Tired of a boring Ikea dresser? Update it to look vintage and unique

Ah, Ikea. It's neat. It's got clean lines. It's easy to assemble. It’s reasonably priced. It's also just so Ikea. Though the goal might be to look under control, you may not want to feel controlled. The Scandinavian company offers four “style groups,” including Traditional, Scandinavian, Modern, and Popular, but none of those may reflect who you are or how you want your home to feel. There are ways to "de-Ikea" an Ikea dresser. Some color and hardware bring this new and practical piece of furniture to a time before there was an Ikea.
“Updating” a dresser to make it look vintage will not interfere with its functionality and will not diminish the classic Ikea style. Instead, it will give the piece some personality so it could be a focus piece or one of several improved pieces that balances color and design to create a unique vintage room. Choose the color accordingly.
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Begin by deciding if you want to source actual antique elements, which could be found at an antique store or thrift shop, or if you want vintage-look modern fixtures. Finding drawer pulls and feet might be time consuming but also rewarding. A number of companies offer new decorative hardware in period styles.
Materials
- 1/2-inch particle board cut to cover the bottom of the dresser
- Pencil
- Adjustable clamp
- Electric drill
- 4 thin wood screws
- Screwdriver that fits the drawer pulls
- Drop cloth
- 12 oz. of flat paint in a color of your choice. (Latex is easy to work with and to clean up. The tutorial uses Folk Art, Home Décor, Chalk, 8 oz.)
- A flat brush at least 2 inches wide
- Six vintage or vintage-look drawer pulls
- Four vintage or vintage-style feet
- Medium-sized wood screws
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Instructions
1. Remove the drawers and turn the dresser upside down.
2. Place the board on the bottom of the dresser and secure it with the clamp.
3. Mark a hole in each corner with the pencil. (Note: Be careful about placement to avoid using space where the feet will need to be screwed in.)
4. Carefully drill pilot holes from the bottom board into the ends of the side panels. Attach the bottom board by drilling the thin screws into those holes.
5. Remove the drawer pulls with a screwdriver. If the new pulls require a different hole pattern, fill in the old holes with wood putty and drill holes in the new pattern. Let the putty dry.
6. Put down a drop cloth in a well-ventilated area and begin painting the dresser. Brush in one direction with long strokes. Paint all exposed surfaces.
7. Allow the dresser to dry.
8. Secure the new drawer pulls with screws.
9. Place the new feet into position on the bottom corners of the dresser. Use a pencil to create marks where the holes for the feet will be, making sure the feet will be squared with the corners.
10. Drill pilot holes for the screws, move one of the feet into place, and secure it with screws. Repeat for the remaining three feet.
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11. Turn the dresser upright and replace the drawers.
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