80's Dresser Redo

I found a dresser for $5 at our neighborhood garage sale this summer. It was the perfect size for extra storage in my craft room/guest room but it was super 80's with the shiny brass hardware and maple finish. Definitely in need of an update.

Here she is in all her $5 glory before.I decided to paint her red with just a little distressing. After sanding I painted on a coat of Behr's new all-in-one paint that has primer in it. So great! One coat is all it took.

Once the paint was dry, I sanded again around the edges.I brushed on some dark brown stain {leftover from a previous project} and let it sit a minute or two before wiping it off. It perfectly darkened the sanded edges and gave the red paint a worn look. But this is where I hit a snag in my quick, inexpensive redo. I let the stain dry for over a day and it was still a bit tacky. My go-to friend for furniture makeovers, Kate {check out how she painted her kitchen island here}, was out of town and unreachable for the week. I wasn't sure what to do. I loved the way it looked but didn't want the stain to rub off on everything that touched the dresser.

Being impatient and ready to get the dresser out of the garage, I decided to use polyurethane leftover from another project. I thought, "Well, that'll seal up the stain and protect the finish. Why not?" The only trouble is it was a satin finish and it made the dresser turn out too glossy...for my taste anyways.

Whatever. It was a $5 dresser, right? Not worth going out to buy another can of polyurethane that I'd barely make a dent in.

Oh, and I talked with Kate afterwards and she recommended using Restor-A-Finish {which I had already!} instead of stain. Restor-A-Finish won't rub off.

I also spray painted the brass handles.

Despite the sheen, it turned out well and was a great inexpensive makeover.
And now I have more storage for my crafts and sewing supplies.
Here's what's in it now...
College t-shirts waiting for me to get my act together and make a quilt already!
Finally, a place to stash all of my in-progress projects.
Ribbons!!