Repurposing an old dresser: Part 2

The other day I showed you the old dresser I am refinishing. I had already done some sanding and was planning to paint it, but I finally decided to buy a gel stain in a mahogany color to make the piece fit in with my other furniture. I was thinking about using a bright, pretty color but I really like cherry and mahogany furniture. It was what I was thinking about all along. I think it is the safe choice. I think I would just have painted it with a semi-gloss paint if I hadn't found the Minwax gel stain.

The sides are made of a type of board and painted, prohibiting me from using a normal stain. I couldn't even sand the old paint off. It just would not have worked.

The drawers accepted the stain really well. Even the gold edges look great with the gel stain. I was concerned about sanding all the gold off. I don't think it would have been good for me to breathe in. I was concerned that lead paint might have been used on those edges.

Here is my start on one of the sides. I am not even close to being finished. It is still wet and will need two coats of gel stain. I will have to make sure I don't skimp on the stain because I want to paint a "wood grain" pattern into the dresser sides, if possible. The rest of the dresser is made from wood so it will naturally have a wood-grain appearance. The gold painted around the drawers and the detailing are proving to be easier to cover than I thought. After I finish I will make sure I paint the gel on with the grain of the wood on all surfaces.

Right now, it has a long way to go but by Monday, I think you will be surprised.