The Re-do to my Re-do

I absolutely LOVE a good re-do project. The opportunity to see potential in something old, or in this case raw and boring, and turn it into a completely customized piece is so much fun. Whether it’s a dress that needs some added lace or a flea market find that you can maneuver into a cool lighting piece- it’s all about creativity!!

My husband and I purchased this particular dresser from none other than Ikea. Chris saw a great price for a much needed dresser, and I saw a project that didn’t require stripping paint, sanding, or cleaning before the fun design process can begin.

WIN-WIN!

Chris may have gotten his great deal, but I didn't quite get that easy-peasy project I was counting on. 

It has been a labor of love through sanding, painting, repainting- the works. It's probably my longest running 'under construction' re-do. 

Since we actually needed this dresser functionally, I wasn't able to keep it somewhere out of sight until finished. Oh no, it has been front and center in our family room at all of it's stages of re-do and recovery. Not exactly a great environment for a family room, let alone hosting.

My original inspiration for this piece was something along the lines of this:

Of course, I wanted to make it my own by adding some grey, royal blue and turquoise distress paint to create a truly unique piece.

Unfortunately, this did NOT go as planned. I really should have read some tutorials before diving in, but 9 times out of 10 (Ok, maybe 7 out of 10) I can figure it out on my own.

This was not one of those times.

The dresser ended up an odd shade of greyish periwinkle- not exactly ideal when you’re living with a boy...

The GOOD news was the top of the dresser stained beautifully. We kept the Varnish to a minimum to maintain a more rustic look, while still providing a protective layer to prevent wear and tear.

(TIP: Make sure you sand the wood before staining, even if it is raw wood you are working with. This will ensure your surface is clean, even, and ready to go!)

I knew right away that I wanted to upgrade the boring peg legs to transform this obviously-bought-from-Ikea dresser into a more unique and interesting piece of furniture. The new legs we purchased from Home Depot proved easier for my husband/handy-man to attach than we had originally thought.

Next on the list was replacing those cheap Ikea knobs. Anthropologie has a great selection to choose from and adds new styles often. If you’re working with a piece that has 4 or fewer knobs, this might be a great option for you. Twelve knobs, on the other hand, could get a bit pricy at over ten dollars per knob.

Enter Hobby Lobby! Although our closest location is 40 miles away (yikes!) I made the trip anyways in hopes of finding the perfect style at a better price. Luckily, I was more than pleased with the selection of great colors and styles that they offer.

BONUS: Hobby Lobby usually has 50% off their hooks and knobs section! 

And finally, the saving grace of this entire project- that beautiful grey fabric. After the painting disaster, I tried a few rehab attempts with more paint, sanding down areas, and lots of frustrated hours wondering what direction I wanted to take it.

It wasn't until Christmas time that I had the bright idea to be festive and wrap the drawers in wrapping paper. This sparked the idea of covering my failed painting attempts permanently with some great fabric. Finally, a no hassle solution that didn't require any more sanding or problem solving- I was sold!

The hardest part was finding a fabric that I liked and would coordinate well in the room. After so many ups and downs I was very meticulous in my search, but at last the months of hunting had finally paid off! I can breathe a sigh of relief and finally check this project off my list!

The finished product is definitely not what I first envisioned when I first purchased the dresser. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE what I ended up with! The grey adds some much needed balance to the room, while still keeping a little quirkiness with the geometric pattern. I am so happy to have this finished and no longer an under construction eye sore! 

If you have your own Ikea-hack or furniture re-do, I want to know about it! Send me an email and you could be featured on DesignLifeDiaries.com!