Hooray! I might actually be ahead of a trend!
There was a fabulous collection of cowhide rugs show-cased at The Stories of A to Z. I don’t know that I want a whole (very expensive!) hide. However, I am glad I hung on to a dresser re-do from a while back. I did this project for an old cabin we had several years ago, but I liked it so much that I kept it even after we sold our cabin.
I’m using it as a buffet in our dining room.
This dresser started out as a purple, aqua and white monstrosity. Someone tried their hand at sponge-painting. However, it was solid and was only $25 on craigslist.
I used a chemical paint stripper, scrapers and finally a wire brush to get the paint off. Since it was acrylic paint, it really wasn’t too bad.
Once all of the paint was off it was obvious the dresser had previously been stained a dark wood color. It looked old and rustic (perfect for a cabin), so I just rubbed a little wood polish onto it.
I scoured ebay looking for genuine cowhide. After a couple of weeks I had enough to do the drawer fronts.
Each of the drawer fronts had a raised rectangular panel. I cut the cowhide to size and then used regular old Goop/Gorilla Glue to adhere the hide to the wood. (I had been thinking that if I got tired of the cowhide, I could also do a similar treatment with burlap or some other fabric…)
I used nail-head upholstery trim on the edges. This was the fabulous trim that comes in a roll and you only need to nail in every 5th or 6th nail-head. Making sure the corners lined up well was a bit of a challenge, but otherwise it was very easy.
I like the texture it adds. I used the hole placement from the old knobs to poke a hole in the cowhide and add new ones.
This definitely falls under the “eclectic” category of home decor. I put all the things I like together… doesn’t matter the style, as long as it is pleasing to my eye. I’m sure I’m breaking all sorts of design rules, but I figure if I like it, then it works in my home.
I’ve received a lot of questions about the orange subway art/family rules piece above the dresser.
Click HERE for the full tutorial.
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I think your dresser is so cool. It was really really bad before. I am amazed you could get all that paint off. I saw you at TT&J.
Oh my goodness!! I can’t believe you turned something so hideous into something so exquisite! Love that upholstery trim!! Well done!!
~Alison
http://oopsey-daisy.blogspot.com/
Wow!!! Looks great!
I remember this! It was fabulous!
So. Let me get this straight though. You have a cabin and a house by the beach? And then just your regular house?? I’m coming to stay with you. Or in your cabin. Or whatever.
Visiting you from Tatortots and Jello.
I love this Idea. Very cool! I am racking my brain right now trying to think of what I can do this on!
http://prudentlypaintedvintage.blogspot.com
I absolutely love this! I don’t know if I’ll ever have the patience to strip a piece of furniture, but if I do, this is what I’ll try!
That is a really neat idea! 🙂 Great job!
OMG. I freaking LOVE this! You have some mad skills! Thanks for sharing ~ come by and say HI sometime!
I love it! I know that the hubs would too. He has asked me in the past to get a cow hide from our friend who owns an animal reclamation business, but I just never knew if I was keen on one as a rug. This is AWESOME though.
Love it, you did a great job. I’ll hve to add this to the idea folder. Thanks.
Kristy @ 4 the love of WOOD
This is unbelievably awesome!!!
That look fabulous. I’m your newest follower. It would be great if you could stop by my blog Monday and add your project to The More The Merrier Link Party.
http://diyhshp.blogspot.com
Oooh, I love this! Nice job! I’d love for you to submit this to the M&T Spotlight at http://www.makeandtakes.com/spotlight
Very fun, very cabiny, and I would never ever have thought of it – – – EVER.
Very Pottery Barn! (I consider that a compliment.)
I’ve been catching up… Grant’s b-day post is so sweet!
And I love the bird with the rhino toes. (The after bird of course).
How did you get all the pieces without buying a whole rug?
That turned out fantastic! What a project, very upscale looking. Cabin or not, that piece would work with a lot of different styles, great job!
Very unique and beautiful! What a transformation!!!!
GORGEOUS!! What a great transformation…job well done!
This is A-mazing! I sent this off to my friend and told her that I’m going to make her do something similar in her house because it would match her decor. Great job!
this is freaking awesome! I love it..bookmarking in my head!
i am sooooo in love with this. gorgeous!
You’ve got girl balls for linking up with all those people.
I think your work is OUTSTANDING! Good job. Bravo.
I still hate your creativity. Whatev.
Uh-mazing! You saw the sweetness behind all that horrible paint!
Looks great! I found you at chic on a shoestring. Come visit me when you have time!
Wow, such a huge change. We love cowhide and anything western or rustic. Looks like a very high end piece.
That is AWESOME! I love it! So glad that you kept it. Now I just need to go find a cow.
DId you check with the hubs to make sure the cows were treated fairly? I mean, maybe they didn’t want to be turned into a dresser…..
~Becca
I love your idea!I am in the process of trying to find a dresser or something I can use for a buffet in my dinning room and would love to use your idea.
That’s so great! I love that you can take hideous and make it high end.
Wow! I don’t think I would have been able to get past the before state – it was bad. But you turned it into something amazing!
LOVE this! What a great before and after!
Love it! Thanks also for the shout out :).
I need that dresser! I soooo love it. always looking for new and fun ideas and this is totally awesome!!!! May have to copy:)
What a great idea. I love this use of cowhide instead of something so overwhelming like a rug. Very creative and the before and after is spectacular!
That is brilliant!
Gorgeous! I wish I were that crafty.
I think this is a great look and well done, too! I love it!
It looks fantastic,amazing transformation! I love cowhide too and am doing my first project with it, a chair I want to post next week. Now I know what I can do with any scraps. I will be following to see more of your projects. You’ll have to take a look at my holy cow chair next week.
Crazy good! I’ve never see anything like it! And that before pic, what a hot mess!
-Barb-
OMGEEEE, that is one amazing trasformation! The orignal painting…what was that person thinking?
That is one FEEEE-nomial makeover.
I LOVE this dresser! What a creative idea. My son (bachelor) is a rancher so I’m thinking about stealing your idea to do a dresser for him. Thanks for sharing it with us. Karen from NE
beautiful job.. love it.. very creative idea.
this looks positively amazing!!!
megan
craftycpa.blogspot.com
How very creative and I love the finished dresser!
What an improvement! Thanks for sharing!
okay so glad I found you. I saw this on TT &J and almost died. I would have never in a billion years thought of putting cow hide on a dresser drawer but I am in LOVE. Rules were meant to be broken, girl! Great job!
Penny Wenny
That is one of the most amazing before and afters I have ever seen. Seriously!! I don’t think I would have bought it in it’s original state. I am your latest follower. I would love for you to come and check out my blog and follow me back at http://www.diybydesign.blogspot.com. Thanks so much.
Wow! That is amazing! I have never seen cowhide on a dresser and I’m in the southwest! Absolutely a trash to treasure! Great job!
I know some country folk that would love this in their homes.
Cow hide is awesome! I would have never thought of this! Your crafty! I’m your newest follwer and would love you to be mine! Thanks for linking up at Sumo’s Sweet Stuff!
Many blessings!
http://brandlarge.blogspot.com
Brandi Jo
So awesome! I love what you have done here!
Wow! Quite the transformation. I could not imagine what it would look like. Really great idea.
Awesome job! Right up my alley with the cow hide. This is not too much, just enough. I looove this~!
The dresser looks great! I found your blog at the DIY Showoff. You have such great ideas and I’m your newest follower! I’d love it if you’d follow me back: http://stillwaterstory.blogspot.com/
Again, you did a fantastic job with this!! 🙂
Stunning! Absolutely STUNNING! Gotta love that before picture..lol
What a fabulous and inventive idea with the cowhide.
Great work
Lisa
Okay — my mouth hit the floor!! WOW what a transformation!!
That dresser is TOTALLY cool! I hope you are at the front edge of a trend if things looked like that. You did an awesome job!
Midge
Wow- that is unbelievably gorgeous!
I LOVE THIS PIECE!!!!
Followed your link from This and That!
~Rachel @ cookscleansplayswithpaper.blogspot.com
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!!!!
You did a great job on this! I love the cowhide. Very chic!
Now that is something I haven’t seen! I just did a dresser makeover myself. Check it out at http://learnandgopollyco.blogspot.com/2011/03/dinky-dresser-do-over.html
Thanks for sharing your creativity.
this is a first for me, never seen anything like it. it’s crazy awesome. i want one! i would love it if you shared this at my party today. http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com/
Now that is fabulous! Something totally original that I have never seen before. I absolutely love it! You better get some feature postings for this! Found you over at DIY by Design.
Jen
This is terrific! Thanks for sharing it at WUW. I see a lot of links, but not one to my party!
What a clever idea, this is really cool!
holy cow is right! that looks sooo cool! what a funky piece!
I love your project, it turned out splendidly!
I am wondering if you can share where you got your brad roll from? I have an ottoman I’m re-doing and I can’t find those brad rolls anywhere, it’s become an obsession! I know years ago I picked some up at JoAnn’s, but they no longer carry that product. Grrr!
Any info would be appreciated. And again, nice job on your dresser!
This is amazing!!!!
Congrats on the feature at better after! Well deserved! I love this dresser!
Amazing!!! Thanks for linking up at Make Something Mondays!
-Sarah
I cannot stop laughing at the before picture. Poor crafter! The after look amazing though!
Ashley
http://www.TheThriftyWife.com
I love this look, you did a fabulous job, very professional!
Oh my gosh. It’s official. I have a girl crush on you lol! This is AWESOME! And I love your name. In 8th grade french class we all had to give up our american names for french names and for an hour each day I was Vivienne ;P
oh my goodness gracious! Viv, I think you are a visionary. You spun gold out of hay with this transformation. That WAS a monstrosity to start with. The new look just rocks. Totally cowboy cool. LOVE it 🙂 also, thank you for stopping by my blog and your very kind comment.
I LOVE cowhide and what a unique application. The dresser is amazing! The nail head trim puts it over the top. Well done!
This has to be one of the coolest things I have ever seen! I LOVE the texture it adds!!! How much is cowhide off ebay? Seriously, I just think it’s so great!
Very cool and unique.
Amazing! The transformation takes my breath away. Thank you so much for linking your wonderful creation to my blog bash K.I.S.S. So looking forward to your next project. 🙂
Drop by The Tattered Tag
You are awesome. This is so fabulous! Seems like EVERYONE else loves it too!
That is awesome! I want one! 🙂
Wow… this turned out so cool! Never would have thought to cover it in cow hide, bet you would pay big bucks to go out and buy a similar one, good for you! Thanks for linking Flaunt it Friday, I’m featuring you so stop by and grab a button if you’d like! 🙂
I love your dresser. I can think of alot of places that I would love to have one in my home. Now I am going to have to add another project to my list. Not that I mind.
I am a new follower of your’s. Enjoy your blog.
SO creative!! Thats awesome. I love hides and am desperate for one for my home too! Did you buy them in small pieces on ebay? Fantastic job lady!! <3
That’s really amazing!!! I want one! 🙂
I don’t care what anyone says that dresser is so rock and roll it amazes me. I love the studs, I love the cowhide. It just rocks. The only thing that makes me sad is that I never thought of it. I am so into thinking out side of the box. I am glad we have that in common. You should come by and check out my tinfoil dress 🙂 lol. It is in my archives.
New follower by the way. Gonna go tool around your blog.
Take care.
Deb
http://dejarenew.blogspot.com
This is too hot! What a fabulous job!
That’s just sexy!!! I love it. You did a wonderful job. It’s a good size dresser too, right? I love the length of it.
I love this transformation, amazing! I’m sure you could sell this for really big bucks in Mt or one of the Western states.
this is way too impressive, luv luv the transformation. where did you find cowhide?
would luv for you to add it to our linking party this week.
http://www.passionatelyartistic.com/2011/03/orange-blossoms-with-linking-party.html
Thanks
Maggie
I would have never thought to use cow hide. It’s fabulous and I love it!
Absolutely love it! Came from Apartment Therapy!
www.clothedmuch.com
I love this! WEll done. Do you mind it if I share it with my readers on my upcycling blog?
So inspiring.
Ally <'v'>
Oh, WOW!!! This is simply amazing!
I am your newest follower. Please check out my blog.
what? you did not love it before…oh my. SUPER COOL makeover!
That before dresser is the ugliest thing ever! You did an amazing job!
Wow, you did an outstanding job! I need help with a chest of drawers, do you live in North Carolina??!!
http://createdbykaty.blogspot.com
katy_lunsford@yahoo.com
SOOO cute!!! Thanks for linking up to “say what saturdays”!!!!
holy taledo! how creative is that?! LOVE how the print!
we’d love for you to link this @ our weekend party 🙂
lollyjaneboutique.blogspot.com
Wow…that looks FABULOUS! Absolutely LOVE it!
What a difference! What a great idea. I’ve been collecting cowhides and I have one large, not perfect, hide I bought just to use for things like this. Now all I need is to find an old dresser or buffet. Thanks for the great idea!
Faye
WildRoseVintage
What a statement! I love it!
i think this is brilliant!!!! love the cowhide!!! but i have a question….does the wood splinter when you use gorilla glue and pull the fabric off???
great job….
hugs, cindy
This is an amazing transformation. What a good eye you have, because that was one ugly dresser before!
I love what you have done to that dresser!
LOVE it! Amazing job!
Wow, what a transformation. It is stunning!
Aaaa!!! I love it. Amazing. Something you would see in a high end furniture store or a Park City Ski lodge. LOVE it.
AMAZING transformation!! Love the cowhide!!
Whoa! That is crazy incredible. I love cowboy furniture and this is just beautiful.
Thank you for saving that horrifying dresser! It looks great now. I saw the nail finish around the drawer edges and thought, I don’t even want to try, but your explanation sounds doable. Great redo!
Whoa! What a transformation! It looks awesome.
This piece is such an inspiration. It really shows that mixing styles can really work. I would have NEVER considered cow print in my home but I would take this piece any day. Pure perfection!!
O-M-G! I am so glad I stumbled upon your blog…I found you on A2D. I cannot believe you turned something so fugly into something so beautiful! I am in awe!!!! what a great piece! I’m your newest follower, btw! 🙂
-Sandra
I LOVE your piece. Congratulations. Your comment (“I put all the things I like together… doesn’t matter the style, as long as it is pleasing to my eye”) inspired me to write because you echoed my feelings exactly. Who needs rigid design “rules”? Surround yourself with what you want to look at everyday. Enjoy your beautiful dresser! Susan L
Oh my goodness! I LOVE your piece! It is gorgeous! Now all I have running through my head is what dresser in my house I can redo!!! (wink) Thanks for sharing!
This looks so great!!! Definitely something I would love to have in my home!! Cow hide furniture like this is SUPER expensive if bought retail too! Very cool Viv!!!
Wow Viv! I love this. Such a cool idea and I like the variation in color of the hides.
Brittany
This is so beautiful. I love it and I think I can convince my Pinterest frustrated hubby that we can do this!
WOW!!! This is just soooo amazing… truly speechless here!
Donna
Absolutely fabulous! So talented! I’ve voted for you!
Love, Olga
http://www.stardust-decorstyle.blogspot.com
I need to try this! Very cool
http://www.craftingrebellion.com
Flawless! SO creative! Congrats on making the top 6 – well-deserved! 🙂 I’m still blown away that my project was included among such crazy awesomeness as this!
Eclectic Awesome-ness!! I love it and I so need one in my master bedroom!! Thanks bunches for the inspiration and I’m voting for your project on Not JUST A Housewife!! 🙂
Truly awesome. I love it! You did an amazing job! Thank you so much for the inspiration! I’m dying to try it! I hope you win the contest!
Melody
ChattyChics.com
I love what you did with the dresser. I have the same style dresser, only I got it for $1.00 at a church auction….i took most of the paint off, but need to finish it after we move. (it’s my daughter’s dresser, age 13) I don’t think I want to use cow hide, lol, but love the idea of trimming the drawers with some sparkly “diamonds” instead. If you have any ideas for pics, that would be great!!!!
oops, forgot to click on email me!
LOVE this! Sharing it and you on my Favorite Five today on my blog. Beautiful job.
Robin
Thank you so much! 🙂
I love Your dresser. It is beautiful. I was looking for ways to do this for a vanity I just found (that is currently a hideous purple color) when I found your post. Thank you for sharing!
Awesome! I hope it’s helpful! Good luck with the purple vanity! 🙂
Looking to purchase something exacTly like this. Any ideas where to find something like this? Ive had no luck. This is beautiful!
Shelley, I found the one that inspired the make-over in the mountains at a specialty shop. It was too expensive, which is why I decided to DIY it.