4-Colour Stained Dresser with Dixie Belle

​Dressers are my favourite pieces of furniture to makeover. I found this darling for $40 on Marketplace. I loved the “square-ness” of this piece and decided immediately the handles were keepers!

Eagerly awaiting its makeover

I chose Silk all-in-one mineral paint in Nautical because it’s a dark blue that looks blue not “is it blue, is it black?”

I painted outdoors on a warm 28 degree day, which I don’t recommend when using Silk. Even though I was in the shade, it was drying too quickly.

I used the Dixie Belle Mini Brush. It’s a high quality synthetic brush that works well for a smooth finish with Silk as well as Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint.

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​I first played with stains to get the order right. My original thought was to use white, grey, red and brown. I experimented on raw timber first; rearranging and choosing colours that suited Silk Paint in Nautical while keeping the red, white and blue tones separate so as not to look patriotic! 
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After experimenting with the colour samples, I stained the backs of the drawers so I could get a full view of what it would look like:

From top: Voodoo Gel Stain in White Magic, Voodoo Gel Stain in Up in Smoke, No Pain Gel Stain in Georgian Cherry, No Pain Gel Stain in Espresso

​I wanted to experiment with both stain types and this was the perfect opportunity to do a side-by-side comparison.  

VooDoo Gel Stain is a water-based, translucent gel stain with no odor. It comes in seven colors and can be mixed with paint or wax or used on its own.  It comes in a handy squirt bottle which makes application really easy — and fun!

It can be a bit sticky and dries quickly. It's very easy to spread with a lint free cloth, adding more where needed and wiping away where there is too much. 

No Pain Gel Stain is an oil-based gel stain that provides deep and rich coverage. It’s a thick product that sits on top of a surface and it comes in six beautiful colours. It has a slight odour so it’s best to work with it outdoors, but rain was coming so I quickly stained then put the stained drawers under shelter. 

The next day I was able to bring the drawers in, with no odour, and they were perfectly dry to the touch. You can layer Gel Stain on thicker for a darker stain or keep it as thin as you like. I wanted a transparent application, and didn’t want the colour too deep.

After painting the dresser frame with two coats of Nautical in SILK All-In-One Mineral Paint, I sanded the drawer fronts to raw timber using 60, then 80, then 120-grit sandpaper. 

Halfway though sanding, I realised I forgot to label the drawers. Often drawers won’t fit into another slot. When taking them out always label them so you know which goes where!

I wanted the stain colours in a particular order and needed to make sure they fit where I wanted them. That’s when I realised I loved how the raw wood looked next to the Georgian Cherry stain. I skipped using white Voodoo Gel Stain and left it raw instead and changed the colour order to grey, raw, red, brown.
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Accidentally loving No Pain Gel Stain in Georgian Cherry next to raw timber

The shape and design of the handles already had me loving them, but I toned down the shiny brass by roughly painting them with Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint in the colour Coffee Bean. 

I finished staining, hemp oiled all the drawer fronts, quickly distressed the corners and edges — and done!
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Take a bow, my friends. I couldn't have done it without you

Would love to hear your thoughts on this project or ask any questions!

Happy Painting,
​Katie

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on a recent article. Pop over to see our contribution!

Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint

A$25.99 - A$42.99

Dixie Belle Paint has become all the rage with furniture painters! Why? Well, it is non-toxic, water-based and comes in more than 64 stunning colours. All with excellent coverage, self-leveling to avoid brushstrokes, easy to distress and there are endless options with topcoats (if you choose to use one!)

Dixie Belle is very thick so a little goes a long way. The longer the lid stays off, the thicker the paint will get. If you'd like it thinner, no worries, just add a little water and stir. Add too much water? No worries, just leave the lid off and it will thicken up. Whatever consistency you desire, Dixie Belle Paint will work for you.

Most pieces only take one or two coats for full coverage. Just clean your item with White Lightning and paint! It dries very quickly and you can add a second coat after about 30 minutes.

Available in two sizes and 64 colours.

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Mini Synthetic Paint Brush by Dixie Belle

A$41.95

Dixie Belle paint brushes are high quality and easy to use with flat trim bristles with exceptional spring-back to its original form and shape. The Dixie Belle Mini is a lightweight and easy to hold and maneuver short brush.

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Voodoo Gel Stain

A$44.95

Dixie Belle's VooDoo Gel Stain is a water-based, translucent gel stain with no odor. Available in seven colors, it can be mixed with paint, wax or used alone. VooDoo Gel Stain can be layered or mixed together to create a one-of-a-kind finish. It comes in a squirt bottle which makes application super easy peasy.

Available in seven colours from black and white to turquoise and grey.

240ml

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Hemp Oil

A$34.95

Howdy-do Hemp Oil from Dixie Belle dries to a lovely matte finish. Hemp Oil naturally

penetrates porous surfaces and is excellent on bare timber, over paint and to revive old finishes.  

A little goes a long way and will harden over 30 days to create a beautiful, durable, water resistant finish.

240ml bottle

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Silk Mineral Paint by Dixie Belle

A$40.99

A brand new Dixie Belle paint line, exclusive to Australia is the All-In-One Silk Mineral Paint.

A one-stop paint with built-in stain blocker and primer and built-in topcoat! No sealing necessary. It is UV-resistant and has exceptional coverage and durability. Washable and mildew resistant with a low sheen finish.

Available in 475ml (16oz) pot

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No Pain Gel Stain

A$69.99

Dixie Belle's No Pain Gel Stain is an oil-based gel stain that provides deep and rich coverage. It’s a thick product and is excellent for eliminating uneven colouring. No Paint Gel Stains acts like a topcoat to sit on top of the surface, of stain, paint or raw timber providing a deep, rich, even colour.

Apply with a rag, brush or applicator pad.

Available in 6 gorgeous shades!

475ml

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Round Synthetic Brush by Dixie Belle - 2 sizes

A$30.99 - A$39.99

Dixie Belle Round Brushes are made with the highest quality synthetic bristles tapered into the round brush. An even soft feel throughout the chisel shape with excellent spring back and bend recovery. This helps with retaining the natural form and shape of the brush. The shape makes corners and details easy and the brush nearly self cleans.The unique belle shape allows for comfortable holding no matter how big or small the project is.

Small - 20mm

Large - 32mm

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Applicator Pads - 2-pack

A$11.99

Dixie Belle's Applicator Pads are excellent for applying stains, topcoats, Hemp Oil, wax and more! Achieve an even, flawless finish. These flexible, soft cloth pads provide a smooth, streak-free finish.

Wash and reuse with water-based products. Store in freezer for reuse with SAME oil-based product.

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