's Eye spray shellac and when dry applied a 3rd coat of the BOSS.

Next up the first coat of fluff Dixie Belle Paint went on using a Dixie Belle synthetic brush.

With the same treatment on the mirror too.

On the edges with no paper under them there was a few areas where paint got on the mirror. I like to use a razor blade to remove this easily.

razor in action video

The vanity had no real repairs needed however once paint goes on sometimes spots are better revealed. This wee veneer chip along the lower edge was filled with white Dixie Belle mud, sanded when dry and touch up paint added over it.

After the second coat of fluff dried it was once again sanded and edges distressed.

To seal the paint, my dedicated Dixie Belle best dang brush applied clear Dixie Belle's best dang wax into all the painted surfaces. This large brush makes this task much easier and faster.

The inside, drawer slides and actual drawer runners were given a coat of Dixie Belle Big Mama’s Butta. I also have a dedicated Dixie Belle La Petite brush to apply this product as well.

Grunge grey best dang wax was added to the edges, nooks and crannies as well as the carved details. I used one of the Dixie Belle Artist Brushes to get into most of these places.

This step adds age, depth and brings the piece to life. It makes the carved details POP!

dark waxing video

The original hardware was very pretty but needed a polish.

I left some of the old patina for character not polishing to bright brass.

The hardware was put back on

and this girl is ready!!

Here is the highboy tutorial done in the same steps. What a pretty set right?

Links to the Dixie Belle products are for your convenience. My affiliation with this company does not increase prices on your end, your purchases via my links do however provide a small subsidy which allows me to keep providing these free tutorials. Thank you!

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