Faye from Farm Life Best Life turned a dresser into a bathroom vanity! She used the colors, Sunday Tea and Simplicity to give it a light, shabby chic new look. Keep reading to learn more about how she repurposed this piece!

"Do you do custom furniture work Faye?"

A question I receive often, to which my response MAY change in the future:

To-date, I haven’t been doing any custom work… for a variety of reasons — main reason being because doing what I’ve been doing (non-custom work that is) has been working very well for me… and is completely stress and worry free! I select and purchase pieces on my own, and restore/transform them with colours/techniques of my choosing.  Some I keep for our own home, and many I list for others to consider purchasing.

Pauline, a friendly fellow farm gal inquired about a dresser-vanity transformation I had listed for sale. She had her heart set on it and was planning to come by to take a look… to then realize it was far too wide (38″) for her space. She specifically needed a 32″ wide piece… and when she shared that dimension with me, I shared that I had NEVER seen an antique dresser that narrow… and doubted I’d ever find one. Pauline politely asked me to keep my eyes open, and I gave her my word that I would.

So one day I was up in my loft taking inventory of my furniture stock, and low and behold there ‘she’ was… an exactly 32″ wide antique dresser with mirror… clearly meant just for Pauline! Ya… I know… “I’ve NEVER seen an antique dresser that narrow Pauline.” although a woman of my word, I’m not a woman who holds memory.



While helping my farmer hubs here on our farm in early October… I apparently thought I was 20-something, rather than 40-something and thought jumping off the flat-bed trailer would be a good idea.  Ugh… so NOT a good idea! A terrible idea, that resulted in “no painting for Faye for 4 weeks”. I always strive to take some ‘during’ pics while working on my transformations… however once I got back to painting, I didn’t want to set my brush down for a minute… so these were the only ‘during’ pics I snagged (just before I got started with my restoration).





My transformation process:

• Removed mirror and hardware ~ necessary for paint application
• Cut hole in top ~ in preparation for vessel sink placement
• Altered top 2 drawers, and cut hole in back ~ in preparation for plumbing hook-up
• Lightly sanded down entire piece ~ to best prepare for chalk paint adhesion
• Vacuumed and washed entire piece ~ certainly required before painting any piece of pre-loved furniture
• Applied 2 coats of Country Chic Paint in the colour Sunday Tea to the entire piece ~ a warm grey tone that’ll make you think of cozy Sunday mornings spent curled up on the couch sipping a warm cup of tea
• Applied 3 coats of Country Chic Paint in the colour Simplicity to the interior drawers ~ a fantastic, pure white that can brighten up any piece and add serenity to your home
• Sanded entire piece down (copiously in chosen areas where I wanted the wood to come through) ~ for the farmhouse chic look I adore and always strive for
• Applied multiple coats of Varathane’s Diamond Wood Finish (water-based, satin sheen) to the entire piece (drawers included) ~ to achieve a crystal clear, water-resistant, and highly durable finish
• Installed new vessel sink and faucet ~ ready for plumbing hook-up
• Reassembled mirror, and installed new faucet and hardware ~ just lovely

Pauline was looking for a rustic, unique, and custom-fitting vanity for her cottage lavatory. Although I was somewhat apprehensive at first, I’m so very glad Pauline and I formed an agreement, which led to me having the honour of bringing her vision to life. I imagine this restored and transformed antique adding a lovely touch of charm to Pauline’s cottage, with confidence it will hold-up for her family and guests for years to come.



















* All of my furniture pieces are pre-loved, with expected signs of age and use — sweet imperfections which I believe adds to their unique character and charm.

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Faye {Farm Life Best Life}

Hi I’m Faye ~ Farm Wife, Mom, Web Designer, and Shabby Farmhouse Chic Furniture/Decor Hobbyist. I have been blessed with a life of simple living, generous loving, and constant learning — my farm life best life. I spend my late nights (and every spare moment I can find) restoring and transforming furniture & decor from sad and bleak to shabby and chic! Filling OUR home, and creating pieces for YOU with country chic character and sweet imperfections!

Make sure to follow Faye on her blog, Farm Life Best Life. You can also find her on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!