Ever tried looking for drawer pulls with a 5-inch hole to hole span? Well, for one of my recent furniture redos I needed to do just that and let’s just say they pretty much do not exist. I got one hit when I searched online and it was an AWFUL modern silver number! My wonderful husband also did some legwork and visited local hardware stores to no avail. Yikes, how am I going to refinish an armoire that is missing a drawer pull if I can’t find any drawer pulls to replace it with?
🙂 Bingo! I’ll just have to make my own. Since I already planned to turn this small armoire into storage for a little princess (the doors are covered in wood scroll work hearts) I just needed to figure out how to give it a girly touch! The girly hearts were just begging for some ribbons and bows…..so here you go!
A vintage sheet later and the drawers are now fully functional again! I also used the sheet (and some Mod Podge) to cover the faces of the inside drawers. I’m so glad I found this sheet at the bottom of a box of linens I got at an estate auction for $5. It’s the perfect color for any little girl’s room and would look so sweet with a blue ball jar full of flowers on top!
To finish this little armoire/dresser it was given a coat of all surface primer, then white MyColor latex paint, distressed, then touched up with Annie Sloan Pure White paint and topped with clear Annie Sloan wax. I tried to save time by using an all surface primer to cut out the sanding step…..NOT a good idea. You bumped the piece and paint chipped off. So, after the whole thing was painted I sanded the areas I wanted to distress and if to much flaked off I used Annie Sloan paint to touch up and tried again. After sealing it with wax the surface is protected BUT according to the MyColor paint I shouldn’t really have needed a protectant top coat. Sigh, you live and you learn. Either way, I LOVE how it turned out and if my daughter’s room didn’t really need a longer shorter dresser I would probably keep it! I would NEVER, NEVER have thought that at the beginning of this project. Eww, just take a look!
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a very faint teal blue painted inside the doors to coordinate with the fabric
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Very pretty! I've had that problem before except with really small pulls. In the future, wood filler works great to fill the holes and then make new ones for a standard pull. But, I love the bows! 🙂
Thanks for the tip. I think you told me that before (I just forgot) and since I knew I wanted to use the fabric for the front of the drawers I figured I'd give it a go for the pulls. And, bonus…..I love how they look!
Love!
Turned out fabulous! Great idea for the "knobs". I had the dilemma of wanting to go from a single hole knob to a 2 hole knob, and this is how I filled in the holes. http://www.dovenest28.blogspot.com/2011/05/no-more-ripped-pants-story-of-new.html. Hope that helps if it comes up again and you don't have such a great idea as those fabric pulls!
Next time, don't bother with the primer if you are using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint … no matter what anyone else tells you. Annie's paint is designed to be used without primer, and it sticks like crazy! When I paint a piece, I go over it with a sanding sponge (mainly to make sure there's nothing on it that I should be scraping off, scrubbing, etc.) Chalk paint over the whole thing (two coats sometimes, but never more than that) and the results are beautiful.
I love how you solved your dilemma of the missing drawer pull. You never realize how many different hole spacings are out there in old furniture until you're missing a pull.
This piece looks fabulous!!
Connie
Thanks Connie, I actually was using MyColor Paint inspired by Pantone which is supposed to be self priming but I used an all surface primer before the MyColor to try and skip the step of sanding. Basically, I think I will be sticking with Annie Sloan paint because I want to skip the sanding step (I'm doing this in my basement…and I have a 2 year old and 8 month old!). I want to try milk paint with the added bonding agent too just to compare!
Thanks Shannon! I'll be sure to check out your post. 🙂
What cute pulls! The transformation was so well done! This project would be perfect for our linky party featuring "Transformations" called Repurpose-Remodel-Reveal, I know our readers would love to see it too! (It starts tomorrow- Friday, March 16th 2012 at 7:00 am and reoccures every 1st and 3rd Friday)
-Whitney @ TheRoosterAndTheHen
Thanks Whitney! I went over and linked up! Thanks so much for sharing. I linked back with your button but I had to edit some html to get it to work (I know nothing about html but I thought to copy and paste from a button that worked and it worked for yours too! yay)
That is BEAUTIFUL, STUNNING, FABULOUS! I just love it. I am going to be pinning this as well as sharing it on my facebook page so plase stop by! Please come by my linky party hapening now to link it up – I would love to see you there!
Stacey of Embracing Change
http://staceyembracingchange.blogspot.com
p.s. – just one more thing…I love it!!! Oh, did I say that already??
All linked up! Thanks so much for inviting me and posting my piece on your Facebook page. I'm so flattered! All this love….I'm sure I'm blushing.
I am in love with this as you already know. So glad you came to link up – I confess this is my favorite thus far, but don't tell :o)
I see you are new to blogging – welcome!
This is surely a great way to start – found you through MMS – what an honor to be featured!
You rock!
Come back again and link up – we party every Thursday!
Stacey of Embracing Change
Hi Emmeline! I spooted your dresser at Stacey's link party and had to pop over – it's the EXACT same dresser we just re-did, and obviously great minds think alike, because we finished them so similiarly! http://www.soulstyle.ca/word/dressers-sanity
LOVE IT!
Tracy
I saw your piece at Miss Mustard Seed's linky party and it was love at first sight! Great transformation and beautiful colors–I want to recreate this for my daughter! Thanks for sharing!
Nicole
Thanks Nicole! If you recreate a piece like this for your daughter's room I'd love to see a picture!
I checked out your post. Who would ever think you'd spot 2 of the exact same dressers…at least of one so unique. I love the feet you put on yours. Wish I had thought of that myself!
Featured you (of course)! Come by and grab a button! THanks for linking and please come back Thursday for more!
Stacey of Embracing Change
Thanks so much Stacey! My husband called me to tell me I was featured. 😉 Apparently, he stalks my blog and saw your comment before I did!
OMG, that is the sweetest dresser makeover! It's funny how not being able to find what you need for a project brings out the creativity and often times the best look for the piece! I love it!
Tania
Thanks Tania! I knew I wanted to use the fabric on the drawer fronts but had planned on finding pulls. When I didn't the fabric became pulls as well. Love those happy endings!
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Stopping by from Air Your Laundry party. The dresser is gorgeous now and the fabric pulls and detail are the perfect touch and such a pretty colour.
ahhhh – completely lovely – the white the lined drawer fronts & oh those drawer pulls divine!!!! xo
http://www.NorthernCottage.net
Love it!
Hugs
donna