Go ahead and dream. Your bedroom can achieve a rosy new outlook with boho styling at a knockout price.
Be on the lookout for bargain bedroom pieces with dated finishes or hardware but pretty silhouettes like this chest of drawers. Lots of storage space to be had and it only needs a new finish to freshen it up.
Lipstick shades of Sherwin-Williams paint feel romantically girlish, but in a grown-up way when applied in a gradated ombré fashion.
An ombré-style dresser, is easy for anyone to do. After coating the frame in Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, pull out the drawers and paint the fronts in rows going from dark to light. Then add new hardware. It’s that simple!
What You’ll Need
- Chest of drawers
- Medium- and fine-grit sandpaper
- Tack cloth
- Household trim brush
- Stain-blocking brush-on primer
- Sherwin-Williams semigloss sheen latex paint: Alabaster, Charming Pink, Memorable Rose, Luxurious Red
- Finish sealer
- Remove existing hardware from drawers. Sand all surfaces of the chest and wipe thoroughly with a tack cloth.
- Using a household trim brush, apply stain-blocking primer onto the entire chest; let dry.
- Base-coat the entire case of the chest with Alabaster; let dry.
Apply two coats of Charming Pink to the top drawer, then two coats of Memorable Rose to the middle drawer and finally two coats of Luxurious Red to the bottom drawer, letting dry between coats.
Apply two or three coats of finish sealer, letting dry between coats. Reinstall or replace hardware.
Top off the finished dresser with a loose arrangement of cut flowers that complement your color scheme. Include some fragrant posies such as the magenta and white stock for a fresh scent and a bit of romance.
For a blushingly beautiful mirror use more Alabaster as a base coat on an old mirror frame with lovely lines.
When dry, brush Charming Pink across the top of the frame, extending down each side a few inches. Do the reverse on the bottom using Luxurious Red. While the paint is still wet, feather in Memorable Rose along the sides to unite the top and bottom colors. Durable semigloss paint reflects light back into the mirror—just perfect for primping and putting on makeup.
Create a nightstand to complement your dresser with an old piece in need of an easy update. The styles of your furniture need not match as long as the colors do.
This small case was refreshed with Charming Pink; Memorable Rose deepens the drawer front.
A basket to corral jewelry, a vintage clock, old metal typography and a sturdy cigar box turned stationery stash top the refreshed nightstand. The tassel pendant light above, designed by Justina Blakeney, echoes the ombré effect of the dresser.
Eclectic hardware, a shag rug, a velvet quilt and shams and tie-dye pillows complete the oh-so-flirty makeover.
Photography by Chris Hennessey
© Caruth Studio