The Little Dresser that Could…

Do you have a piece of furniture sitting around that’s maybe a little outdated, has some damage, maybe it’s missing hardware, or maybe, just maybe it’s plain old boring and not too attractive? I certainly did. I’ve had an Ikea dresser in our guest room for about three years, and every time I got the room ready for a guest, I thought to myself that I really needed to replace or update it. This blog tells the tale of the little dresser that could .

Overall, the project was fairly easy, didn’t cost much, and resulted in a really cute piece. If saving an outdated piece of furniture is your thing, read on…

Step 1: Deciding the look. This obvious step is usually where I end up spending the most time. I hem and haw, look through magazines, look online, ask friends—whatever it takes to come up with my inspiration. Having seen some photos of furniture makeovers using wallpaper, that was what I had in mind. I wanted the wallpaper to be an accent on the piece not a cover up. Next up, choosing the color. This one was easy. I made up my mind by examining the style and colors already in the room. I wanted to give the piece more personality, so I chose drawer hardware with a little pizazz. Now it was time to get to work.

Step 2: Determining needed materials. I came up with a checklist of items I would need to make sure I had it all before I got started. Who am I kidding—it wouldn’t be a project if you didn’t forget at least one thing. My list included ingredients to make chalk paint, paintbrushes, paint, painter’s tape, sandpaper, and wallpaper.

Step 3: Preparing the piece: With this dresser, prep was simple. After I had my hubby lug it downstairs into my workshop, I started with light sanding and a good wipe-down after. That was really all the prep needed so on to the fun stuff.

Step 4: Paint and paper: Because I was going from a very dark expresso finish to white, I had to apply three coats of paint to get good coverage. Remember to do a light sanding in between each coat. After the final coat of base paint had dried, it was time to measure and apply the wallpaper. Sooo cute! I decided to add a gray stripe on top to break up the white. I did this by applying painter’s tape and then painting the stripe. I then decided to paint the front of the drawers the same gray. Once the drawers dried, I did a little distress sanding on the edges. The next step was to apply matte polyurethane to the top to protect the surface from future scratches. Finally, I measured holes for the new drawer handles and attached those.

Step 5: Stand back and admire: This is the best step of all! The one where you call family and friends to share your new creation. Be sure to have your “before” pics handy to earn the appropriate ooh’s and ah’s you deserve. Now that you’ve showed off your piece locally, take the next step and share pics with friends online, especially with the Redesign Habit community.  

I hope you get inspired to take a sad piece of furniture from drab to wow. It’s a lot of fun to do and makes you feel great. Have fun; we can’t wait to see your finished masterpieces! To share, please visit:  The Redesign Habit

Now, what will you do next to love where you live?

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