Mid Century Modern Dresser Reimagined

Andrea Palmai
by Andrea Palmai
5 Materials
$30
5 Hours
Easy

Most furniture I work on is mid century modern from the 50's and 60's. I try to salvage/expose as much woodgrain as possibe but due to their age sometimes they are damaged and painting becomes the only option to save them and give them new life!

This dresser had great lines and style but was made of cheap laminate all around, so to make it the best it can be in 2019, I painted it.

Before

First step was to wipe off the dresser and clean all spider webs. It had plenty of those...yikes 🕷🕸

I used this primer
1st coat of primer

I applied 2 coats of primer with a foam roller.

I find that frogtape works best with the minimal amount of bleed through, thus requires minimal to no finishing touches afterwards.

Design taped, let the gold spaying begin

I made sure to cover the areas that I didn't want to spray. While I have pretty good aim some will get on the already painted side unless you cover it. It takes some extra time but truts me its worth it! Otherwise you'll have to apply another coat of white...

Gold spray used in the project

I applied a clear polyurethane semi gloss coat on the top of the dresser for a durable finish! Once everything dried, I put the door and hardware back and was excited to finally stage the dresser. Staging is probably one of my favorite parts and very important one! A perfectly staged piece will be pleasing to the eye and buyers will be drawn to it instantly .

Tada! Another piece is saved!


Semi gloss latex paint used in the project

Foam rollers will give you a smooth finish without visible brush strokes. I usually use water based paint, So after a project is done I wash them and reuse them. So a 5 pack will go a long way!

Fast drying durable water based clear coat
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Frequently asked questions
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  1 question
  • D D on Aug 12, 2019

    Really sharp! I'm curious why everyone puts a poly over paint? You used a semi-gloss. Why did it require poly too?

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  • Joyce Joyce on Aug 12, 2020

    Well done mid-century modern is my thing and you made an outstanding piece thanks for sharing

  • Laura Laura on Aug 13, 2020

    Nice job, very unique.

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