shabby peonies

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Ikea hack - French grain sack theme

This dresser is actually one of a pair we own. I think it's an old version of the Tarva or Rask? I don't know for sure. It's 4 to 6 years old tho. I know I put it together while big and pregnant, I'm just not sure who was baking. haha. 

I actually unpacked and took all the pieces upstairs so I could put it together in the hallway and not have to carry the assembled frame/drawers up. Just couldn't wait for the hubby to help, I guess. 

So! It's just a simple yellow pine dresser. It wasn't finished but when I tried to stain it yesterday, you would have thought that was a lie. It would NOT accept any stain except for in the one spot that I'd sanded a water mark off. Ugh. I wiped it all down (sorry! I didn't think to get pictures of this mistake) and took it outside and hand sanded the dickens out of the top. I just wanted to stain the top to contrast with the white, you see. Anywhoo. It looked much more 'receptive' but I guess it just wasn't good enough. I stained it again with English Walnut and it only took the stain with any conviction in the few places my 80 grit had gouged. Double ugh. 

And this is when I did what any self respecting DIYer would do: I mixed up some chalkish paint and painted the whole dadblasted thing. 

Right before I got started tho, I dug out some massive chunks of hardened Plaster of Paris or grout from my gallon of off-white. Triple ugh. I should have taken pictures but A. I was alone and B. both of my hands were covered in paint. 


Anywhoo! I painted this puppy during the girls' nap and then started googling to see what I could do with it. I thought about doing some grain sack stripes and found a couple pieces via Pinterest and Google: this is my favorite.


In progress...


Yes? No? Still deciding on the new hardware. I wanted to get some pretty red ceramic melon knobs but then I found these: 
and now I am not so sure. 




5 comments:

  1. I don't understand the 'sack' theme

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  2. I like it best on linens or pillows but I've seen the look showing up in painted items, too. Fits in with the cottage/shabby chic/vintage trends. Nouveau vintage?

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  3. Love it!!! What a great idea!!!

    I think the reason it didn't take the stain is because it isn't real wood. Most new pieces made today(IKEA especially) are not. Typically it will have a fake wood on top of plywood. Chances are you were trying to stain the fake wood. :) I could be totally wrong on this too, but that's the only reason I could figure why it wouldn't work.

    Also, thanks for stopping by The Rustic Pig the other day! I love your blog...I'm your newest follower... I posted this in response to your comment about the Lewisville Santa... just in case you didn't get it.. "Hi Carey!! Yes!! We just moved from the Dallas area (Lantana & Flower Mound)in June. I taught at Bridlewood. :) We were there for 9 years! I love that the malls there all keep the same Santa!! My favorite was the one at Stonebriar! Isn't it such a small world!?? Glad you stopped by!! Hugs!!"

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  4. Claire- Thanks so much for popping by. I love your blog :) As far as this crazy dresser project... I think they must burnish or somehow finish out the raw wood in a way that closes up the grain. It's definitely a real wood top, at the very least. Painting and waxing it makes me happy, tho, so I'm not gonna complain. haha

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  5. that definitely looks grain sack esque! great job! what did you end up doing with the knobs?

    thanks so much for visiting my blog, and for taking the time to comment. i super appreciate it and nice to meet you!

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