Master bedroom makeover

So my dream came true a few months ago and we got a king-sized bed.  Now the whole fam can sleep in our bed!  Which ends up happening about 3-4 nights per week.  It is the season of life we are living now and it is nice to be able let it happen in our new giant bed!  Obviously, we had to get rid of our old bed and frame.  Which prompted a mass removal of the sea of dark wood going on in there.  I was ready for a change!  

Here is the room with the new bed but everything else the same as it was before.

The dresser is built well, has great storage and I really do like the hardware and metal detail at the bottom.  But it was so dark. Like black hole dark.

I recently saw this dresser on Fixer Upper...

and I fell in LOVE with it!  The wood is more natural.  Much lighter than what I currently had.  

So I had my inspiration.  We hauled the dresser out to the deck and I got to sanding.  

Now, the dresser actually has wood veneer on it.  So I had to be super careful to not sand too much and go right through the veneer.  I did do that in a few areas, but I just call that extra character:)  I used 150 grit and my rotary sander.  It took me about 3 1/2 hours.  Then, I polyurethaned it and it turned a bit too orange-y for me.  So I lightly sanded with 220 grit sandpaper (by hand this time) and applied a coat of Minwax Weathered grey.  

Here is what it looks like now...

Still a bit orange-y but I am fine with it for now.  It is MUCH lighter and that side of the room feels less heavy now.

I really really like it!  And I am glad I do because all that sanding was a huge job!  As you can see, I removed the large mirror that came with the dresser.  In its place, I picked up a mirror from a thrift store.  It was gold when I got it.

I dismantled it and painted it with some homemade chalk paint.  Once it dried, I lightly sanded it by hand with some 220 grit sand paper.

I got rid of more dark wood by spray painting the previously dark frames white and adding some gold leaf paint detail to them.  Then I put a card with a G in a frame, using Washi tape from the Target dollar bins.

Oops, forgot to make sure they were straight.

On the other side, I balanced it out with a metal G sign from Michaels and used a frame I found in my Grandma's shed around it.

I added a basket from Michaels with extra sheets, a knitted throw and a pillow.  Recognize the fabric?  Yup, my most favorite fabric remnant ever.

So those are the changes on this side of the room.  I know, I know.  I have a lot of finishes going on there.  Gold, silver and black.  I don't care, I love them all!

Up next, the bed wall.  Stay tuned...