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Young House Love » Reader Redesigns » Reader Redesign: One Dashing Dresser

| By Sherry Petersik | November 2, 2009 | 76 Comments

Reader Redesign: One Dashing Dresser

When Monica sent her amazing dresser makeover our way we couldn’t wait to share the goods. Here’s her letter:

I just recently found your blog and let me tell you, like everyone else around here, I’m totally in LOVE with everything you guys do, plus your How To tips are super! My boyfriend and I just moved to a new home (rental) and like anything that is not yours, we’re tying to put our stamp on it. I inherited my boyfriends dresser and I wanted to incorporate it into my kitchen nook, thus a PROJECT was born. While I love wood and before I paint anything I really think about it, I knew that the only way to make this BIG dresser shrink was to give it a coat of paint… or in our case 3 coats. We used the new Behr Premium Plus Ultra Interior Paint, which is paint and primer combined (in an eggshell enamel finish). The color we chose was “Energy Green” and WOW. We did this project INSIDE the house, and started at 11pm at night (I thought we would die from the fumes but the paint was orderless, no fumes, no smell) and the only reason we gave it three coats is because we wanted it to be a bit darker. But it really was great after two. We dressed the finished product up a bit with accessories and the results were amazing. I love how it came out and I hope you like it as much as we do! – Monica

Here’s a “during” shot (with Monica’s friend sanding away):

Dresser1 Reader Redesign

And here’s the amazing after:

Dresser2 Reader Redesign

Is that not a gorgeous transformation? It totally makes the room, and we love the contrasting hardware in the deep ebony finish (which looks great with the chunky chocolate mirror). We also have to say that hanging that mirrored sconce-type piece on one side of the dresser and balancing it with the luminescent lamp on the other side is totally genius. Thanks so much for sending the photos our way Monica! Oh and don’t forget to drip in on her blog to see what else she’s up to. Now what say you our lovely readers? Do you guys adore that shot of happy green paint? Are you ready to grab a paint brush and go to town? We certainly are.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for StephanieStephanie says

    November 2, 2009 at 10:41 am

    Beautiful! I love the green with the dark hardware.

    Reply
  2. Avatar for OliviaOlivia says

    November 2, 2009 at 10:45 am

    Wow – I love the green! I wish I had an older dresser to DIY!

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Jenny @ Words On WendhurstJenny @ Words On Wendhurst says

    November 2, 2009 at 10:47 am

    Wow, that color is fantastic! They did a great job, and the accessorizing is absolutely perfect! I refinished an old wood dresser a few months back, and I love how it looks in our dining room! http://wordsonwendhurst.blogspot.com/2009/07/darling-dresser-refinished-beauty.html

    Reply
  4. Avatar for AshleyAshley says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:04 am

    That is absolutely stunning! I gasped out loud when I scrolled down to reveal the finished piece. VERY inspiring! Talk about putting a stamp on the place! Great job!

    Reply
  5. Avatar for KateKate says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:06 am

    Great job. I love giving new life to old furniture. I love how they went with a bold green to make it really stand out.

    Reply
  6. Avatar for armchairdesignarmchairdesign says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:06 am

    Stunning! It looks beautiful, Monica!

    Reply
  7. Avatar for KathleenKathleen says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:06 am

    Wow, what a statement the dresser makes after the update!

    Reply
  8. Avatar for LauraLaura says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:07 am

    Such a brave color and I absolutely **LOVE** it!!

    Reply
  9. Avatar for danikadanika says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:13 am

    so gorgeous!!

    Reply
  10. Avatar for sedonasedona says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:13 am

    Wow! I never would have been brave enough to paint that color, but I LOVE it!! It looks wonderful in the room and very high end!! Great job!

    Reply
  11. Avatar for EricaErica says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:17 am

    Wow! What a beautiful piece and very daring of them to go for the bright green color..love it! This doesn’t look like a rented place at all, its so personalized and unique!

    Reply
  12. Avatar for Kasey at Thrifty Little BlogKasey at Thrifty Little Blog says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:21 am

    That green looks great! It makes me want to bite the bullet and paint one of my furniture pieces a bold color!!

    Reply
  13. Avatar for erikaerika says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:23 am

    Love that dresser! Makes me want to go try to find some bargains to repaint :)

    Reply
  14. Avatar for LauraCLauraC says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:25 am

    I agree with Sedona above; that’s the kind of color I see on a paint chip and think, “Who would ever use this color?” But Monica hit a home run with this one and it looks FABULOUS!!! Great job!!! (Love the living room too, her acessories are great.)

    Reply
  15. Avatar for AnnapolitanAnnapolitan says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:36 am

    Great job! Like others who have commented, I gasped when I saw it.

    Wish I had that kind of nerve. (Eyeing the big black gentleman’s chest in my dining room…)

    Reply
  16. Avatar for NickNick says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:42 am

    Looks great! Good job!

    Reply
  17. Avatar for RosaRosa says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:50 am

    Green is my signature color. This is an amazing redesign for such a large piece. Congrats on making it very sophisticated.

    Reply
  18. Avatar for micahmicah says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:50 am

    I would never think to paint a dresser that color, but it looks so awesome! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  19. Avatar for LesleyLesley says

    November 2, 2009 at 11:59 am

    WOW!! Absolutely love this makeover.

    Reply
  20. Avatar for DebDeb says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:03 pm

    OOH! So nice!!! Great facelift!

    Reply
  21. Avatar for ChelseaChelsea says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:04 pm

    What a great POP of color! I love it!

    Reply
  22. Avatar for CarrieCarrie says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:04 pm

    Man, love love LOVE the scale and punchy green!! That was a good one!

    Reply
  23. Avatar for Danielle@Newlyweds Paradise[email protected] Paradise says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:10 pm

    The dress looks great, but what I think makes it stand out more is the wall color. Everything in the room works well together. Love it!

    Reply
  24. Avatar for City Chic - JamieCity Chic - Jamie says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:12 pm

    Terrific color! And the hardware is perfect! I love the use of bold colors in a neutral room.

    Reply
  25. Avatar for MelissaMelissa says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:20 pm

    Wow! I love it, it really adds some pop of color to the room!

    Reply
  26. Avatar for AlexisAlexis says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:25 pm

    a gorgeous color and such perfect hardware selection!

    Reply
  27. Avatar for Jen Z.Jen Z. says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:26 pm

    Awesome use of color. What a way to make a great statement in a room. Would have never thought to use such a bold color.

    Reply
  28. Avatar for Jenny @ Making the Most of MoneyJenny @ Making the Most of Money says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:31 pm

    Gorgeous! I would never have though to paint it such an intense shade of green, but it really makes the space!

    Reply
  29. Avatar for AmandaAmanda says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:31 pm

    Wow. That looks great! I too have a fear of painting wood things, because you can never go back. But most of the time I think it is worth it. Definitely worth it in this case. Go Monica!

    Reply
  30. Avatar for Carol from Indian Springs VillageCarol from Indian Springs Village says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:36 pm

    Wow! The color is beautiful in that room. And I love how it ties in with the print on the wall and the green on the table inside the bowl. Great job!

    Reply
  31. Avatar for Amy E.Amy E. says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:49 pm

    i love the green! it’s my favorite color! i also really appreciate her comment about really thinking every time she paints something that’s wood. paint works wonders, but i grew up in cabin country and wood is life up there!

    Reply
  32. Avatar for CaraStarrCaraStarr says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:53 pm

    i LOVE this dresser. LOVE IT. Looks amazing. We should all make a bold move like this once in a while. Great job Monica!

    Reply
  33. Avatar for RachelRachel says

    November 2, 2009 at 12:57 pm

    I love love love the green. It totally makes the whole room and just pops.

    Reply
  34. Avatar for Rachel RiddRachel Ridd says

    November 2, 2009 at 1:02 pm

    Wow- I would have never thought about putting the dresser in the living room!

    Reply
  35. Avatar for ErinErin says

    November 2, 2009 at 1:15 pm

    Wow, that’s great. I think the piece of art on the wall really helps it relate to the space. Here’s a question for you, or somebody … when painting a dress, do you just paint the drawer faces or the entire drawer?

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      November 2, 2009 at 1:18 pm

      Hey Erin,

      That’s totally your call. You’d obviously pull the drawers out to do the painting, so painting the sides would be simple enough- although many professionally painted dressers just have the fronts painted (since raw wood might slide more easily than painted wood, especially when you’re dealing with an older piece). Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  36. Avatar for Stephanie SStephanie S says

    November 2, 2009 at 1:32 pm

    LOVE! Simply LOVE the color. Perfect with the neutral room. One thing I want to ask the group: I never seem to have enough dressers and some I’ve bought from garage sales are totally cheesy. Any suggestions? Craigs List?

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      November 2, 2009 at 1:47 pm

      Hey Stephanie,

      Definitely try craigslist and even freecycle. There are lots of great old pieces to be discovered! We also love thrift stores for gorgeous old dressers and tables that just need a little love to look as good as new.

      xo,
      s

  37. Avatar for Sarah @ Dream In DomesticSarah @ Dream In Domestic says

    November 2, 2009 at 1:40 pm

    It’s fabulous!!! What a bold color choice, but I think the payoff is huge. It’s definitely one-of-a-kind now. I love it with the huge mirror on top. Rentals really can look amazing!

    Reply
  38. Avatar for SandySandy says

    November 2, 2009 at 1:46 pm

    Love, love, love the bold green. Now I am reconsidering the color I plan on painting my mother’s old china cabinet, which is sitting forlornly in my guest room along with a lot of other leftover/mismatched furniture. (I keep trying for your Monday re-design sign-up to get advice, but keep missing!) I had been thinking I was going to go black — which I ~had~ considered a bold choice until I saw this. Oh, dare I? It’s a very small room, and I have a hard enough time as it is now figuring out the right arrangement. *fret, fret, whine*

    Reply
  39. Avatar for ChristinChristin says

    November 2, 2009 at 1:48 pm

    Fantastic. That color wouldn’t have been my first choice – but it totally works! Great job! :)

    Reply
  40. Avatar for Jessie (Vegan-minded)Jessie (Vegan-minded) says

    November 2, 2009 at 1:51 pm

    Love the color, love the oversized dresser, love the setup of the room. It looks great!

    Reply
  41. Avatar for AmyAmy says

    November 2, 2009 at 1:53 pm

    I love this! I recently painted a green peice of furniture too:

    http://design-aholic.blogspot.com/2009/08/reveal.html

    I love the energy (pun intended!) that their green brings!

    LOVELY!

    Reply
  42. Avatar for ShannonShannon says

    November 2, 2009 at 1:55 pm

    Wow, I wish I had the guts to do that color! It looks amazing…the whole room looks spectacular, great job Monica!

    Reply
  43. Avatar for Sunny PritchardSunny Pritchard says

    November 2, 2009 at 1:58 pm

    You’re a woman after my own heart! I went bold and beautiful with an armoire that greets visitors in my home first thing, and I get rave reviews. Going out on a limb is a good thing.

    Reply
  44. Avatar for AmandaAmanda says

    November 2, 2009 at 2:04 pm

    That dresser IS amazing! Love the bold green color they picked and it has so much character.

    Reply
  45. Avatar for Amy @ Renovation InnovationAmy @ Renovation Innovation says

    November 2, 2009 at 2:08 pm

    Like everyone, I have to agree. I never would have thought that color green would work, but the transformation is awesome. The bold pop of color is just what the room needs to make it from feeling bland. Great job!

    Reply
  46. Avatar for Rocio @ Casa HausRocio @ Casa Haus says

    November 2, 2009 at 2:09 pm

    Wow! I would have never thought of green either… but the results are fab! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  47. Avatar for AnitaAnita says

    November 2, 2009 at 2:25 pm

    I have been trying to convince my husband that an old peeling chest in the spare room needs some loving upcyling. Being a firm lover of all things old/vintage/antique he has absolutely refused to let me touch it. This is just the ammunition I need!

    Thanks Monica and congrats that room looks outstanding!

    Reply
  48. Avatar for Kim at Yellow Brick HomeKim at Yellow Brick Home says

    November 2, 2009 at 1:28 pm

    Wow, a girl after my own heart. I can’t help but be attracted to the boldest colors out there! GREAT JOB, it looks wonderful in that room!

    Reply
  49. Avatar for Jocelyn StottJocelyn Stott says

    November 2, 2009 at 2:52 pm

    Wow – that is really amazing. I feel inspired now to do my dresser that I have been putting off for ages. Thank you for this post!!!

    Reply
  50. Avatar for KatrinaKatrina says

    November 2, 2009 at 3:06 pm

    Wow I love the transformation! The color green really pops – I wish could be more brave when choosing paint colors for furniture redos – maybe the next time.

    BTW – I love the white ceramic fish :)

    Reply
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John and Sherry smiling against pink backgroundHey, we’re John & Sherry. We’ve fixed up 7 homes, written books, designed products, started a podcast, and then downsized & moved to the beach! Here you’ll find over 3,000 DIY projects & home updates. More about us…
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