Re-imagining an Aunt's Old Mid-century Modern Bedroom Set for a Teen

See how an Aunt's old mid-century modern bedroom set was transformed for a teenage boy in this DIY upcycle project!
In honor of Earth Day, I thought it apropos to talk on the topic of upcycling. Recycling we know to be the process of stripping down consumer materials to their foundation to manufacture new consumer products. Upcycling, however, puts the innovation in your hands. Find something no longer being used: a dresser, a table: update, reconfigure, repurpose and you’ve granted it new life. Sometimes, walking the aisles of big box stores -whether home improvement, furniture, or even housewares – I am overcome by the consumerism. I’m obviously in the store so I’m not denying the appeal of them but truly, I marvel at the amount of stuff created for the consumer, or specifically home-owning consumer. It can be unsettling.


Over the years, as we’ve matured, our families have left us pieces that meant something to them, and thereby, to us. Still…, meaningful doesn’t necessarily mean pretty or useful, does it? You’ve been there. You’ve conveniently stacked a knick-knack on a high shelf invisible to the eye, until that family member has come to visit, at which time it made its way to a more prominent place on your countertop.


Over the years, as we’ve matured, our families have left us pieces that meant something to them, and thereby, to us. Still…, meaningful doesn’t necessarily mean pretty or useful, does it? You’ve been there. You’ve conveniently stacked a knick-knack on a high shelf invisible to the eye, until that family member has come to visit, at which time it made its way to a more prominent place on your countertop.
Upcycling a Bedroom Set
Like our children, we’ve grown impatient and a bit impulsive. We want a solve to the problem immediately. However, when we take the time to look at the possibility in something, we CAN reimagine it, sometimes better than before. Don’t tell me you’re not creative. I would say the same about myself but I think we all have vision, plainly perceptible or not.  So, look at your aunt’s mid-century modern bedroom set again. Can you make it work for your angsty teenage son? We did just that.  Note: I did not take before pictures, so I borrowed the one above but below is the photo of the refinished product.
We took Aunt Dorothy’s four piece Bassett bedroom set, likely purchased in the 50’s, sanded it down, restained it and redelivered it.  The blond veneer was replaced with a dark, nearly black finish and the gold, ornate pulls replaced with sleek silver knobs and handles.
The three piece solid wood bedroom set cost us $20 in stain. My son loves the look; we love its history.


Do you have any sentimental upcycled pieces in your home?
Kristen Koehler
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Suze Suze on May 29, 2017

    what part does the five drawer carved chest of drawers play in the freshly stained modern bedroom set?

    did we miss something?


  • Kathryn Nuttall Kathryn Nuttall on May 29, 2017

    Maybe you should just include photos that are relevant to the project. The only reason I clicked through to this article was because of the dresser photo that was used to advertise it.

  • Suz Roberts Suz Roberts on Aug 02, 2019

    Thanks for sharing... I have a similar tall dresser. It has the shiny finish on it also. I was going to paint it with a gloss paint. However, it sounds like you sanded it for a better result.???

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