Dixie Nightstand Makeover

I'm testing various paint products to eventually use to paint the kitchen cabinets in my vacation condo. I need a product that is fairly easy to use as well as durable enough to hold up to wear and tear from renters. I'm using smaller furniture projects to test the paints. The first paint I used, and what I am sharing here today is Wise Owl One Hour Enamel.

This nightstand was manufactured by Dixie Furniture. I like the clean and simple lines and will eventually take it to the condo to use in the guest room (see photo at the end of this article).

Although this is a smaller project, it still requires the same prep work as a larger piece. The first step is always to clean it thoroughly and remove any dirt, grime, and oils.

Next I used wood filler to fill in a few tiny dings and scratches.

Once the wood filler was dry I sanded it smooth.

I needed to prime this piece since I'm not using chalk paint, so I used the Wise Owl stain blocking primer in white. I planned on using two coats of primer.

After the first coat of primer was dry, I detected bleed through on the back legs. This was a huge disappointment, but I fixed it easily by putting a coat of shellac over the areas with bleed through.  After the shellac was dry I applied the second coat of primer and had no further issues with bleed through. I sanded the primer smooth before proceeding with painting.

The color of the enamel paint I am using is Antique Villa. After painting so many pieces with chalk paint it took me a bit to get used to the enamel. It's much thinner than chalk paint and I had to be on a constant watch for drips. But I do like that the paint dries quickly and doesn't require a top coat. The recommendations on the can suggest using a paint sprayer, or alternatively a roller, but I didn't have either on hand, so I used a brush. I think next time I might use a roller instead which might help prevent drips in the paint.

AFTER:

Isn't the nightstand so pretty and elegant now? The Wise Owl Enamel paint is self-leveling and the finish is luxurious to the touch.

I let the paint cure for about 24 hours and already it feels strong and durable.

The cleaned drawer pulls look nice against the new painted finish. (You can read about my process in this post.)

I didn't fully scrub away all the tarnish, but just enough to give it a little shine.

As I mentioned the paint is self leveling and it did result in a very smooth finish. I think it would have been even smoother if I had used a roller instead of a brush. Overall I really loved the paint; however, I was disappointed with the stain blocking properties of the primer, so I decided to use a different paint brand for my kitchen cabinets (you can see the project HERE).

The photo below also includes a bedside lamp in addition to the vase of flowers.  When I advertise an item for sale I always include the dimensions, but using a familiar object in a photo will help give potential buyers a better visual sense of scale. When styling a vignette for furniture I think it's best to keep it relatively simple.

The photo below helps give a perspective on the white shade I used on the nightstand. The vase is an antique white and the base of the lamp is pure white.

The drawers of the old nightstand in the photo below don't slide easily, so I plan to use this nightstand as a replacement in the guest room at my condo. I will use the crisp white finish as my design inspiration for re-decorating the rest of the space. I will add two headboards, paint the walls, new bedding and art, and finally replace the window valances to finish the space.

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