That is the story of an old and outdated dresser that has been sitting in your garage for decades. This dresser is a typical piece of furniture from the 1960’s or 1970’s, made of solid beech wood and plywood. The design is still modern but the dark honey old finish(Yuck!) was really outdated.
Despite having been ignored for far too many years, this vintage dresser was still in rather good condition. No drawer was missing and they all slid good. The top however had several scratches and dents that would be difficult to hide with a simple coat of clearcoat.
Well, you probably understood that it was time to give this dresser a much-needed makeover. Our friend, Amelie was ready to do that.
This post will cover the steps needed to turn this vintage and forsaken dresser into a stunning piece of furniture.
Table of Contents
Tools and Supplies Used for this Makeover
Prep work
1)Cleaning
The first step of the makeover was to give the dresser a thorough cleaning. Amelie used a mild soap and water solution to gently clean the drawers, top and sides.
2) Sanding
The next day, once the dresser was clean and dry, Amelie began by sanding down the dresser to remove any existing finishes. This will help the paint adhere better. The entire piece was sanded using 80-grit sandpaper to remove the old finish and then 120-grit and 180-grit sandpaper for a smooth finish.
After sanding, you can see the drawers’ front are made of beautiful beech wood. I’m a fan of beech wood. The wood texture is fine and the color is light with some shades of pink.
Painting
Amelie chose to go with a classic but still modern white and raw wood combination for the dresser. To create a pattern of alternating white and raw wood triangles, Amelie applied painter’s tape on the drawers’ front. Before she removed the drawers from the dresser, it’s easier to paint furniture this way.
She then used a paint brush and small paint roller to apply white paint to the dresser body and drawers’ front. She applied two coats of white paint and let it dry completely between coats.
Once the paint was completely dry, Amelie removed the painter’s tape to reveal beautiful alternating white and beech wood triangles on the drawers.
Finishing Touches
The dresser was now ready for the finishing touches. To protect the paint and give it a modern look, Amelie applied two coats of satin sheen top coat.
She also decided to replace the old handles with new, shiny gold ones to complete the transformation. It was really a needed change.
The old knobs were big wooden knobs that were too massive for this dresser new look. Amelie simply attached the new knobs at the same place, so no need to drill new holes!
This makeover project was rewarding as it completely changed the look of this old dresser.
The end result was a stunning piece of furniture that looks light, modern and elegant. I think it is a perfect match for a girl bedroom!
All in all, this vintage dresser makeover project was a success! With the combination of white paint and raw wood triangles pattern, it gave the dresser a modern look that will surely liven up any room. The new golden hardware added just enough elegance to give it that perfect finishing touch.
After all, nothing beats the satisfaction of breathing new life into an old piece of furniture!
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Happy Makeover!
