I think I found a new favorite product. I’ve been looking high and low for a way to lighten dark/orange wood tone pieces and I’m so excited to say, I found it. Here’s how we created the antique weathered wood look on our bedroom furniture!
Last week, Eli and I got new nightstands and a dresser. I’m hoping to share all about them in a separate post in the coming weeks but for now, I want to share how I freshened them up a bit. Now I know what you’re thinking…”Sarah, why the heck are you freshening up brand new furniture?!” I get it. I’m a little crazy but hey, it’s just furniture. I figured if I could do a little something to ensure I love it longer, there’s really no shame in that.
I found a product on Amazon and the name of it was just tempting enough for me to add it to my cart. This Vintage Wood Cerusing Wax claimed to do exactly what I was hoping: Bring a vintage vibe to wooden furniture. After using it, I think it brought just the right amount of dimension & character to our bedside table!
I really wanted the furniture in this room to look like something straight out of a french flea market. Before using the wax, the nightstands looked a little traditional but I’m loving the charm they have now. The wax gives a slight white-washing effect that is beautiful & timeless.
I used an old cotton t-shirt and put a dime-sized amount of wax onto it. At this point, I was able to buff the surface of the nightstand and allow it to dry for about 10 minutes before buffing off with a bit of 000 steel wool. The bottle suggests waiting 30-60 minutes before buffing off, but I found that to be a bit long for the subtle look that I was going for.
It took me a total of 30 minutes to finish waxing this piece and it was pretty painless. The product itself does have a slight smell but nothing that was aggressive or unmanageable. If you plan to do this project indoors, turn a fan on or open the windows.
The white wax got into the wood grain grooves and lightened up the look of the piece entirely! The furniture came sealed but this matte wax added yet another layer of sealer. To see how the furniture set turned out with the antique weathered wood look, check out this blog post!
I’m excited to start using this Vintage Wood Wax on more pieces & play around! First impression: I’m a fan. I hope this was helpful if you have a piece that you wish had a bit more antique charm. I went ahead and shared a photo without any editing (below). The nightstand on the left is complete with the wax and the one on the right is without. Let me know if you decide to try the product for yourself!
Love! It’s perfect! Thanks for sharing this product!!
~ Amber
Of course!! Thanks for checking it out 🙂
Looooove the after photos!!!
Thanks so much, love!
It’s absolutely beautiful! Thank you for sharing this, Sarah Jane! I’ve been looking for something to whitewash a piece of furniture in my kitchen! 🙂
Aw yay! I’m so glad this was helpful 🙂
Beautiful! Do you think it would work on finished cherry wood?
I’ve never tried – it may be pretty! Maybe try on a small portion & see how it turns out before committing to a large area 🙂
Where did you purchase the dressers you got?
Hi Sarah! The bedroom furniture seen here is from Pier One
Beautiful work! I just bought these from a person on marketplace. Would you mind sending me a message telling me how much you paid?
I can’t remember exactly but I’d like to say each nightstand was $300-$400
So you didn’t sand the piece at all prior to applying the product?
Looks very authentic
I did not sand only because these pieces are newer and not a raw wood. For older wooden furniture, I would definitely sand beforehand 🙂
I too used this wax and loved it. I bought a very ornate mahogany piece with a black marble top ( I buffed the marble so there was a very Matt finish) I sanded and then bleached (3 times) and it came out dirty looking. I then stained it a gray and whipped it off. Once it was completely dry overnight, I used the wax. Absolutely love the end results. Fits into my country French home perfectly.
I am so happy it worked out for you, too!! It’s a great product
These turned out beautiful! Where is the furniture from?
Thank you! Pier One
These are stunning. Do have a pic of what they looked like before?
Amazing job!
Thank you! Yes, at the bottom of the blog post there are up-close photos of the “before”
I bought a table at Hobby Lobby with this weathered wood look. I absolutely want to do the same thing. I was hoping our manufacturers would catch on to this trend and make one available for me to simply purchase. But no luck. Where did you purchase the dresser? Pier One?
Yes, it is from Pier One
Sarah can you please tell me where you got the antique mirror in the photos. I’ve been searching for something just like that. Thanks & great job on the beautiful room! 🙂
I found it at a local antique show. Sorry I couldn’t provide a proper source – it’s very old! Thank you!