Amazing Thrift Store Furniture DIY Makeover

The days of repurposing thrift store furniture is still on the rise. That’s why I decided to share this amazing thrift store furniture DIY makeover. Long story short, I needed a chest of drawers for my growing toddler but didn’t want to spend a bunch of money on something I knew he will beat up. I visited a local thrift store and found this gem for $30! Let me start by saying, I do not know too much about working with furniture. Most of my projects are crafts and Cricut related. So this project really is on a beginner level. If I can do it, so can you!

Before:

After:

Thrift Store Furniture DIY Makeover Steps:

Step 1: Remove all of the hardware. This is fairly simple especially with older pieces like this one. You just need a screwdriver to remove everything. I do suggest putting all of these pieces into a Ziplock bag right away so that you do not lose them.

Step 2: Remove the drawers and paint them. I chose to go with a chalk board paint because I like the rough vintage look it gives, plus is doubles as an activity for my toddler.

Step 3: Stain or paint the top of the dresser. I chose to go a little darker and painted the facing of the chest in a barn red. I also removed the bottom drawer completely (as it was not working very well) and painted the entire inside red. I used leftover paint and supplies from other projects, so I did not spend any money there.

Step 4: Replace or reattach the drawer handles. I found some really cute vintage pull handles from a local antique store and used those. Then I added some fun wood stars from Michaels Craft Store.

Step 5: This is totally optional, but I decided to line the drawers with some burlap I got on sale at Michaels Craft Store. If the inside of the drawers are looking a little rough, you can paint them or line them with a fabric/material. I cut to fit and stapled them down to stay in place.

Of course I bought some swag that was on "super" sale. Michaels really does have some great bargains if you spend enough time looking around. The sign and letters I bought for less than $10.00.

Total of this project = $80.00

Choosing Paint Colors:

I try to use up what I already have first before buying anything new. This allows for a subtle color palette to form throughout a house over time. I generally don't plan how I am going to paint furniture, I just start doing it. For instance, this piece I thought I was going to paint entirely red. But once I got into it, took it apart, felt the wood and connected with what I was doing, the ideas started flowing and changing. I love how it turned out. It's a creative process. Don't get stuck in a "design", just set aside a day to create. Furniture especially is easy to re-paint if you do not like the end product.

Choosing Materials:

Again, I try to use what I already have, which is why at first, I used the fabric as handles. In my head, it looked way better than it turned out. So I did opt for spending a little more on new materials.

Methods and Supplies:

I am really not a perfectionist when it comes to doing these projects. I don't need anything to look "perfect". I normally don't sand things down or fill in chipped pieces of wood. I just give it a little cleaning and then start painting. I stay with the grain of the wood and hope for the best. For staining, I use a paint brush and apply generous coats until the surface is completely covered. Then I wipe it down with a paper towel. If you liked this post, you may like this blog on home decor that you can make with a Cricut. Happy Crafting!