Dresser Makeover

I only have a minute to write a quick update post for you today, since my Mom is in town and of course I want to spend as much time as possible with her.  It's so fun to have her here with us!  

Before she arrived I worked some more on the little guest room to help bring it along a bit more and hopefully make it more comfortable (and less like the workshop it has been all this time).  Remember the free dresser we found in the garage when we bought the house?  In order to spruce it up a bit I bought some brass hardware from eBay and switched out the old wooden knobs.

Thankfully the center of the brass pulls is big enough to cover the large holes left over from the wooden knobs, so I didn't have to worry about filling in with wood putty or sanding (I avoid sanding at all costs!).  After removing the old knobs I measured carefully, both horizontally and vertically, and marked where the new holes should go.  

Often I find that when drilling holes, getting the drill bit started in exactly the right place can be a real challenge.  Especially when it's a wider drill bit, it has a tendency to slide all over the place, making it difficult to be accurate with the placement.  One little trick I have learned that's helpful when you really need to be exact (like with hardware installation) is to place a nail or screw exactly on your mark and tap it into the wood slightly with a hammer.  This leaves just enough of an indentation to allow your drill bit to grab a hold of the wood, and you end up with holes just where you need them to be.

I love the look of old antique chests with original brass handles and escutcheons, or key holes, so when I saw these guys for sale on eBay, too, I decided to give attaching one of my own a try. 

Clearly I still have some work to do (just ignore the pile of tools crammed into the corner there!), but at least I'm enjoying how this chest of drawers looks all dressed up.

xo

Liza