Do you have a dresser or side table with classic style, but you’re just not in love with the color or the damaged wood? Amy is sharing her simple tips for changing a drab, old oak 3-drawer dresser into a blue and gold beauty. Follow along with these steps to apply Amy’s advice to your next project!

What You’ll Need

• An old dresser
• Lint-free rags
• Orange tissue paper
• #4/0 (0000) steel wool
• China bristle brush
• Clean Slate
• One Step Paint™ in American Dream
• Cerusing Wax
• Gilding Size
• Gold Leaf Gilding
• Stir stick
• Nylon Tapered Brush
• Artist’s brush

Step-by-Step Instructions for a Blue and Gold-Gilded Dresser

1. Clean your piece with Clean Slate and let it dry thoroughly. Only use lint-free rags. Fill any holes you see with wood putty and let sit until cured. 

2. Thoroughly shake your One Step Paint™ can for 1 to 2 minutes. Open the lid of your One Step Paint™ with a can opener, then stir thoroughly with a stir stick. Depending on how solidly the chalk has settled, you may need to shake, stir/shake, stir until the paint is well-mixed. 

3. Use the Nylon Tapered Brush to apply the One Step Paint™ in American Dream. Amy suggests at least two coats for full coverage. Allow each coat to dry for approximately 20 minutes. 

4. Once dried, use a clean synthetic artist’s brush to apply Amy Howard At Home® Gilding Size™ where you want your gold gilding to go. Make sure to get 100% coverage, even down to the crannies and crevices.

5. Allow Gilding Size to come to tack, approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Note that, when Gilding Size is applied, the piece will feel wet, greasy, and, as it dries, sticky.

6. Apply one sheet Amy Howard At Home® Gold Leaf™ over the entire area your Gilding Size was applied. Apply directly on Gilding Size. Remember that Gold Leaf comes in large sheets, so it would be best to cut a smaller portion to save on Gold Leaf.

7. Apply a second sheet of Gold Leaf and overlap it with the first one. Do not try to match lines.

8. Before wiping off the excess gilding, tear off a large sheet of orange tissue paper and rub it over the Gold Leaf areas. Use a dry brush or softer flat surface to rub the tissue paper; do not use your fingers if you want to avoid fingerprints in your gilding.

9. Use another dry brush to wipe off the excess Gold Leaf. You can also use a dry lint-free rag to get anything that was left by the brush.

10. Once the Gold Leaf has adhered, use #4 your/0 (0000) steel wool to distress the Gold Leaf for an antique effect. The amount of steel wool distressing varies to personal taste and depends on how aged you want your gilding to appear.

11. Using a china bristle brush and Amy Howard At Home® Cerusing Wax™, dip the tips of the brush bristles into the wax, then use the cardboard palette to offload some wax from the brush. Always off-load your wax; you should never go directly from the wax to your piece.

12. Apply the cerusing wax with 100% coverage. Get deep into the crevices and crannies. Allow the wax to come to tack, which should take 15 to 25 minutes depending on how heavy the wax was applied. 

13. Once the cerusing wax is fully dry, come back and use a lint-free rag to buff your piece like you would buff a shoe — with a hit-drag motion. This is what gives your piece that beautiful patina shine.

By following Amy’s steps and expert tips, you’ll be able to give new life to an old, worn-down dresser. The best part is that this color combination is both antique and trendy, so you’ll have a statement piece for years to come.

Of course, we can’t wait to see your new piece! Share a picture of your beautiful new blue and gold dresser on Facebook. Don’t forget to tag Amy Howard At Home so that we can see it. Share your makeover on Instagram with #amyhowardathome and tag @amyhowardhome on Instagram for a chance to be featured.