If you've kept up with the blog you know that I recently purchased a house, gutted it and completely renovated it inside and out.  Check out the before and after of the exterior!  This is my first interior room reveal..eek!!  This is the guest bedroom.  It started out as a completely blank space.  We removed the closet in order to make room for a hallway to the master suite.  Previously, you had to walk through one room in order to get to the master bedroom.  Removing the closet created a new conundrum - how do I add closet space without making a small bedroom unusable.  Here is what I came up with:  

to know me is to know that I love an ikea hack...these are two malm dressers (I couldn't find this exact dresser, but this one is close) from ikea.  Once built, I had my carpenter add two large closets on top of the dressers.  The space in between each built in is the exact size for a twin bed longways (which is perfect - it won't stick out into the room too far!)

once the built ins were complete I had to decorate the room.  Naturally, this involved a chalk paint® decorative paint by annie sloan project!  I had a small dresser from an old house that I love, however the finish wasn't right for this room.  Here are the step by step instructions of how I re-did my dresser!

materials:

• chalk paint by annie sloan in graphite 
• annie sloan wax brush
• black wax by annie sloan
• annie sloan paint brush
• lint free cloth
• gold leaf (optional)
• gilding size (gold leaf adhesive)
• chip brush (gold leaf applicator)

step 1: coat with chalk paint by annie sloan.  dresser and inside of mirror... using an annie sloan paint brush... we used graphite chalk paint by annie sloan. for full coverage I suggest two coats.  The dry time in between coats is about 4 hours.

step 2: applying gold leaf accents.  check out our previous post on how to apply gold leaf - it's so easy I swear!  there are so many gold leaf accents in this room....the chest, the sconces, the mirror, the light fixture...the list could go on and on - I LOVE gold leaf!!

step 2: apply annie's new black wax.  I use a brush to apply annie's waxes.  they're so soft, I find this to be the easiest way.  Once I apply the wax to a section I immediately wipe back the excess with a soft cloth.  Applying wax is similar to applying lotion to your skin.  You want to rub it in evenly, leaving a thin, even coat everywhere. 

for some reason gold leaf has gotten a reputation as being intimidating or difficult to execute.  In fact, it's dangerously easy. so much so that you're going to want to start gold leafing everything - which we are fully guilty of! here is our step by step tutorial on how to gold leaf anything - even this 1970's, plastic candle sconce!