Updating furniture is a common practice that does not require significant investments and allows you to implement creative author's ideas. This also applies to dressers - almost the most functional furniture. The decor of the chest of drawers should be combined with the interior of the living room in which it is located. If you need to put emphasis in a restrained pastel design, a updated chest of drawers and crowned with a vase will be a good solution. Another thing if you need to create the perfect combination of color palette. A correctly decorated old chest of drawers will cope with any task.
Buying new furniture is not an expensive pleasure. And the models sold in the post-Soviet space do not always differ in originality. Therefore, a master class on upgrading an old chest of drawers is useful to those who want to save money, as well as to people with an artistic mindset who gravitate towards everything original.So, how to decorate a chest of drawers with your own hands?
Whether it’s a chest of drawers restoration or do-it-yourself bedside table decor - everything is done in stages. The first thing you need before you start is tools. Here is the list of necessary:
small grinder;
sandpaper or sanding sponge;
stencils;
putty knife;
unnecessary toothbrush;
screwdriver;
knife on wood;
several brushes, different in width and composition of the pile (hard and soft), sponges;
masking tape;
acetone;
industrial film;
toothpicks.
Of the materials needed:
bulk paste or putty based on acrylic;
glue for wooden surfaces;
varnish for wood, stain or primer with paint of a certain color (for decoupage - three-layer napkins).
You will also need gloves and a respirator.
If this is an artistic design, acrylic paint of the right color is suitable. For those who want to modernize the old chest of drawers, a good option is to replace furniture fittings: you can add new handles or mirror panels.
Restoration
But for those who were not afraid of working with sandpaper, a spatula and acrylic paint, a stage-by-stage restoration of the chest of drawers was prepared. The process consists of several steps: removing the old coating of paint or varnish, thorough sanding, checking for chips and other irregularities, local filling of defects, painting and final dressing of the chest of drawers.
But first, you should look for defects in the inside of the dresser. All broken bottoms, shelves and guides should be unscrewed with a screwdriver and measured. In accordance with the geometric parameters, you can buy new elements or make them yourself. If the second option is closer to you, be prepared to acquire an additional arsenal of tools and knowledge in the field of thorough furniture repair.Do not forget to do such a check before decorating a chest of drawers with your own hands.
Also pay attention to screws, handles and legs. If the fittings are not the same, with differences in shape and pattern, then most likely these elements are made by hand, and if some of them are damaged, the analog part can no longer be reached. In this case, it is better to replace all fittings.
Product cleaning and preparation
Surface cleaning is done carefully so as not to damage important decorative elements of the product. First clean the surface by wiping it with soapy water. Use a toothbrush to remove dirt and dust from hard to reach areas.
To free the surface of furniture from paint or varnish, you need industrial film and acetone. Cover the old chest of drawers last, and to enhance the effect, cover the product with industrial film. For lack of film, you can use oilcloth, cellophane and other improvised materials. Limit air intake and leave furniture like this for one hour. After this time, the layer of varnish and paint will leave the wood.
DIY dresser decor begins with a construction spatula. Remove the lagging layer from the tree without damaging the surface. Remember to remove all paint.
After follows the stage of skinning.
A surface free of small decorative elements is sanded with a machine. For the latter, it is important to choose the right nozzle. With sandpaper or with a sanding sponge, treat the area of protruding parts and small parts. Do not overdo it in sanding, so as not to damage the chest of drawers.
Cracks, chips, scratches and other defects are carefully covered with wood putty. It is better to give preference to water-based putty. For restoration, the putty is selected by color, and not by the name of the wood. It should only go into the recesses, so sand the surface again. If traces remain in the structure of the tree, stains that cannot be removed will appear during tinting with a stain.Replace the bottoms in the drawers, runners and strengthen the frame.
Painting
The choice of paint, its brand and color depends on how you see the future decor of the old chest of drawers. It can be a stain layer if the wood structure is smoothly sanded and looks good without paint. Stain is suitable for changing colors while maintaining the texture of the tree. You can cover the entire surface with acrylic paint, and then the design of the old chest of drawers will be completely different.
Both stain and paint are applied evenly with brushes or a roller. Work on time is the same: only the results upon drying are different.
Work Stages:
The choice of varnish, paint of the right color and other materials.
Toning, staining or painting with a brush, roller. You can rag.
A layer of varnish on the entire surface of the furniture. After drying, another layer or two. Can be replaced with clear ground.
Skinning to remove the raised pile of the array.
Finishing layers of varnish.
Wait until it is completely dry.
Design solutions
The decor of an old bedside table or decorating a chest of drawers with your own hands is determined by the style of the interior. You can use wallpaper, lace, choose a floral print, fabric upholstery of drawers, paints or apply names, memorable dates to the surface. You can decorate the entire front panel with coffee beans, buttons, beads, beads and other elements. If this is a living room, it is better to use presentable panels of restrained color, but for a bedroom or a nursery you are given complete freedom of choice. Decoupage technique, English style, voluminous decor, as well as antique decor do not go out of fashion.
Bedside tables are updated on the same principle. But here's how to decorate a plastic chest of drawers? The best choice would be decoupage. The same work as above is carried out, with the exception of grinding. For plastic, special paints of various colors and primers are provided.
Decoupage
How to decorate a chest of drawers using decoupage technique? This is a real expanse for imagination.Decoupage involves decorating furniture with the help of special cards and three-layer napkins. You also need to get white acrylic paint, PVA glue, scissors, a roller and a sponge. The process begins by applying a paint roller on the entire surface of the dresser. Next, start cutting the desired images. To give an old look after complete drying, you should go over the product with sandpaper. This must be done carefully, along the lines of wood.
Apply PVA glue to all parts to stick them to the chest of drawers. Lubricate the front side of the pictures with the same glue, which will protect them from external influences. If these are flowers or ornate patterns, they can be extended with drawings of lines and curls protruding to the surface of the nightstand.
Decoupage can also be done with a cloth. This will decorate the facade to match the interior.
In english style
But the design of a chest of drawers with their own hands is not limited to the idea of decoupage. An old product is ideal for the English style, even if it is with noticeable defects. You will need four colors: white, red, blue and brown. The first three are acrylic paint, the last is oil. Of the materials putty, putty knife, topazlaz, masking tape, sandpaper, decorative nails, brushes and rollers are also useful.
The accessories are removed from the dresser and the product is cleaned. After that, the surface is covered with an uneven layer of putty: the more careless, the better. Cover the chest of drawers with white paint and mark the areas to be stained with tape. Dissolve the scarlet and blue colors. The spotting that may appear during the staining process is only a plus. The table top and sides are processed with sandpaper. The finished work is covered with toplazury (use a sponge for this). The ideal tone of toplazuri is “nut”. After driving in decorative furniture nails and install the accessories darkened with oil brown paint.
Antique
But how to decorate a chest of drawers with your own hands if it is too old-fashioned? Country and Provence lovers will appreciate antique decor. This design is now popular, and for work you will need the following:
sandpaper of various grain and stiffness;
sponge;
brushes and screwdrivers;
craquelure lacquer;
wax candle;
2 colors of acrylic paint.
Remove the accessories, drawers and countertops of the chest of drawers. Sand the entire surface and wipe with a wet sponge. Apply the first coat of paint and leave to dry. The following scuffs will be intentional, but they are performed with sandpaper and a candle. After that, apply a paint of a different shade (for your taste) and wipe with a sponge those areas that were covered with wax: in these places the paint will be erased. The final stage is a decoupage technique or author's painting. Further, everything is covered with craquelure.
Volumetric decor
Decor for TV cabinets with your own hands, sideboard, cupboard or chest of drawers. This technique is applicable to any furniture and does not require large expenses. Stencils that are easy to cut out of cardboard are needed. Still need masking tape, sponges, brushes, putty knife, any acrylic paints (often used white and brown), bulk paste or putty based on acrylic.
The dresser decor in this style begins with the removal of accessories and pulling out all the drawers. Stencils are mounted on the surface and coated with putty. Trim with a spatula and let the volumetric pattern dry. You can make the furniture monophonic or highlight created elements. If this is a selection, simply rub the convex parts with wax by analogy with the previous method, and after coating with paint, erase it on the wax areas. This is a good way to restore the old or give a special charm to a new chest of drawers.
Updating furniture is a common practice that does not require significant investments and allows you to implement creative author's ideas. This also applies to dressers - almost the most functional furniture. The decor of the chest of drawers should be combined with the interior of the living room in which it is located. If you need to put emphasis in a restrained pastel design, a updated chest of drawers and crowned with a vase will be a good solution. Another thing if you need to create the perfect combination of color palette. A correctly decorated old chest of drawers will cope with any task.
Buying new furniture is not an expensive pleasure. And the models sold in the post-Soviet space do not always differ in originality. Therefore, a master class on upgrading an old chest of drawers is useful to those who want to save money, as well as to people with an artistic mindset who gravitate towards everything original.So, how to decorate a chest of drawers with your own hands?
Content
Updating the old chest of drawers
Whether it’s a chest of drawers restoration or do-it-yourself bedside table decor - everything is done in stages. The first thing you need before you start is tools. Here is the list of necessary:
Of the materials needed:
You will also need gloves and a respirator.
If this is an artistic design, acrylic paint of the right color is suitable. For those who want to modernize the old chest of drawers, a good option is to replace furniture fittings: you can add new handles or mirror panels.
Restoration
But for those who were not afraid of working with sandpaper, a spatula and acrylic paint, a stage-by-stage restoration of the chest of drawers was prepared. The process consists of several steps: removing the old coating of paint or varnish, thorough sanding, checking for chips and other irregularities, local filling of defects, painting and final dressing of the chest of drawers.
But first, you should look for defects in the inside of the dresser. All broken bottoms, shelves and guides should be unscrewed with a screwdriver and measured. In accordance with the geometric parameters, you can buy new elements or make them yourself. If the second option is closer to you, be prepared to acquire an additional arsenal of tools and knowledge in the field of thorough furniture repair.Do not forget to do such a check before decorating a chest of drawers with your own hands.
Also pay attention to screws, handles and legs. If the fittings are not the same, with differences in shape and pattern, then most likely these elements are made by hand, and if some of them are damaged, the analog part can no longer be reached. In this case, it is better to replace all fittings.
Product cleaning and preparation
Surface cleaning is done carefully so as not to damage important decorative elements of the product. First clean the surface by wiping it with soapy water. Use a toothbrush to remove dirt and dust from hard to reach areas.
To free the surface of furniture from paint or varnish, you need industrial film and acetone. Cover the old chest of drawers last, and to enhance the effect, cover the product with industrial film. For lack of film, you can use oilcloth, cellophane and other improvised materials. Limit air intake and leave furniture like this for one hour. After this time, the layer of varnish and paint will leave the wood.
DIY dresser decor begins with a construction spatula. Remove the lagging layer from the tree without damaging the surface. Remember to remove all paint.
After follows the stage of skinning.
A surface free of small decorative elements is sanded with a machine. For the latter, it is important to choose the right nozzle. With sandpaper or with a sanding sponge, treat the area of protruding parts and small parts. Do not overdo it in sanding, so as not to damage the chest of drawers.
Cracks, chips, scratches and other defects are carefully covered with wood putty. It is better to give preference to water-based putty. For restoration, the putty is selected by color, and not by the name of the wood. It should only go into the recesses, so sand the surface again. If traces remain in the structure of the tree, stains that cannot be removed will appear during tinting with a stain.Replace the bottoms in the drawers, runners and strengthen the frame.
Painting
The choice of paint, its brand and color depends on how you see the future decor of the old chest of drawers. It can be a stain layer if the wood structure is smoothly sanded and looks good without paint. Stain is suitable for changing colors while maintaining the texture of the tree. You can cover the entire surface with acrylic paint, and then the design of the old chest of drawers will be completely different.
Both stain and paint are applied evenly with brushes or a roller. Work on time is the same: only the results upon drying are different.
Work Stages:
Design solutions
The decor of an old bedside table or decorating a chest of drawers with your own hands is determined by the style of the interior. You can use wallpaper, lace, choose a floral print, fabric upholstery of drawers, paints or apply names, memorable dates to the surface. You can decorate the entire front panel with coffee beans, buttons, beads, beads and other elements. If this is a living room, it is better to use presentable panels of restrained color, but for a bedroom or a nursery you are given complete freedom of choice. Decoupage technique, English style, voluminous decor, as well as antique decor do not go out of fashion.
Bedside tables are updated on the same principle. But here's how to decorate a plastic chest of drawers? The best choice would be decoupage. The same work as above is carried out, with the exception of grinding. For plastic, special paints of various colors and primers are provided.
Decoupage
How to decorate a chest of drawers using decoupage technique? This is a real expanse for imagination.Decoupage involves decorating furniture with the help of special cards and three-layer napkins. You also need to get white acrylic paint, PVA glue, scissors, a roller and a sponge. The process begins by applying a paint roller on the entire surface of the dresser. Next, start cutting the desired images. To give an old look after complete drying, you should go over the product with sandpaper. This must be done carefully, along the lines of wood.
Apply PVA glue to all parts to stick them to the chest of drawers. Lubricate the front side of the pictures with the same glue, which will protect them from external influences. If these are flowers or ornate patterns, they can be extended with drawings of lines and curls protruding to the surface of the nightstand.
Decoupage can also be done with a cloth. This will decorate the facade to match the interior.
In english style
But the design of a chest of drawers with their own hands is not limited to the idea of decoupage. An old product is ideal for the English style, even if it is with noticeable defects. You will need four colors: white, red, blue and brown. The first three are acrylic paint, the last is oil. Of the materials putty, putty knife, topazlaz, masking tape, sandpaper, decorative nails, brushes and rollers are also useful.
The accessories are removed from the dresser and the product is cleaned. After that, the surface is covered with an uneven layer of putty: the more careless, the better. Cover the chest of drawers with white paint and mark the areas to be stained with tape. Dissolve the scarlet and blue colors. The spotting that may appear during the staining process is only a plus. The table top and sides are processed with sandpaper. The finished work is covered with toplazury (use a sponge for this). The ideal tone of toplazuri is “nut”. After driving in decorative furniture nails and install the accessories darkened with oil brown paint.
Antique
But how to decorate a chest of drawers with your own hands if it is too old-fashioned? Country and Provence lovers will appreciate antique decor. This design is now popular, and for work you will need the following:
Remove the accessories, drawers and countertops of the chest of drawers. Sand the entire surface and wipe with a wet sponge. Apply the first coat of paint and leave to dry. The following scuffs will be intentional, but they are performed with sandpaper and a candle. After that, apply a paint of a different shade (for your taste) and wipe with a sponge those areas that were covered with wax: in these places the paint will be erased. The final stage is a decoupage technique or author's painting. Further, everything is covered with craquelure.
Volumetric decor
Decor for TV cabinets with your own hands, sideboard, cupboard or chest of drawers. This technique is applicable to any furniture and does not require large expenses. Stencils that are easy to cut out of cardboard are needed. Still need masking tape, sponges, brushes, putty knife, any acrylic paints (often used white and brown), bulk paste or putty based on acrylic.
The dresser decor in this style begins with the removal of accessories and pulling out all the drawers. Stencils are mounted on the surface and coated with putty. Trim with a spatula and let the volumetric pattern dry. You can make the furniture monophonic or highlight created elements. If this is a selection, simply rub the convex parts with wax by analogy with the previous method, and after coating with paint, erase it on the wax areas. This is a good way to restore the old or give a special charm to a new chest of drawers.