How to Create a Gorgeous Blended Ombre Dresser

Learn how to paint a blended ombre dresser. 

When you paint a lot of furniture, sometimes, you just want a FUN project. This blended ombre dresser was that project for me. I have no idea if it will sell or not, but man, was it fun to paint! 

A few weeks ago, I watched a Facebook live from Blue Peaches Furniture in the Country Chic Paint group and was immediately inspired to create my own ombre dresser in shades of blue. 

If one shade of blue is awesome, why not paint with four shades (plus white?) 

Country Chic Paint provided me with paint for this project, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. I would never recommend products that I wouldn’t buy or use on my own. (I actually buy a lot of Country Chic Paint on my own.) Your support helps me make more projects like this one!

How to Create a Blended Ombre Dresser

1. 1. 1. Prep Work. This dresser had lovely lines, but I knew that the finish would be difficult to work with. After thoroughly cleaning this dresser, I lightly sanded it, then I applied several thin coats of shellac on in. See how the dresser is red? All of those tannins will bleed through paint and turn any light colors pink. Sealing them with shellac is a must. Pay special attention to any areas where pieces are attached, such as the trim on top and where the dresser top meets the dresser body. These are normally the problem areas and may need several coats to seal in the tannins. Here’s some more tips for painting dark furniture white!
      2. Prime. I primed the top half of the dresser because I knew that the light colors at the top would color better over a white base of primer. It’s also a good way to see where you need to add extra shellac. Any pink spots will keep bleeding through. Add more shellac!

Painting the Blended Ombre Effect

1. 1. Paint in the base layer of colors. I worked from white at the top to dark at the bottom and painted striped areas for the color. Some colors cover better than others, so I wanted full coverage before I even started blending. I used 5 different paint brushes for the 5 different colors. Each brush gets stored in a ziploc baggie while they’re not being used. Just zip around the handle and they stay nice and wet.
   2. Start blending. It’s best to work from the top to the bottom because the paint drips down. Apply fresh paint in the top 2 colors. Use a clean paint brush dipped in water to start blending. I found it easiest to brush up and down to blend the colors and then brush to the side to create a cleaner blended look. Both directions create different looks that are fun. Smooth any drip marks as you go. I left some drip marks, but I smoothed out most of them.
   3. Continue painting. Blend colors 2 & 3, then 3 & 4, then 4 & 5 until you’re finished.
   4. Apply a top coat. When the paint dries, apply a few coats of clear coat.

A Few Extra Tips to Create an Ombre Dresser

1. 1. • • If you hate the results, add more paint and blend some more. Sometimes, it got way too drippy. Let it dry and add more paint.
      • Change the water in your bucket often to keep from muddying your dresser colors.
      • Watch for drips unless that’s the look you’re going for. Drips can look really cool.
      • Blending with your brush strokes going up and down creates a very different look than side to side. It’s fun to experiment.
      • When I try this technique again, I’m going to only use 3 colors to make it go faster. My daughter has requested one in “Sunset” colors.
      • Each of these colors on their own look very different than when they’re combined. Bliss and Reverie are pretty bold colors and Jitterbug is a gorgeous blue-green on it’s own. It’s interesting to see them combined like this and how it changes how they appear. (I haven’t painted a piece in just Simplicity yet, but here are the blues.)

If you like this project, you might also like my ombre wall! I used the same technique on a wall to recreate expensive wallpaper at a fraction of the cost. 

You might also like:

• Console Table Painted in Country Chic Reverie
• Side Table Painted in Country Chic Jitterbug
• Dry Sink Upcycle with Blended Paint Technique

Looking for more furniture makeovers?

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