DIY chest of drawers decor - techniques and master classes

Restoration

Restoration is the longest and most boring stage, but at the same time the most important. You won’t do the splits without first warming up your muscles, will you? So the chest of drawers needs to be carefully prepared for the upcoming changes. Don't be alarmed - we have prepared step-by-step instructions for this process.

Stage 1. Internal examination of the chest of drawers. We remove and measure damaged boxes and parts in order to buy/make new ones.

Tip: take a close look at the handles and legs of the chest of drawers. If they vary slightly in shape or size, there's a good chance they were handmade. In this case, it is better to change all the fittings.

Step 2: Clean the surface with soapy water. For hard-to-reach areas, use an old toothbrush.

Stage 3. Remove the top layer of paint or varnish. To do this, apply acetone to the prepared surface and cover the chest of drawers with film or oilcloth for an hour to enhance the effect.

Stage 4. Remove any remaining paint or varnish with a spatula and carefully sand the surface with a sander. For small parts we use sandpaper or a sanding sponge.

Stage 5. Cover chips and scratches with wood putty.

Stage 6. Final. Cover the chest of drawers with paint or stain using a brush/roller. Then we coat it with varnish, and then apply one or two more layers of paint. The final coat of varnish remains until the bitter end. Then fanfare sounds and fireworks are heard.

Tip: when choosing a color, be guided by the style and color scheme of the interior. Muted shades and pastel colors are suitable for the bedroom.

Maybe we should throw away the boxes?

You can go one step further and get rid of dresser drawers. They usually look very worn and the mechanisms begin to creak. Which, of course, affects coziness and comfort. The set of tools in these cases is almost identical to the one above. You will also need fabric in the color you like, as well as a needle, thread or sewing machine. Plus: a metal tube or wooden stick of the appropriate size. The finish of the body and main surfaces is the same. After painting the clean surface of the body and removing the drawers, we need to attach a metal tube (small diameter) to the side walls of the dresser so that our tent can walk on it freely. Before this, it is best to sew the curtain along the edges and make a strip along the entire length.

Dresser decor for the bedroom

After restoration, you can safely begin decorating. For decoration, everything is used: from beads, coffee beans and old newspapers to nails, apartment numbers and plastic figures. The only limit is your imagination (well, you shouldn’t take away your children’s favorite toys). To know where to start, we’ll introduce you to a couple of ready-made techniques and inspiring ideas.

Decoupage

Necessary materials : pictures for decoupage, scissors, PVA glue, roller/brush for painting, varnish.

According to Wikipedia, decoupage is the decoration of objects using napkins, pictures, fabric or photographs. The technique is suitable for beginners. All you need is to cut out the illustration you like along the contour (you can use decoupage cards, ordinary three-layer napkins, postcards) and glue it to the selected area with PVA glue. Mix 2 parts glue with 3 parts water and cover the picture with the finished mixture. A final coat of varnish, and an ordinary chest of drawers turns into a work of art.

Ideas that will inspire you to remodel

Let's see how you can update an old chest of drawers using real examples.

Make patterns using stencils

After applying and completely drying the base, we make drawings. The simplest idea is to use stencils. Then they will turn out smooth, and the process itself will not take long to wait.

Place the base on the legs

This task is more difficult, but this is how an old nightstand was transformed into an elegant piece of furniture with a mid-century modern aesthetic. Choosing the right colors is also important. This is where the natural color of the wood highlights the blue. And yes, in this case, uneven paint has only one advantage: as you can see, small disadvantages can be turned into advantages.

Photo: Instagram domometry

Photo: Instagram domometry

Choose a color that will highlight the noble design

It would be a crime to repaint this chest of drawers in frivolous shades, so the owners cleaned the surfaces, unscrewed the decor and handles and painted them almost the same color as the old finish, but richer. Wax was used to highlight the texture of the wood.

Photo: Instagram fehoa

Transform an old Soviet nightstand into a vintage piece of furniture

To achieve this, several elements were used simultaneously. First, silver paint for the facades. Second, bright yellow paint for the interior shelves. The contrast is unexpected and bold. And to add a vintage aesthetic, decorative rosettes and moldings were chosen for the doors, as well as matching carved legs.

Photo: Instagram alena_sergeeva66

Highlight raised parts with contrasting shades

Old-fashioned relief elements on the facade and tabletop can be highlighted with color - all you need to do is walk over them with a roller. This will give your jewelry a lightweight look. Which color should I choose? For example, in this case we chose the same shade as the edge of the tabletop.

Photo: Instagram Lizaakhtareeva. Highlight relief areas with color

Paint it base color

White color is a non-standard idea for vintage chests of drawers. They usually try to make them as close to the original as possible. But in this case, they chose a bright white shade and replaced the feathers.

Photo: Instagram binchikblinchik

Choose different accessories

The secretary has turned into a unique piece of furniture: a new handle has been selected for each drawer (it is clearly visible in the photo). And then a drawing is applied to the facade.

Photo: Instagram alyana_latipova

Experiment with drawing

And here the main decorative element is a fantastic image of the mountains. The finished furniture became the decoration of the room in the Scandinavian style.

Photo: Instagram stasi_giz

How to restore an old chest of drawers using curtains

When a piece of furniture is from the last century, it is easier to transform it. After all, both styles are relevant now. And this is an example of how to make beautiful furniture with an unattractive chest of drawers from the 2000s. The surface is painted, and the drawer fronts are decorated with stucco and... curtains.

Photo: Instagram oksana_lovene How to update a chest of drawers with a curtain

Stencils

Necessary materials : stencil (or lace napkin/old tulle), tape, acrylic paints, sponge/brush, varnish.

Another simple but effective technique. We fix the stencil on the surface with tape and carefully apply paint of the desired color. Afterwards, carefully remove the stencil and wash it. To make the result pleasing for as long as possible, cover the resulting pattern with matte varnish.

You can use old lace doilies or unnecessary tulle as a stencil. The principle of operation is the same, but it is better to replace acrylic paints with spray paint - the pattern will be clearer. The end result will be original furniture that will fit perfectly into a romantic girl’s bedroom.

Manufacturing materials

At the moment, chipboard is considered the most popular. The furniture body is made from it, and the facade is made from more expensive MDF. The latter can be matte, glossy, smooth or embossed. Wood is used in more expensive models, quite often to order for a ready-made design. Plastic chests of drawers are the most economical option, which costs a penny, but is not particularly durable in use.

Such models are popular for the bathroom or closet, where they will not be very noticeable. If the entire structure is made of wood or chipboard, they often experiment on the doors using non-standard materials. This includes the same plastic and glass. There are options with combined materials: one group of doors is made of chipboard or MDF, and the other (for example, hinged facades) is made of frosted glass with a pattern or design.

Antique decor

Required materials : acrylic paint, roller or brush for painting, sandpaper, gold leaf, glue, varnish.

An antique decorated chest of drawers is suitable for a bedroom in country or Provence style. It's funny that even the marks of time have to look stylish, so you have to work a little. On the prepared surface (5th stage of our list) we apply two layers of acrylic paint in contrasting colors. After the paint has completely dried, we sand the corners and protruding areas with sandpaper.

If you want to give your chest of drawers a feeling of former luxury, additionally use thin foil called gold leaf. Apply glue to the selected areas, and then place the gold leaf on top. Give it at least two hours to dry and remove any excess. The final stage of work, as you probably already guessed, is varnishing.

Colors

Thanks to modern production, chest of drawers can be found in literally any color, however, natural colors are still especially popular. Designers are accustomed to identifying several natural color groups regarding what material the chest of drawers is made of:

1. Cream shades, sand: birch, pine, maple, ash, beech.
2. Brown-yellow shades, ocher: oak, alder, teak, cedar.
3. Brown-orange shades, copper: cherry, teak, mahogany.
4. Dark brown shades, dark chocolate: nut.
5. Black-brown, almost inky: rosewood, amaranth, ebony.

Also, speaking about the coloring of chests of drawers, one cannot fail to mention the natural patterns on their surface, because it is these patterns, combined with the shade of wood, that make the chest of drawers unique. The patterns on each specimen will be different, because no two trees are completely identical.

By the way, chests of drawers that have fairly pronounced patterns on their surface should be combined with plain wallpaper and other interior items so as not to look flashy. The opposite principle to this also applies in the case of plain, unpatterned chests of drawers and, for example, curtains with beautiful bright patterns.

Volumetric decor

Materials needed : stencil, masking tape, acrylic putty or volumetric paste, spatula, acrylic paint, brush/sponge, sandpaper.

The stencil comes into play again. The first step is to attach the stencil to the surface. Next, apply putty and level it with a spatula. After we remove the stencil, we patiently wait for it to dry completely.

In the finale, there are two ways to develop the scenario: either we cover the chest of drawers with acrylic paint, or we create the already familiar scuffed effect. To do this, paint the surface with one color, then rub the three-dimensional pattern with a candle and cover everything with paint of a different shade. After drying, sand it with sandpaper. Done, you are amazing!

We paint the chest of drawers in an original way

Required materials : paints (acrylic, slate, marker board paints), masking tape, varnish.

Play with color: paint drawers or dresser legs in different tones, or use today's popular ombre effect (when the color fades to a lighter or darker shade). This can be achieved by mixing the selected tone with white paint. For each subsequent shade, increase the amount of white. Number of shades = number of boxes.

Do you prefer straight lines and clear shapes? Then cover the chest of drawers with stripes or geometric designs. To do this, you will have to make friends with masking tape: apply a base color, stick the tape with the desired pattern, and then cover the surface with a different color. Your new striped friend is ready!

Chalkboard or dry erase paint can transform an ordinary dresser into a space for love messages, tic-tac-toe games, and drawing. Write down dreams, inspirational quotes, or simply create a menu for the day here. Beautiful and functional – everything we love.

Updating children's furniture

When it comes to restoring children's furniture, you can experiment with custom colors, fun designs and patterns. An old chest of drawers will look quite original with drawers painted in bright and contrasting colors. Yellow, red, blue, green or purple will fill a child's room with light and fun. The tabletop can be painted in a calmer shade, it will be more practical.

The decoupage technique is also quite often used to decorate children's rooms, because you can always collect colorful pictures with your favorite characters. This will allow you to create an even more original chest of drawers with your own hands. The child’s hobbies will help you decide on the theme of the design, and on numerous thematic resources you can put together a ready-made master class that tells in detail what to do and in what sequence.

Experts recommend that schoolchildren restore the chest of drawers by covering the old wallpaper. As a result, the furniture will look interesting and stylish. It is very important that the restoration of a children's chest of drawers takes place with the direct participation of the child himself. It is he who can be the author of the idea for a new design.

Place your hand on the dresser handles

Materials needed : replacement handles (toys, ropes, wine corks), drill, bolt, washer and nut, glue, marker.

If you're tired of the look of your dresser, you don't have to bother with spatulas, sanders and paints. Just replace old handles with children's toys, ropes, keys, branches, wine corks. Yes, yes, you heard right. This is one of the simplest and most original ways to upgrade. We have detailed instructions on how to do this.

Where to put

There is no place where furniture accessories cannot be placed. The main thing is to do it appropriately. In addition, it will be practical and functional for you in terms of storing and conveniently removing things. Accommodation:

• In the living room. This is the same piece of furniture as a wardrobe. It can become a place to store an elegant collection of figurines, like a TV stand or a stereo system. If the furniture is installed in an island manner, it is better to install chests of drawers on the side of the sofas, this will allow you to close the back side of the furniture from prying eyes. Different types of chests of drawers for the living room can be selected for different types of interior.
• In the hallway, a chest of drawers will be a great place to store scarves, hats and other items of clothing. If it is not high, pillows and a mattress are placed on it and can be used as a place to sit. Also, you might think about what to put on the chest of drawers in the hallway for beauty.
• In the bedroom. By placing it here, you can decorate the interior with a chest of drawers. If space allows, you can place 2 chests of drawers on the sides of the bed as bedside tables. Or 1 item on the side, like a cabinet. They can divide the space between single beds, or connect single beds with a chest of drawers at the feet.
• In the children's room. Often, a chest of drawers is used in a nursery to store things, toys and for babies; the tabletop is used as a changing table.
• In the bathroom. Depending on the size of the room, the chest of drawers can be used in combination with a washbasin located on top. Or as a free-standing item.

This item will be appropriate in every corner of the house, just don’t stray from the color scheme and parameters in relation to the area of ​​the room.

Turning a chest of drawers into an open storage system

Materials needed : replacement for boxes (wicker baskets, suitcases, wooden boxes).

Another way for those who don’t want to bother. To turn a chest of drawers into an open storage system, simply remove the drawers and replace them with something more original. For example, wicker baskets or old suitcases. Just. And how impressive!

You don't have to have an art education to give furniture a second life. It is enough to arm yourself with the necessary materials, discard ideas about right/wrong and simply allow your inner child to express itself.

If the number of options makes you dizzy, take our style preference test. At the same time, you will learn something new about your inner designer.

Functionality and design

The chest of drawers combines two functional areas: a table top (top cover) and shelves for storing things. TVs, other household appliances, mirrors, lamps, potted plants or decorative items are placed on top. There are four main types of chests of drawers:

Designers offer interesting ideas for furniture design: an abundance of shelves and their varieties allow you to experiment in any way.