IKEA dresser makeover

My husband and I bought this IKEA bedroom dresser over 30 years ago, and although it had a few dings and nicks, we weren’t ready to get rid of it. The solution to getting more life out of it was to do a quick makeover.

All I did here was change the drawer pulls to take this dresser from boring to chic with minimal effort. Here are a few things I did and would recommend doing to eliminate any extra trips to the store:

• Take one knob and screw off the dresser to bring to the store. It will help you choose the right size hardware.
•  Take note of the imprint that the old knob made on the dresser surface. Pick a new knob that covers the same surface area or bigger.
•  Get a pull that has a screw the same length as the old one to ensure the tightness of the knob.
• When uncertain pick up two or three different styles of knobs. You can always return the ones you don’t like.
• Keep the number of knobs you need in mind when pricing them out, as the total can add up quickly. My dresser has six drawers with two pulls per drawer for a total of 12 pulls.

I ended up choosing a round polished chrome and white mushroom shape knob. The chrome adds a little sparkle to the plain dresser and acts like tiny mirrors at the tip of the knobs. The white of the knobs is pure white, which spruces up the creamier white of the dresser.

The new pulls are approximately the same size as the old ones. I tried bigger ones, but since there are 12 pulls it made the front of the dresser look way too busy and bulky.

I glammed up the top of the dresser with some fresh flowers, my favorite fragrances, a mirror jewelry box with bling, and some pearls. A white tray keeps things organized and also hides the scratched surface of the dresser.

This mini makeover cost less than $50 (12 knobs at $3.75 each) and has given this old dresser a new lease on life.  I love the overall look, it’s fresh, feminine, and tidy and I’m convinced that the vintage IKEA piece will stay with us for a few more years.

Do you have any makeover projects in mind?

Liette Tousignant

Co-Founder of Under The Roof Decorating