Simple Dresser Makeover Ideas With Gorgeous Results
Dressers are among the most commonly used furniture pieces for a lot of DIY projects like restorations and makeovers. They’re very friendly in the sense that they’re easy to work with and they offer a lot of different possibilities for customization. A dresser makeover project can focus on a lot of different things and in some cases that turn into a DIY dresser project where everything is built from scratch. Whether you’re building a new dresser pr transforming an old one, these ideas should help you come up with a cool design and a solid plan.
The transformation doesn’t have to be a drastic one in order to call this a successful makeover. A subtle change in color, a different type of finish or some new hardware accents can change the look of a dresser for the better. On that note, there’s a very inspiring restoration project on instructables that we think you should check out. The new finish looks amazing.
If you decide to change the look of your old dresser you might as well also take the time to do some repairs and to reinforce it a little bit so it can last for many more years to come. This for instance used to be a 1970’s dresser made of cheap particle board and part of the makeover plan was to replace the top and the drawer fronts with solid pine wood. The aesthetic of the dresser changed as well. The new dark walnut stain on the top and the drawer fronts looks beautiful in combination with the white frame. Check out instructables for more details about this project.
A simple change of color can make an old dresser look like new again plus it’s a great way to match old furniture to a new decor. First things first, clean and prep all the surfaces. You can use paint thinner to get rid of the old finish and then use sandpaper to strip the surfaces from any residue. All that’s left to do is apply the primer and then the paint and to put the dresser back together. A cool idea is to create an ombre design by using increasingly lighter/ darker nuances of the same color for the drawer fronts. Check out this tutorial on instructables to find out how it’s done.
To keep things simple, you can paint the whole dresser in the same color. It would however have to be a really great color so take your time to find the best option. Make sure it matches the room or certain details within the decor. You can look for inspiration in stores, online or check out the latest color trends for the current year. This bold shade of blue featured on bestfriendsforfrosting for example looks absolutely amazing.
If you don’t particularly like the color of a dresser, the drawer pulls or the legs and so on, keep in mind that all of these details can be changed. As long as there’s no major repairs to be done or structural elements that need changing, giving a dresser a makeover is easy and enjoyable. Take this one for example. It has this gorgeous midnight blue color and beautiful new drawer pulls that give it an updated and more modern look. Check out the transformation on sandandsisal.
You can get super creative with the design in order to make the dresser perfectly match your style or the room’s decor. One particular idea that we find very interesting comes from artisbeauty. Here you can see how an old dresser got a boho-chic makeover with lovely green paint all over, a dark top and these lovely copper feathers on the front of each drawer.
Of course, the goal is not always to make the dresser look like it’s brand new. If you’re going for a shabby-chic design or a retro or vintage look then it would be great to give your dresser a distressed look by taking some sandpaper and slightly taking away some of the paint around the edges and the corners. Check out this beautiful transformation from orphanswithmakeup to find out more about this strategy.
The transformation doesn’t have to only be on the aesthetic level. There’s also the option to give the dresser a new function. For example, this makeover project from inmyownstyle tells the story of how a dresser was turned into a desk and how it got both a new look and a new function. What initially appears to be a large drawer at the top turns out to be a fold-down work surface.
Sometimes it’s nice and useful to have a theme in mind before starting a makeover. One of the most inspiring transformations in that regard is featured on canarystreetcrafts. After the makeover, the dresser got this beautiful nautical-themed look with the gray silhouette of a big ship across the front and rope handles from the drawers. If you want to make something similar you can either use a stencil or a template or you can let your imagination guide your hand as you paint the dresser.
Another very interesting and inspiring dresser makeover comes from lynnfern. This is where you can find out what it takes to convert a dresser into a vanity for the bathroom. The alterations that need to be made are based on the type of sink that you want your new vanity to have. Also, you’ll want to change the look of the dresser so it’s better-suited for the bathroom and use a water-resistant finish so it lasts longer and doesn’t get damaged.
A drastic change of color is sometimes the best and easiest way to change the look of a particular piece of furniture. In the example offered on lilyardor this dresser had a beautiful and detailed design but the white chalk paint didn’t really do a lot to highlight these details. The new color is a dark and rich shade of green which looks exquisite and sophisticated, especially in combination with the brass accents and the new slender legs.