Finally!
It took me forever to get this post ready.
While I was typing it up last night the JTS made me some chocolate chip cookies.
That helped.
You guys saw a preview of this piece earlier in the week.
Sisal Rope Drawer Pulls {Nautical Style Furniture}
the before
Someone used duct tape or another sticky tape on the top of the chest at one time or another. The sticky residue is really hard to get off. You don’t want to use mineral spirits, WD-40, or anything oil based because it’s hard to remove the oil from the wood and it will leach through your paint. Not Good! I tried scraping it off…..sanding it off…..wiping it off with Simple Green…
There was still a little sticky stuff left….it’s still there. There is only so much time you can spend working on a project. I’m painting this piece for re-sell and I try to put a realistic price on the pieces I sell. Spending hours and hours on prep doesn’t make sense.. I think I removed enough that it shouldn’t be a problem.
right paint color
The chest was screaming nautical or beachy at me. Can ya’ll see that for this piece? I pulled out the sample of Valspar that I used for my American Flag Sign and also on the Nautical Pub Table. It’s really a pretty color….Pacific Pleasure….nice name too.
The original plan was to paint it this pretty blue from Valspar and then paint the drawer pull cutouts in white. Well, you can see how that turned out. It’s an alien….seriously….take another look. I didn’t even bother putting the two other drawers in for the full effect. The white had to go. So that meant a change of plan entirely.
I painted over the white with blue paint. The white wasn’t completely dry so it mixed with the blue for a little different color tone. Then I dry brushed the whole thing with white paint.
Even though the chest had the cut-outs for drawer pulls the piece needed something else since it was painted all the same….no contrast whatsoever. I bought my sisal rope at Home Depot {affiliate link}
Then I drilled some giant holes for the sisal. These aren’t the holes…I had to get a giant drill bit and drill them out again.
I knotted the sisal rope before I put it through the holes then knotted it in the back again. There is a knotted detail on the front of the chest and a knot on the inside of the drawer to hold the pull in place. It took me longer to cut and tie the sisal than it did to paint the chest It was worth it though…I think.
What do you think? Like the sisal? Like the dry-brushed paint? Wouldn’t it be perfect for a boy’s room? Thanks for being here, Kathy
Tami Toppen
I really love how you changed this! It is very nice! Perfect!
susan maclean
What is wrong with people?!!!! I don't understand this "buy new, throw out when fed up" attitude. But I do like that chest of drawers. Would be great in a nautical bathroom, too. I am just trailing through your blog as I've only just found it. And yes, we have loads of painted furniture/upcycled stuff in our house, too!
Breanna
I love this! What a unique piece. I've been really into the white washed effect lately. It's such a fun technique 🙂
Andrea
I also love it! I think that color is perfect for it and the dry brushing is wonderful, such a great effect!!
Love the drawer pulls! So creative! You're on the right track again, I sure like that dresser, could use it in my house right now!!
Kriste
I love it!!!
Linda
It really looks great, I need to try that dry brushing..LOL So pretty as usual.
JaneEllen
Wow I can think of several areas to use this chest. Love it so much with denim/chambray look and rope pulls. I know many people like heavily distressed, how you did this chest is more my type of look, style. I like some distressing and in some cases I like more, lot of times it depends on the piece.
You do great techniques on pieces and this one is perfect for that piece with the dry brushing, (at least in my eyes). I know it's a very personal choice, no offense to folks that prefer heavy distressing.
Where we live distressing is big no-no, at least I've deducted that from reactions to pieces I've been selling. Does it depend on market and area? Most people have raised loud objections to any distressing on our carpenter tool carriers of which we make few different styles.
I love seeing what you do and how it's done, you obviously know your market and what people like where you sell. When I read posts I try to learn from what I see.
We live about 15 miles west of Grand Junction, CO. People will ask me why they would want to buy something that's beat up and I've barely distressed the edges somewhat. Or they'll ask what they would use the item for when it's quite obvious. Don't people use their imaginations that don't craft themselves? Just seems like they live in a bubble that only certain things they're interested in gets thru. Have to admit it's frustrating to me. People will ask me why they'd want to fix something up or their homes. My hubs even said he thought our living room was fine before we painted and fixed things up, made new art. To me it was awful, like a dark hole. I must sound terribly judgmental, don't mean to sound that way. I'm not super fussy, just when things look very outdated and shabby I feel need to clean it up, that's way I was raised, if it's dirty or needs to be fixed up then do it and raised my kids same way. We were not rich or poor, but did what we could with what we had. Think I'm digging hole for myself so better shut up, lol. Happy summer days
Kathy Owen
Jane Ellen, That is really interesting about the differences in what people like in different areas of the country. I admit it's something I haven't thought about. But you know....I have a friend who was raised in Colorado and didn't move away until she got married. She is my age now ( yes, 60 ) and she doesn't like anything distressed and she likes everything to be perfect...interesting!
chris aka monkey
ok ok this looks way better than the alien lol actually it is way cool this would be nice in any nautical bedroom not just a little boys love it xx
Marti
I love this look!!!!
Dawn
Brilliant, I love the color and the pulls. It all looks great and updated.
Laura Strack
To me, it look like denim in the picture that shows the top side. I love it! What a great technique! Have you done this before or was it one of those happy mistakes? 🙂
Kathy Owen
Thanks Laura, I have whitewashed some pieces before but nothing that looked like this one. And you are right about it looking like denim. I noticed that and meant to mention it in my post. Thank You!!!
shelley
very nice