Antique Hope Chest Makeover with General Finishes Empire Gray Milk Paint

I’m so excited to share Antique Hope Chest Makeover with General Finishes Empire Gray Milk Paint.

When my mom passed away, we found a handwritten note in her dresser drawer stating that she wanted me to have this hope chest that had been my great-grandmother’s. ❤️

It’s so special to me because my mom wanted me to have it, and also because it has a long history in our family.

Because this chest is so treasured, I was very cautious about deciding what to do with it to update it, but I’m so happy with the results!

Office Makeover

I’m in the process of giving our home office a makeover, now that it’s getting much more regular use. The hope chest has been in our office ever since I brought it here from my Mom’s, and it works perfectly against the short wall. Now that I’m updating the rest of the office though, I decided to give the hope chest a little touch-up, too, using my favorite milk paint from General Finishes.

Oops 😞

But first, I need to tell you that I committed the cardinal sin of DIY furniture makeovers…. I somehow neglected to take a complete “before” picture. 😕

I honestly have no idea how that happened. I was just so excited to get started with my vision, that I already had the chest disassembled and out in the garage before I remembered.

Thankfully, I at least have these pics of the drawers as I was working on them, so you can see what we were beginning with.

My Antique Hope Chest Makeover with General Finishes Empire Gray Milk Paint

Before = Blonde Lacquered Finish

As you can see in the photo below, the chest had a shiny, yellowish blonde lacquered paint on it. This type of paint was popular several generations ago, but not so much now. And, it really wasn’t doing this piece any favors. All the special details of the chest just got lost in this color with no contrast.

It was clear that this finish had been there a long time, and whoever had painted it way-back-when had painted right over the adorable little brass lock hardware on both of the drawers.

The ornate brass handles were not painted, because they were removable, but the locks don’t come off, so someone just painted them. 😳 It wasn’t super noticeable with the blonde lacquer, but I knew it would be with the gray milk paint. Plus, the locks are beautiful with such pretty little details, so I knew I wanted them exposed.

Fortunately, a heat gun and a tiny steel brush allowed me to scrape the old paint right off.

Look at how much better that looks without the paint on it! Removing it allows all those details in the locks to be noticed now!

General Finishes Milk Paint in Empire Gray

From these drawer pictures, you can also see what rough shape the blonde lacquer was in. This is exactly why I chose General Finishes Milk Paint for this project!

No Stripping or Sanding Necessary

General Finishes Milk Paint does not require any sanding or priming for most applications. This was perfect for this project, because this piece is so old, I have no way of knowing what kind of paint was used. It possibly could have been lead-based, which would make stripping and sanding it a more challenging process.

Even for removing the paint on those two tiny locks, we were very careful and wore masks and goggles to make sure we’re not inhaling any dangerous lead dust, just in case.

General Finishes Milk Paint came to the rescue! It was so easy and quick to update this little chest, because other than removing the paint on the locks, the only other prep I did was just giving the whole chest a good wipe down with Clorox wipes to remove any dust or grime that would prevent the paint from going on smoothly or adhering well. That’s it! No sanding or stripping, which is the worst part!

And, even better, this paint has a nice thick texture that applies like a dream and is self-leveling! That means it covered the rough patches on the old paint so nicely, and all the brush strokes just magically disappeared!

It’s not a perfectly smooth finish, but for not having to sand, it’s pretty darn amazing. Plus, for the farmhouse style look I like, I don’t want it brand-new looking anyway!

The above picture is after one coat of General Finishes Empire Gray. After just the first coat, I already knew I was going to love it! I never really paid attention to those panels of wood on the side, because they just blended in too much with the previous color. But with this light gray color, they remind me of shiplap! And everyone knows how I love shiplap!

The Finished Piece!

The Original Oak Top Finish

First, let me talk about that oak top.

I’m so thankful that it was spared the blonde lacquer paint, so I didn’t do a thing to the top. It was already this perfectly stained, beautiful, rich oak with all the grain showing. And it was in excellent condition. Before, with the blonde lacquered paint, it just blended in. But in contrast to the new Empire Gray, it pops! Your eye is drawn to all the wood grains with that incredible flowing pattern. Love. 💕

The Hardware

Look at these original antique brass drawer pulls! I love all the intricate details and the patina from years of aging. Oh, my heart.

And the newly exposed locks are now noticeable against the Empire Gray paint. They are a much shinier brass color compared to the pulls, because of hiding under layers of paint for so many years, but they will eventually catch up to the drawer pulls and develop some tarnish and patina.

After I had all that old paint removed from the locks, I just carefully painted around them with a small brush and a steady hand. So worth the little bit of extra time and effort it took to expose them.

The Drawers

I lined the inside of the drawers with a gray patterned wrapping paper from The Dollar Tree. Easy and cheap, but gives it a polished look.

It looks so good with my Vintage Blueprint Art hanging above it!

This antique hope chest is one of my most treasured possessions, and I love having it here in my office where I spend so much time.

When I look at it, my heart just flip-flops a tiny bit.

I remember it in the den at my mom’s house, where she had it for years, the top covered in framed family photos.

I wonder how/where my great-grandmother used it when it was hers.

And now, here it lives in my home, being loved by yet another generation. 💕

That’s the beauty of antiques, I think. The unique character they have from the lives they lived before they came to you.

Update: Check Out My Office Reveal

The antique hope chest is just a little glimpse into my office makeover. Click HERE to see the whole reveal with my antique hope chest displayed.

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You might like to also see my 4 Easy Upcycles Using Paint post where I used this same General Finishes Empire Gray Paint to give 4 things in my house a whole new look!

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General Finishes Water Based Milk Paint, 1 Quart, Empire Gray