Upcycled Dresser with Peekaboo Drawers

Inspired by 127 Sale, the world's longest yard sale that spans the 127 corridor from Michigan to Alabama, our editors revamped this find from the Brimfield flea market. After spotting this Art Deco-style waterfall dresser, we knew we could bring it back to life. We chose a coastal-inspired palette of sea mist blue and navy to set the tone. Then we polished the wave-like brass handles to make them sparkle. For a fun accent, we also painted the sides of the drawers.

 Keep reading to get step-by-step instructions for DIYing this stylish dresser with Krylon COVERMAXX™​spray paint.

What You'll Need

Sandpaper (both fine and coarse)
Painter's tape
Drop cloths (paper or plastic)
Krylon COVERMAXX™ spray paint​​* Gloss Navy Blue

• Satin Bright White
• Satin Catalina Mist
  Sponge
  Gloves (optional)
  Brass polish (optional)

How-To

Step 1
This first step is all about ensuring the dresser is clean, dry, and dull (shiny surfaces make it more difficult for the paint to adhere). Remove drawers and handles. Sand the dresser and drawers thoroughly, evening out imperfections and creating a smooth surface.

You can use an electric belt sander if the furniture piece you're revamping is in bad shape, otherwise sanding by hand works well. ​

For the smoothest finish, start with coarse sandpaper and finish with fine sandpaper. Then, wipe everything with a damp sponge to clean off any sawdust and dirt before you begin painting.

Tip! When creating the peekaboo drawers, always paint the lighter color first and cover over it with the darker hue for easy coverage.

Step 2
Paint the sides of the drawers a light accent color.
We choseKrylon COVERMAXX™ Satin Bright White .
Let the paint dry for about an hour.

Step 3
Using painter's tape, create a pattern on the sides
of the drawers. We did a mix of stripes and X's to go
 with the modern, coastal feel of our dresser.

Other fun pattern choices:​

• Chevron
• Polka dots
• Quatrefoil
• Trellis
• Greek key
• Ikat

Step 4
Spray the sides and front of the drawers one color. We chose Krylon COVERMAXX™ Gloss Navy Blue  . You may need two coats for full coverage if it's a dark hue. Wait about five to 10 minutes, then pull off the painter's tape. Peeling the tape off before the paint has fully dried limits the risk of pulling the paint up with the tape.

Step 5
Paint the dresser in a coordinating, but different color. We chose Krylon COVERMAXX™ Satin Catalina Mist to add a bright look to our nautical design.

Step 6
While the dresser and drawers are drying, polish the brass handles. With just a little elbow grease and some brass polish, these wave-like drawer pulls were brought back to their former glory.

Step 7
Once everything has dried, bring it all inside and put the drawers back in place!

Tip! If the drawers of your flea market dresser are sticking, rub candle wax along the bottom of the drawer where the wood meets the rails to create a smooth pull.

How to Accessorize

The Catalina Mist and Navy color combination inspired us to do a little redecorating, so we pulled our color scheme from the dresser itself. Blue ikat curtains play nicely with the tan walls. On the dresser, nature-inspired geode bookends reflect the light blue hue of the dresser top. A shapely brass candlestick echos the sleekness of the dresser's brass handles.

We love the peekaboo patterns on the sides of the drawers. They make getting ready in the morning that much more fun! The stripes and X's are a subtle nod to sailing flags, adding to the dresser's nautical vibe.

The patterns we created were easy to make with painter's tape, but you can create lots of patterns with the help of stencils. We particularly love polka dots and plaid for boys' dressers, or hearts and chevron for girls' dressers.

Want more DIY inspiration? Take a peek at some of our other projects:

1 Unfinished Bar Stool 3 Ways
DIY 3 Doormat Crafts
DIY Upcycled End Table
4 Personalized Blanket DIY Ideas
DIY Modern Wall Art

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