After an entire year, I am happy to report I finished our media stand makeover. Don’t worry, the makeover did not actually take a year to complete. It only took hours, but it kept getting de-prioritized by other basement projects. When the time finally came to buy a new TV for the basement, I buckled down and got the media center done.
I am in LOVE, serious head over heals love with my media center!!! I saw potential in the retro dresser, but never imagined how awesome it would be. I had an idea after finishing its sister, the tri-color dresser, for storage in my studio. I love the tri-color look in there, but there is something so seductive and awesome about the two-tone media center.
This was the dresser before:
My inspiration was this dresser from Room & Board in navy and walnut. I loved the colored case with wood drawer fronts. I even bought an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (ASCP) in Napoleon Blue, a very similar color to the inspiration, but something made me hesitate slapping it on the dresser. It was too primary. Then, I made way to my local Annie Sloan paint dealer and fell in love with Aubusson Blue. It has a lot more green in it, but it is not quite teal.
Before ever discovering ASCP, I stripped the dresser, so I was working with a blank slate (seen amidst the chaos above). I painted the dresser case, base, and the frame around each door in Aubusson blue. I sanded and re-finished the drawer fronts in walnut stain. Love the richness it brought out in the wood grain. I applied two coats of polycrylic in satin finish to the entire piece, both painted and stained parts. I could have used wax on the painted part, but I am impatient, so I always reach for the polycrylic.
Click Here to Learn How to Create a Modern Finish with Chalk Paint
It was a joyful day when we moved the media center in place and topped it with the new TV. Instantly, this room, which we always meant to be our form of a media room, felt complete.
Because the utility room is directly behind the TV wall, we will be storing all the media components behind the wall. That leaves all the dresser drawers for storage. I imagine over the years the boys and my hubby will manage to fill it up with video game paraphernalia.
As much as we love the look, we are now itching to mount the TV directly on the wall. I think it will make it look less top-heavy. For now, we are enjoying TV and movies for the first time in our family room.
The media center rounds out the room. I am so glad we went with white walls, so we could have more fun with the furniture. Now that I got a teal-ish fix with the media stand, I am more convinced than ever the ink blue fabric is the right choice for the sectional.
We are also crazy in love with how much floor space we still have in this room, even with the media center, chairs, large sectional, and ottoman. When the boys play spills out of the play room there is plenty of space for them to move around. We have trouble getting them out of the basement now :)
Love it! I love how you used AS chalk paint for a more modern look than we usually see. And the color is perfect. I have got to a do a two tones piece like this soon – they are just so polished looking.
Carrie, thank you. For the longest time I thought Annie Sloan chalk paint was not a good fit for my tastes, but now I love it. And finishing it with the polycrylic gives it a bit more sheen than the wax, which I love. The two-tone looks is amazing…I am looking for other things in my house I can do this to!
I love how you use saturated colors in just the right places. I agree that the TV would look better mounted on the wall. I didn’t get a chance to tell you yesterday and I loved your video home tour.
Hi Lisa. Thanks so much. I agree, that TV mount is high on my priority list…followed quickly by framing in the TV :)
Absolutely gorgeous! Love the walnut stain on the drawers. The two tone with the blue is so pretty!
Thanks Tessie!
This style was the style of parents I babysat for in my childhood and so I’d have never thought to look twice at this piece. Too dated!! But your redo takes the look beyond the 60’s and gives it a ’13’s look!!! It has come together so perfectly. I love the wooden wall and shelf with the special photo. It’s all come together just right!!! Love it all!!!
Can you share specifics on how you painted & sealed this piece? I am about to undertake a similar project & my main concern is having brush or roller marks in the final finish. I want the final look to be smooth as glass.
Shannon, I am sharing my tips tomorrow on how I paint and seal for a modern finish!
LOVING this! I would have never thought to keep the drawers natural, I am sooo glad you did. Love the modern retro look and it is so great in your basement!
This is perfection, I love it!!!!! Sharing on FB and pinning!
Thanks Melissa!
This is too beautiful……love love love it.
I saw this and reminded me of your basement room and your mural. Thought I would pass it along to you.
http://www.hapticlab.com/collections/kites
xx, Amanda
Ooh, love! Those are so pretty. Thank you for sharing.
This looks beautiful! So sleek! I’m wondering how you used the ASCP and got it to look so smooth. I just re-did a small dresser with ASCP and even diluting it, you can still see small brush strokes. And I sanded that thing to death!
Amy, I will be sharing some tips tomorrow. Watering down the ASCP is supposed to help, but I don’t do that. I have a specific brush and roller I recommend. Come back tomorrow and read all about it.
Stunning Jackie! I love the two finishes – they work so well together and perfectly complement the rest of your room.
Thank you, Krista!
This really completes your space! And the bright blue in contrast with the wood on the drawers is just a killer combination. Well done, m’dear! Pinning.
Believe it or not, I just purchased this same exact bedroom suit at an auction! My son wants the long dresser for a media center. He picked out olive chalk paint. I haven’t started on it yet but love this look!
Hello,
I am not sure if my comment went through, so if this is a dupe, I apologize.
This look is absolutely perfect for a couple of projects, but my question relates to how you got such a bright blue with the Annie Sloan chalk paint in Aubusson Blue — my swatch for that color is definitely greenish, while the blue on your piece seems more like a cross between the discontinued Monet Blue and maybe Greek Blue.
Can you please advise? I bought the polycrillic for the finish, but I want to get the color as close as possible to your lovely media center!
Thank you so much!
Sharon,
I did not do anything to change the color. It did look a lot greener in the store to me too. My piece is in a very well-lit room with a lot of natural sunlight.
Thank you, Jackie; I swear I have been having reading comprehension issues lately!
:)
The first time I read this article, I had in my head that you used Monet Blue. I was as convinced of that as the sun rising in the east …
In fact, I went to the store that carries ASCP to pick up that color, which is when I found out it had been discontinued. The lady at the store mixed colors together to try and approximate it, and I played around more when I got home.
Then I reread your post … and slapped myself on the forehead! “Oh — she used Aubusson Blue, you idiot!”
But =then= I was tripped up by the color swatches in the back of one of my books — that shade on paper is very green and nothing like your piece.
Long story short, I finally came up with a color that I think will look great, and I am going to finish it with the oh-so-shiny Polycrylic. (I’m mixing equal parts Napolean, Duck Egg and Greek blue, with just a bit of Graphite.)
So now that all my prep work is done, I can’t wait to start painting.
So, thanks again!