Mid Century Dresser Makeover

2 Materials
$50
1 Hour
Easy

What I know about refinishing furniture? Not much, as it happens.

I still gave it a try though… for a good cause..

I picked this dresser up from my local charity store - it was stacked high with toys and games but it still managed to stand out to me .

I couldn't wait to get it home! FYI this dresser now lives in my bedroom - click here to see the complete bedroom reve al

It had a few wobbly handles and the legs needed tightening a bit (still it was a beaut - dont you think?)

HERES HOW I GAVE IT A MAKEOVER:

1 After the initial inspection I concluded the dresser was in generally good shape. No damaged or missing veneer to be seen. 


FYI: if there had been areas that had needed repairing, here is an  easy tutorial on  how to fix this.



2 I cleaned the dresser with a lint free cloth

3 Next I sanded it all down with both my sander and sand paper

4 I then decided to stain the dresser for a more darker wood patina - I did this using dark wax (the stuff really smells be warned)

Using a brush, I brushed on the dark wax to small sections of the dresser, and then quickly removed the excess with a rag . 

5 Finally I ended with a bit of character - I dry brushed on some white chalk paint to the bottom of the dresser

What do you think?

You can see this tutorial in more detail on my DIY blog at the link below

Thanks for reading!

Medina from Grillo Designs Blog

Suggested materials:
  • Chalk paint
  • Dark wax
Medina at Grillo Designs
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  3 questions
  • New Market Homes New Market Homes on Jul 11, 2018

    What an awesome piece! How long did it take you to complete the whole project?

  • Rosy Rosy on Jul 14, 2018

    What brand and color of dark wax did you use?

  • Bob Schulenberg Bob Schulenberg on Jan 30, 2019

    I’m curious as to why you dry brushed white paint on the bottom?

    Otherwise it looked like a decently designed Mid-Century piece!

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 119 comments
  • Valerie Burge Valerie Burge on Jun 17, 2020

    That looks great. Still has it's vintage charm with a modern flare! Nicely done.

  • Zinzo Zinzo on Dec 29, 2020

    I really dislike mid-century modern, but you managed to make this piece special in a way that invites me to consider something like that for my own home. Really unexpected in a great way.

Next