• Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Blog
  • Prep-Ahead Meals Cookbooks
  • Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • Gardening
  • Kid’s Activities
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • Budgeting Tips
↑

Premeditated Leftovers™

Prep-Ahead Meals, Cooking Tips, and Frugal Living

  • Cookbooks
    • Prep-Ahead Breakfasts and Lunches
    • Prep-Ahead Meals From Scratch
  • Recipe Index
  • Members Area
    • Member Login
    • Join Us
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Recipes
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • Garden
  • DIY
  • Kids
  • Budget

You are here: Home / Naturally Frugal Living / DIY Vintage Dresser Makeover

DIY Vintage Dresser Makeover

August 17, 2013 by Alea Milham 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.
606 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Katie is sharing how she gave a vintage dresser a makeover:

DIY Vintage Dresser Makeover

I think at some point or another we have all run into that old furniture piece that is just sad. It may be something you saw at a garage or estate sale, or perhaps it even caught your eye on the curb. Or maybe, you have one of these sad and beat up pieces in your own garage or basement. Whatever the case may be, you most likely went about your merry way unsure you could salvage the piece and give it new life. Well you won’t think that way again! Below, you will find out all you need to know about doing your own vintage dresser makeover.

Vintage Dresser before makeover

This DIY vintage dresser makeover is great to stumble across because as you probably know, these outdated pieces are everywhere dying to be saved. You can typically buy them rather inexpensively, making them a fun a frugal project that will give you a practical piece of furniture you can use. Take a look!

DIY Vintage Dresser Makeover:

Supplies Needed:
A vintage dresser. Make sure the “bones” are good, meaning it is structurally sound free from broken legs, heavy mold, cracking, etc. You can find these at thrift stores or yard sales, even on the curb on trash day.
Mid-grade sandpaper
Paint of your choice
Paint Brushes or Rollers
Basic tools such as screwdriver, hammer
Scrapbook paper of your choice

Ready? Here we go!

Directions:

1. First, clean your piece well. Use wood soap and warm water and scrub with a soft rag or sponge. Next, dry well with a soft rag.

2. Lightly sand the piece. Going in the direction of the wood grain, start sanding. This will help paint adhere well and smooth out any flaws or blemishes. Use a rag to wipe clean.

3. Make any repairs. Tighten screws, hammer down any loose nails, seal cracks with wood filler.

4. Prepare to paint. Remove the hardware (handles for example) so you can paint cleanly.

5. Start painting! Take your time and apply two coats of the color of your choice. Quality paint in a satin finish is ideal however you can use whichever finish you wish. High gloss will accentuate any flaws in the wood, so try to stay clear of that.

6. Once dry, lightly sand the edges to make the piece look distressed.

7. You can coat with a clear finish if you wish, or leave as is.

8. Spray hardware the color of your choice and allow to dry. Attach when done.

9. Fancy up the piece by lining drawers with charming scrap book paper or drawer lining paper. This makes the piece look clean and neat plus ads some color.

10. Add any finishing touches such as hand painted accents, rub on transfers, or any other decorative touch you wish!

Vintage Dresser after makeover

As you can see in the example photo, we took a 1940’s cascade style vanity and gave it a lovely face lift using the steps listed above! We made some light repairs, painted the dark wood a light blue, sprayed the rusty handles a cream color, and lined the vanity tray and drawers with sheet music paper. These simple steps really transformed the piece and made it look like an item that would come out of an expensive boutique!

You can get these same results too. Just find a solid piece and get started using the steps above. Diving in is the best way to give this project a try, so see what you can come up with. In no time and with little expense, you too can create a custom furniture piece that looks like it cost big bucks!

Katie Femia is a wife and mother of three. She loves vintage finds, handmade goodness, the frugal life, and the long road to publication. You can find her at The Savvy Luna Bugg, the blog for frugalistas seeking simplicity through a handmade and vintage lifestyle.

606 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Cristin Frank says

    August 18, 2013 at 6:07 pm

    Thank you for saving this piece. It is so gorgeous. I love the colors and the music sheets highlight its vintage charm! I stripped down a 1920s child’s dresser – what a labor of love! You can see it here: http://eveofreduction.com/1920s-childs-dresser-restoration/

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Search

Prep-Ahead Breakfasts and Lunches by Alea Milham

Recent Articles:

diy giant christmas decorations including large outdoor christmas decorations and oversized indoor holiday decor

15 DIY Giant Christmas Decorations

easy diy gift ideas for girls with directions

10 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas for Girls

10 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas for Boys

Prep-Ahead Meals from Scratch Where to Buy

BROWSE:

  • Blog
  • Cookbooks
  • Recipe Index
  • Members Area

ABOUT:

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure

Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

Copyright ©2025, Premeditated Leftovers™. All Rights Reserved.
Design by Pixel Me Designs