CHANGING GEARS - vancouver subway art dresser

I did it in reverse!

Rather than the black background of my first Vancouver Subway Art dresser

I've finished this next one in white.

It started as a beat up, orangie colored, tall boy.

The drawers were is good shape but the runners and glides had to be replaced

that's why they look so wonky in this photo.

The top was removed to refinish and

the drawers were removed for the repairs I had to do inside the cabinet.

On a beautiful sunny day I sprayed the body in ASCP Old White

and stripped the top to be re-stained and waxed.

You can find a side by side before and after pic here.

HOW TO MAKE SUBWAY ART - reverse stencil

There are a few tutorials available around blog land showing how

to achieve a subway art look, so why am I offering another?

I wanted a certain finished look that I was not able to find

and I wanted to share some of the unique qualities that AS Chalk Paint offer in the process.

I used vinyl letters creating a reverse stencil on top of white chalk paint,

The letters were made with commercial adhesive vinyl

left over from my contractor days. (drawer liner or mac tac should work)

I used a computer program to get the size and shape I wanted

then printed them out and cut them by hand.

I only wanted the white for the letters so I washed the rest off with water.

I did not want all that extra white coming through areas that were going to be distressed.

The remaining steps I took are:

1) painted over everything with AS Graphite

2) once dry, remove the vinyl letters

3) waxed the drawer face

4) distress with sand paper

5) wax and buff to a shine

The finished project is pictured below.

You can see some of the drawers have the extra white underneath.

I found it was messy that is why I removed it but maybe you'll like it that way for your project.

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Have you stopped into firstfinds hardware store lately?

Here are just some of the switch plates available for your home.