Turn a plain pine dresser into a boho-inspired bureau

You carefully selected your home’s aesthetic. You curated the pieces of furniture and combined them for a style all your own. When the time comes to add another piece, you look for one to accent the rest of your space, and that can lead to hours searching for the perfect addition. Instead of spending your precious time browsing the internet or walking a showroom floor, make your own perfectly unique, bohemian-inspired dresser customized from start to finish.

In this tutorial, you will want to have an idea of how to complement your style. There are hundreds of stains, paints and stencils you can choose from to customize a plain dresser into a modern work of art. You can follow along exactly with the tutorial, or take a moment to sketch out your own design idea. Make sure you utilize all the recommended safety gear and work in a well-ventilated area.

Materials
- Plain 3-drawer dresser
- Sanding sponge
- A clean, slightly damp cloth
- Varathane Premium Fast-Dry Wood Stain, “Golden Mahogany’
- A soft, dry cloth
- Painting stencil of your choice
- Masking tape
- FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Paint, “Parisian Gray”
- Handheld hair dryer with cool setting
- Drawer pulls (optional)
- Clutch style bar clamp
- Power drill and drill bit set
- Furniture legs, set of 4

Instructions
1. Remove all drawers from the dresser frame and any hardware from the drawers. Sand the drawer faces. Follow up with a slightly damp cloth to clean up any sawdust.

2. Using a medium-sized paintbrush, apply an even layer of wood stain to the sanded wood. For this project, we used Varathane Premium Fast-Dry Wood Stain in “Golden Mahogany.” As you paint on the stain, use a clean, dry cloth to wipe away any excess. Allow the stain to dry completely.

3. Next, set your stencil where you would like the pattern to start and paint on the design using FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Paint in “Parisian Gray.”

4. Allow each section of the pattern to dry before you continue, or you risk smudging the design. To speed up this process, use a hairdryer on low heat and speed settings to gently dry each section before continuing.

5. Continue the pattern across the drawer. Make sure to match up your pattern at the seams and pattern repeats.

6. Once you have stained and painted your design across each drawer, replace the hardware you removed at the beginning. You may choose to invest in new hardware to better match the bohemian spirit of this dresser.

7. With the drawers finished, continue by staining the dresser frame. Allow the stain to dry, then flip the frame over and stain the underside of the dresser.

8. Install screws on the bottom to secure the bottom board. If the board is loose, try using a clutch style bar clamp to hold it in place while you drive in the screws.

9. Once the bottom board is stained and screwed in place, drill holes for your furniture legs using their base plate as a guide. Install the legs at the corners. If you plan to use mid-century style angled legs as we did, check that both sides are symmetrical.

10. Flip your dresser right side up and replace the drawers in the frame. This eclectic dresser can be easily incorporated in a bedroom or could be used in a front room to store blankets and hold more boho trinkets.