Dresser restoration or 8 simple but effective ways to upgrade old furniture

Buying new furniture is always an expensive and troublesome undertaking. And finding something with soul and zest in stores is a rare occasion. Take a closer look at the “old fund”. Maybe your grandmother’s solid buffet is gathering dust at your dacha, which could be a better alternative to plywood kitchen cabinets? You just need to add a little polish, refresh the paint, rub out the cracks so that it can once again decorate the house with its appearance. Our forum members talk about simple and accessible techniques for remodeling and restoring furniture.

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.

How to choose the right paints and varnishes

The modern market offers the consumer a wide variety of paint and varnish coatings. How can an ordinary person understand the characteristics?

In order for the painting of a chest of drawers to be successful, and the result to please the owner for a long time, you need to choose dyes that are resistant to abrasion and mechanical damage. Oil or enamel coatings have these qualities, which are not suitable for restoring a chest of drawers. But, the best option would be acrylic compositions.

They have the following characteristics:

no pungent odor;
harmlessness;
optimal price;
ease of use;
the ability to change color using tint;
can be diluted with water.

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.

Repair work

Furniture restoration work is divided into 3 types:

regulation of fittings;
cosmetic;
complete renovation.

Adjustment means:

tightening loops;
strengthening loose handles;
leveling the legs.

Redesigning a usable chest of drawers or restoring the original paint finish is considered a cosmetic renovation. Restoration is the replacement of broken furniture elements, changing the design, restoring the functionality of furniture.

Restoration of fixtures and fittings

Loose handles, dropped hinges, broken fasteners and closers make the furniture difficult to use. If the fittings have retained their functionality and appearance, then they are removed, repaired and put back on the chest of drawers. The previous holes are covered with wood putty. After drying, sand and tint. The parts are screwed in a new place.

Handles with cracks are replaced with new ones, worn ones are painted and varnished. Closers and clamps are dismantled, cleaned, lubricated, installed and adjusted.

Remodeling at home

The chest of drawers may fail due to the low quality of MDF and chipboard, which leads to skewing of the facade, drawers and shelves falling out. The cabinet is a load-bearing structure and must be strong and stable.

In such cases, strengthening the frame is required:

replacing the bottom of the drawers with varnished plywood or laminated chipboard of the same thickness;
the back wall is strengthened in the same way;
The joints are tightened with corners.

With the overhead type of installation of the bottom, the drawers at the chest of drawers are pulled out, the old fasteners are removed. The replaced panel is nailed down with nails or staples. With the mortise method, the box is disassembled and the grooves are cleaned. Prepare a replacement, insert the bottom into the groove and apply glue.

The loose facade is unscrewed, coated with PVA and put in place using new fasteners. Pins, grooves, joints with screws and staples are reinforced with PVA. To update the paint layer, remove the old coating using a solvent or spatula or sandpaper. The surface is degreased, cracks and holes are puttied. To obtain a smooth surface, it is ground and cleaned of dust. Then they prime. After drying, the chest of drawers is painted in 2 layers or varnished.

Replacing guides yourself

The reason for skewed drawers and difficulties with pulling out (in the case of roller fittings) may be subsidence of fasteners, curvature of the guide half on the chest of drawers, or destruction of the rollers. In the first case, the runners are removed and installed again. Roller guides can withstand weights of up to 25 kilograms. If the cause of the curvature is the weight of the box, change the guides. Silicone grease extends the life of furniture rollers.

Ball guides are designed for weights up to 36 kilograms. If the frame comes off the wheels, they are dismantled, disassembled, cleaned, and lubricated. Older chests of drawers used wooden runners. Replacing with modern mechanisms is possible if the width of the drawer is 2-2.5 centimeters narrower than the chest of drawers. New guides are installed in their original place and checked for ease of movement and fixation.

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.

Basic methods for restoring an old cabinet

There are several ways to restore an old cabinet, which allows you to choose the best option.

Painting

This is a simple and reliable solution. In this case, it will be possible to obtain many results that differ in color and methods of applying paint. The product should be completely repainted in a different color or certain parts changed - for example, drawers or doors. An interesting solution would be to use the ombre technique. At the same time, they make a transition of shades from saturated to pale.

When restoring an antique chest of drawers, you should not cover its surface. It is recommended to cover this unique product with a diluted layer of dye, which will help preserve the luxury of antiquity. Acrylic paint is considered the ideal paint option for such work. It mixes easily. The substance can be easily washed off in case of errors. In addition, it does not leave a pronounced aroma. Acrylic primer is in harmony with this dye.

Craquelure varnish

To restore the surface, it is permissible to use a special varnishing method, which involves the use of craquelure. To remake an old cabinet, you can use different types of this substance. Options with a patina or gilding effect look good.

The usual substance is applied in a thick layer to the paint. After this, they are coated with a different shade to highlight the cracks. In addition, craquelure varnish can include 2 components. The first is applied to age the surface, the second is used to produce decorative cracks. The use of this type of varnish is suitable for people who love antiquity. It is also worth using for fans of country style.

Decoupage

Using decoupage, you can decorate your cabinet with a pattern that will firmly blend into the surface. Although this technique is considered simple, the finished product will look luxurious. To carry out the procedure, you should use ordinary napkins with a pattern you like. Today there are interesting options with images of flowers, animals, landscapes. At the same time, the drawings can be clear or blurry - it all depends on the style of the chest of drawers.

It is worth considering that when applying thin paper, there should be no bubbles or folds on the coating. It is recommended to smooth them out immediately. If this fails, the procedure begins again. After the napkin has dried, it should be varnished, since the surface is highly sensitive to external factors. The main material can also be newspapers or letters. Tram tickets would be an interesting and unusual solution.

Accessories

The use of fittings is considered one of the simple and accessible methods of changing the appearance of furniture. An interesting solution would be to install decorative overlays in different styles. Popular options for restoration include flowers, curls, and columns. They will help decorate your closet and give it any stylistic direction. As a result, you will be able to get a product in the Baroque, Gothic or Rococo style.

Handles will help make the product interesting. If necessary, they should be replaced. Thanks to this, it will be possible to strengthen and complement the design. Today there is a large selection of accessories. It often has interesting glass or porcelain details. It is worth choosing accessories taking into account the style of the product.

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.

We hide cracks and restore chips

At the dacha of our forum member AnnaSava there is a beautiful oak sideboard with carved glass from the early 20th century. The wooden top was perfectly preserved, but the corners of the lower doors were chewed by rats. Is it possible to restore the lost surface on your own? Participant FORUMHOUSELali suggests the following solution - mix sawdust with epoxy resin and “build up” the missing corners if the sideboard is intended for painting in the future.

You can also eliminate defects on not very valuable pieces of furniture using modern wood putties. If there are chips of wood or minor damage to the veneer on antique furniture, it is better to restore them using bone or fish glue mixed with sawdust (from sanding). Bone glue is made from animal bones, fish glue - from the swim bladder of sturgeon fish - ready-made compositions today can be easily found in construction or online stores.

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.

Unusual ways

By showing ingenuity, imagination and creativity, you can decorate the chest of drawers beautifully, unusually, individually. The result of your efforts will be an original item that has no analogues.

Idea No. 1: Flower meadow

This design will fit perfectly into a bedroom or the interior of a country house.

To work you will need:

wallpaper with large floral print;
furniture handles made of glass or acrylic;
pencil;
ruler;
scissors or stationery knife;
transparent PVA glue.

From a sheet of wallpaper you need to cut out a piece with an allowance of 10 cm. Glue it to the front of the chest of drawers, tucking the edges inward. To avoid swelling of the wallpaper and the formation of wrinkles, the sheet must be carefully smoothed with a dry cloth or a special spatula. When the surface is dry, coat with clear acrylic varnish.

After waiting for the inside to dry completely, carefully make a hole for the handle. In the same way, you can glue linen or cotton fabric to a wooden surface.

Idea #2: Stencil Lettering

This chest of drawers is suitable for laconic interiors and children's rooms.

To work you will need:

stencils with letters;
light paint for wood;
brushes

After painting the chest of drawers, you should wait until the color dries completely. Then apply the stencils to the surface, draw letters and words in a contrasting color. To secure the effect, coat the top with clear varnish.

In order to turn an old chest of drawers into an interesting interior element with your own hands, no special skills are required. The main thing in this matter is patience and creativity.

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!

Selection of materials and tools

To restore a cabinet, you should prepare everything you need in advance:

Sandpaper. It is also permissible to use a grinding machine. This will help give the surface an even and smooth structure.
Screwdriver and screwdrivers. They must be selected taking into account the diameter of the bolts. This will help you adjust the product and remove the fittings before cleaning.
Putty knife. The device is used to cover up chips and holes.
Paint roller. A narrow brush is also often required. These tools are used to update the surface.
Wood glue or PVA.
Set of self-tapping screws.

Additional accessories and materials depend on the selected technology. To decorate a cabinet using the decoupage method, napkins with a pattern are used. You will also need acrylic varnish. In addition, it is worth preparing a thin synthetic brush.

To restore an old cabinet, a primer layer, dyes, and masking tape are used. Wood putty is also often used. To use craquelure, you will need a varnish with the same name.

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.

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

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

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.

Advantages

Before you begin repairing and changing the decor of an antique chest of drawers, you need to determine its value. Perhaps this is an antique item that needs to be restored by specialists. The age of furniture is determined by the sharpness of the corners and types of fasteners. For example, by the way the notches are made on the screws, one can conclude that the fasteners were made manually or industrially. Restoring furniture in a workshop will cost much more than doing it yourself. An order to a designer will not be able to take into account all your wishes. In the process of work, new ideas often appear, which changes the original plan.

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.

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.

Solutions for children's furniture

Children's chests of drawers have their own specific materials, design, and safety requirements. If the restored chest of drawers is intended for a children's room, its elements must be made of natural wood. The maximum height of furniture is 95 centimeters. For the safety of the child, legs are not used in the structures. The chest of drawers rests on the floor along its entire perimeter. The drawer guides are equipped with reliable latches to prevent them from being pulled out.

The functions of the chest of drawers combine:

storage of linen and diapers;
of things;
toys.

Furniture design takes into account the child’s age and the purpose of the interior element. The general background of the room should have a calming effect on a small child. The predominant colors are pastel. Growing children are encouraged to be creative with lemon yellow paints. The coloring of the chest of drawers should take into account the gender of the child. Boys prefer blue, brown, and green colors. For girls - pink, combinations of white with red, green, beige.

Decoupage of the facade in the form of a collage of plot pictures from cartoons and favorite fairy tales will decorate the room. Magnetic paint on the chest of drawers is useful for reminding the student about important things to do.