{Tutorial} | Bedroom Redo Part 1: Dresser

I have a million and one projects that I want to do in my new home, but between all the vacations, concerts, and summer fun going on I just can't seem to get much accomplished. I'm starting with my bedroom, though. I decided that I didn't want to spend a lot on a big fancy bedroom set so I wanted to refurbish some good finds to make my bedroom unique. I finally found a bed-side table and a dresser ($10 for the table and the dresser was FREE).



So let me paint a picture for you, well, because I feel the need to. My bedroom is a converted attic with a full bath. Super cute, lots of character, but VERY small bathroom. Besides my regular closet, there's no place for linens and bathroom supplies except one small cabinet under the sink. To remedy this, I bought a cute little cube-like shelf with baskets to store things like towels and other toiletries. The shelf I bought was a dark espresso that looks really great with my quilt on my bed. So, although there are tons of cute ways to paint or re-do a dresser, I wanted to match. This is how I came up with Espresso.

Here's what you'll need:
1. Stain/Paint of your choice (I used Minwax Espresso)
2. Some paint brushes
3. Wood filler (if you aren't going to use the original knobs/holes or there are nicks in the wood you don't want)
4. Sander and sand paper (60 grit worked best for me)
 5. Screwdriver (to disassemble any hardware on your furniture)
6. Putty knife (only if you're going to use the wood filler)
7. Damp cloth and dry cloth (and a little extra water)
8. Drill
9. New knobs/pulls (if desired)



I started by taking all of the knobs off of the drawers. I wasn't planning to reuse some of them so I filled any unnecessary holes with the wood filler. This dries quickly and once stained is no longer visible.



Depending on the previous finish and what you're using to refinish the piece, you will either need to sand or completely strip the wood. In my case, I just needed a little sanding. The back of your paint/stain should give you some tips on what will meet your needs. I sanded my dresser until the shine was gone from the wood using the sander on large flat surfaces and just a small piece of sand paper by hand on all of the smaller pieces and the edges.

 

 Once sanded, make sure to remove all dust. A damp cloth is the best way to do it. Once you've got it all cleaned off and the dampness has gone away, you're ready to stain/paint. It took two coats for me. But here's the finished product!