How to turn an old chest of drawers into a new one. The best ways to restore a chest of drawers at home, useful tips

The owner of this chest of drawers once saved it when the neighbors were carrying it to the trash, and she saw such a disgrace in time, and since she loves all sorts of old things, she asked me to give it away for a couple of bottles.

He looked terrible, probably all his long life was painted with floor paint. Ugh! She came up with the idea to restore it and bring it back to life from a closet to a spacious rest room, where the hostess was going to receive her guests. Then she turned to me. I, in turn, could not refuse such a gift! All my life I dreamed of transforming old furniture.

The photo of his initial has not been preserved, here are the first works on him - a little sanded, but in some places there is this terrible floor paint.

After we removed a huge layer of old paint, a surprise awaited us! Almost the entire chest of drawers was eaten away by a bark beetle ... The photo shows how much the beetle has eaten away the tree.

Sadly … It was decided to replace everything that is possible. The legs, for example, generally crumbled into dust and only paint held them for many years.
Then we sanded it very carefully, probably 4 days, to remove all signs of paint from the tree. The photo shows how severe the damage was.

After everything was carefully sanded, using generally all possible materials - from a grinder to handmade small skins.

Oh yeah! I almost forgot - we definitely process the entire chest of drawers both outside and inside with some kind of "beetle" because we don’t want such a beautiful chest of drawers to collapse further!

Since the damage was almost everywhere, we decided not to keep the texture of the wood. Then it was easy to putty the whole chest of drawers.

In this photo, lockers are puttied, we do the same with the chest of drawers itself.

The photo shows a rough putty and replaced thresholds and legs. Then we dry, skin, putty again, dry again. Until we are satisfied with the result and a flat surface, we puttyed and sanded three times.

Here is a photo where the chest of drawers is in the process of grinding.
The ends of the chest of drawers were made of plywood, it was decided not to change them, it has already become a couple of kg heavier with us. but it would not be lifting at all.
The most difficult and time-consuming is the patterned columns along the edges of the chest of drawers! The main thing is not to be lazy and do everything carefully, otherwise all the imperfections will definitely come out on the painting!!!

More skinning cabinets.
All now the result suits us and we proceed to painting. But what about adventures! We bought the paint on the lid in black and white, it was written “dark brown”, but when we opened the jar, we saw something incomprehensible and very similar to the floor paint that we cleaned so carefully ... We thought that it was so damp and after painting it would darken. But it was not there!

But we are artists and we should not despair! I took the usual color scheme and mixed in the color that the chest of drawers should be painted.

We apply layers until there are no gaps left! In total, I got three layers.
Now decor, the most difficult and interesting! Of course, it would be easier to unhook all the parts that we are going to paint in light, but we were going to experiment with shebb chic and therefore a lot of jewelry work appeared in the future! But we are not looking for easy ways!!!

It can be seen that it is not neat, but it does not matter! Acrylic dries quickly and after drying it is easy to touch up with a dark color on which you accidentally climbed with light paint, for this purpose, of course, we use a thin brush (no more than 4 numbers.)

I mixed the shade myself (white acrylic and color). I was looking for a color close to pistachio, but warmer, that's what happened (unless, of course, the photo conveys everything ...)

Where necessary, they waxed with a candle (protrusions, corners, etc., just don’t overdo it, everything is very easy and a little bit :)), and then they applied a layer of light paint - again, three layers at least. The photo shows the protruding wax - in this place we overdid it a little and then a lot of stealing came off, but we were not upset - it was intended


On the boxes, a painting was conceived, which also took more than one day, there are no photos in stages, but there is a result.

Now we dry everything for the night, and in the morning we varnish it - it can be anything, depending on what goals are pursued. We needed lacquered and shiny, but there are those who do not like such furniture. Then it is possible to apply matte acrylic varnish. Lacquer also needs three layers - that's for sure!

Here is the result - a handsome man with screwed handles, and at the request of the hostess, we attached skids to the drawers as in modern chests of drawers, so that it is not only beautiful, but also functional!

Do not rush to throw away old furniture. It is worth trying your hand at transforming it. Fantasy and skillful hands can create a unique product. Restoring a chest of drawers is a task that requires time, tools, and patience. Designers offer dozens of options for changing the look of an outdated interior element. Wear defects can be eliminated without significant cash outlay. The creative process will bring satisfaction from the result.

Advantages

Before you start repairing and changing the decor of an old chest of drawers, you need to determine its value. Perhaps this is an antique thing, which should be restored by specialists. The age of the furniture is determined by the sharpness of the corners, the types of fasteners. For example, by the way the notch is made on the screws, it can be concluded that the fasteners are manually or industrially manufactured. Restoring furniture in the workshop will cost much more than doing it yourself. Ordering a designer will not be able to take into account all your wishes. In the process of work, new ideas often appear, which changes the original idea.

What you need

A set of tools and materials depends on the degree of wear of the chest of drawers, the idea of ​​​​its decor.

Sander

Removing old paintwork from furniture by hand is a laborious process. Using a grinder makes the task easier. A perfect surface is required for painting.

Types of grinding devices:

1. Orbital. Application: intermediate and finishing processing. The name characterizes the method of application: simultaneous rotational and reciprocating motion with a radius of 3-8 millimeters. The emery discs are attached to the Velcro base of the round sole. All models have cassette-type dust collectors. Advantages: low noise level, good processing speed, grinds profiled, curved surfaces. Disadvantage: the impossibility of processing internal corners.
2. Vibrating. Application: fine finishing. The sole is rectangular or triangular. Method of application: movement with a small amplitude. Disadvantage: before starting work, a thorough cleaning of the surface from small solid inclusions is necessary. Otherwise, there will be "lambs" - scratches.

The budget option is a vibrating machine. Orbital is more expensive, but more functional.

Sandpaper

Fine-grained sandpaper will be needed for grinding puttied places on furniture during restoration.

jigsaw

Hand tool for accurate rectilinear, curved cutting of chest of drawers made of wood, plywood, plastic, chipboard, MDF.

A hammer

Carpenter's hammer. Impact tool of high precision. Head weight - from 100 to 800 grams. The striker is flat, with a flat surface. The back side is a wedge or a nail puller. Purpose - installation of decorative, auxiliary elements.

Carpenter's hammer - for mounting load-bearing, auxiliary furniture structures (driving nails, wedges). The striker is corrugated / smooth, flat, weighing from 300 to 800 grams. The back is a nail puller.

Hacksaw

The classic hacksaw is designed for longitudinal and transverse cuts of furniture elements, the narrow one is for cutting along a curved path.

File

Cutting tool for layer-by-layer sawing. When restoring a chest of drawers, you may need a file with a velvet notch: a small file for cleaning in hard-to-reach places with 4-5 notches per 1 centimeter.

Putty knife

The size of spatulas for puttying furniture is 25-15 and 10-5 centimeters.

Ruler and pencil

For marking on the chest of drawers, you will need a meter ruler and a TM graphite pencil.

Roller and some paint brushes

Tools for painting dresser surfaces:

• foam rubber roller, up to 15 centimeters wide, for applying water-adhesive solutions;
• flat brush for painting large areas;
• panel brush for coloring the contour, hard-to-reach places.

To decorate freshly painted surfaces, a trimming brush may come in handy.

MDF tiles

Veneered MDF panels are used for the manufacture of furniture. Laminated MDF is used as a decorative material.

Nails

Decorative carnations have a cap diameter of 4 to 12 millimeters, a length of 30 millimeters. Hats are round, rectangular, shaped. Nail body material: copper, brass, stainless steel coated with chromium, nickel, silver, gold.

Wood paints

The surfaces of the dresser are painted with acrylic, latex paints.

PVA

In restoration work on furniture, household PVA and PVA superglue are used.

self-tapping screws

Wide wooden panels are connected using confirmats (self-tapping screws with a flat end). In other cases, self-tapping screws with a sharp end are used.

Training

Decorating furniture requires a preparatory stage. Chest of drawers needs to return the original functional properties.

Freeing all boxes

The boxes are pulled out of the chest of drawers, freed from the contents.

Unscrewing the old fastening knobs

All external fittings are unscrewed from the furniture facade.

Surface cleaning from dirt and dust

Using a toothbrush for hard to reach places

Corners, holes in the chest of drawers are cleaned with a toothbrush and detergent.

Surface treatment with a grinder

The old layer of paint, varnish on the dresser is removed using a solvent. Smooth out irregularities with a grinder.

Processing of PVA fasteners for secure fixation

Fixing points in furniture are lubricated with PVA. After drying, process with a file or sandpaper.

Primer use

On the dried surface, for better adhesion with paint, primer for wooden products is applied. Before painting, the chest of drawers is lightly sanded again with sandpaper.

Restoration options

The main emphasis in the restoration is a change in the facade surface.

Coloring

Repainting a chest of drawers a different color is the easiest way to change its decor. The main requirement is the complete removal of the previous paint layer. With the help of a grinding tool, 1-2 millimeters are removed from the surface of the furniture elements.

Cover and grind cracks. Primed, sanded. Furniture painting starts from the inside. For corners and hard-to-reach places, panel brushes are used. After drying, they begin to paint the countertops, facades, sidewalls. Fix the result by varnishing the surface of the dresser.

Aging

The craquelure method is used in the manufacture of furniture in the style of Provence, country, shabby chic. The essence of the method is the imitation of scuffs and cracks on a fresh paint surface. Dresser processing begins with the definition of the decoration area on the chest of drawers. The marked areas are painted in black, brown, blue. After drying, rubbed with wax. The entire chest of drawers is painted white. Then the paint is peeled off with sandpaper along with the wax coating. Cleaned of dust, varnished.

Additional decoration

You can decorate a chest of drawers with original handles, overlays, patterns from furniture nails. Apply various methods of staining: contrast and gradient, optical illusion. A variety of options gives the use of stencils. To change the style of furniture, it is enough to change the drawers, raise the structure on its legs.

Decoupage

Sticking applications is a convenient, uncomplicated method of decorating a chest of drawers. Pictures are cut out from magazines, napkins, newspaper sheets, pieces of wallpaper are used. The base tone should be lighter than the application, in order to emphasize the pattern on the furniture.

Repair work

Restoration work on furniture is divided into 3 types:

• regulation of fittings;
• cosmetic;
• complete renovation.

Adjustment means:

• pulling loops;
• strengthening loosened handles;
• leveling the legs.

Redesigning a suitable chest of drawers or restoring the original coloring is considered a facelift. Restoration is the replacement of failed furniture elements, design changes, restoration of furniture functionality.

Restoration of fixtures and fittings

Loose handles, dropped hinges, broken latches and closers make it difficult to use furniture. If the fittings have retained their functionality and appearance, then they remove it, repair it and put it back on the chest of drawers. Old holes are covered with putty for wood. After drying, grind, tint. Details are screwed in a new place.

Handles with cracks are replaced with new ones, worn ones are painted and varnished. Closers and clamps are dismantled, cleaned, lubricated, installed and adjusted.

Alteration at home

The chest of drawers can fail due to the poor quality of MDF, chipboard, which leads to a skewed facade, drawers and shelves falling out. The cabinet is a load-bearing structure and must be strong and stable.

In such cases, reinforcement of the frame is required:

• replacement of the bottom of the drawers with varnished plywood or laminated chipboard of the same thickness;
• the back wall is strengthened in the same way;
• the joints are tightened with corners.

With the overhead type of installation of the bottom, the drawers at the chest of drawers are pulled out, the old fasteners are removed. The replaced panel is nailed with nails or staples. With the mortise method, the box is disassembled, the grooves are cleaned. Prepare a replacement, insert the bottom into the groove and apply glue.

The loosened facade is unscrewed, coated with PVA and put in place using new fasteners. Pins, grooves, joints with screws, staples are reinforced with PVA. To update the paint layer, remove the old coating using a solvent or spatula, emery. The surface is degreased, cracks and holes are puttied. To obtain a smooth surface, it is ground, cleaned of dust. Then primed. After drying, the chest of drawers is painted in 2 layers or varnished.

Do-it-yourself guide replacement

The reason for the skew of the drawers and difficulties with the extension (in the case of roller fittings) may be fasteners settling, curvature of the guide half on the chest of drawers, and destruction of the rollers. In the first case, the skids are removed and installed again. Roller guides can withstand weight up to 25 kilograms. If the cause of the curvature is the weight of the box, change the guides. Silicone grease extends the life of rollers in furniture.

Ball guides are designed for weights up to 36 kilograms. If the frame comes off the wheels, they are dismantled, disassembled, cleaned, lubricated. Wooden guides were used in the design of old chests of drawers. Replacement with modern mechanisms is possible if the width of the drawer is 2-2.5 centimeters narrower than the chest of drawers. New guides are installed in their original place, checked for ease of movement and fixation.

Solutions for children's furniture

Children's chests of drawers have their own specifics in terms of materials, design, and safety requirements. If the restored chest of drawers is intended for a children's room, its elements must be made of natural wood. The maximum furniture height is 95 centimeters. For the safety of the child, legs are not used in the structures. The chest of drawers rests on the floor around the entire perimeter. Drawer guides are equipped with reliable latches to prevent them from being pulled out.

The functions of the chest of drawers combine:

• storage of linen and diapers;
• of things;
• toys.

The design of furniture takes into account the age of the child and the purpose of the interior element. The general background of the room for a small child should have a calming effect. The predominant colors are pastel. Growing children are encouraged to be creative with lemon yellow paints. The color of the chest of drawers should take into account the gender of the child. Boys prefer blue-blue, brown, green colors. For girls - pink, combinations of white with red, green, beige.

Decoupage of the facade in the form of a collage of plot pictures from cartoons, favorite fairy tales will decorate the room. Magnetic paint on the dresser is useful for reminding the student of important matters.

Decor Ideas

Ways to restore old furniture is difficult to enumerate. The main areas of decoration are changing colors, finishes, shapes.

Patterns using stencils

Stencil material:

• cardboard;
• vinyl film;
• polyvinyl chloride.

The easiest way to depict your pattern is on cardboard. Working with a thin film, including self-adhesive, requires a certain skill. The stencil pattern can be monochrome or multi-color, flat or three-dimensional. The image is obtained using acrylic paint, putty. The facade is painted with latex paint.

Put the base on the legs

A chest of drawers with legs turns into a decorative element, for example, in the mid century style. Putting the base on thin legs is not an easy task, it requires experience with furniture. Legs can be purchased at the store, made to order or yourself.

Color matching for overall design

The chest of drawers should be in harmony in color with the walls, ceiling, curtains or be in a contrasting shade. It is necessary to take into account the compatibility of colors in order not to get dissonance. For a comfortable feeling, the human eye should not perceive more than 2 primary colors and 5 shades.

Vintage piece of furniture

Antique styling is a fashion trend in the interior. Vintage furniture does not mean fake, but the creation of a unique thing by hand. Stylistic elements should correspond to the period from 1914 to 1990. This chest of drawers has smooth lines, goes well with the interior of a modern apartment.

The main features of a vintage chest of drawers:

• monochrome (blue, Provence style, shades of brown, blue);
• massive support or thin, curly legs;
• antique pens;
• the possibility of using craquelure.

Vintage furniture is suitable for rooms of all kinds.

Highlighting relief parts with contrasting shades

Painting relief details in contrasting colors will emphasize their volume. For example: orange on blue, purple on yellow, red on green.

base color

The design of the room is based on the color scheme of the furniture. The choice of the base color of the restored chest of drawers should be determined by the purpose of the rooms.

The main tone can be:

• warm;
• cold;
• neutral.

Color selection examples:

• children's - pink, turquoise;
• entrance hall - gray, cream;
• living room - blue, burgundy.

A chest of drawers of light colors will be “lost” in a large area, but will be appropriate in a small room, increasing it visually.

Choice of different fittings

Handles are part of the design of the dresser, which is always paid attention to. Replacing accessories will change the style of the chest of drawers, in which nothing else can be changed.

Experiments with drawing

The chest of drawers is painted in a single color. The finished sketch is transferred to the facade, painted with acrylic paint.

Use of curtains

The use of material will change the texture of the dresser. The fabric is glued or upholstered in one piece, covering the sides and the tabletop, or in parts. Fixing material - wallpaper glue, PVA, furniture stapler. Lacquer is applied to protect the surface.

Remains of old wallpaper

The segments are glued to a wooden base (not to varnish and enamel), varnished, for vinyl this is not necessary. The tabletop, sidewalls, panels are painted to match one of the elements of the wallpaper ornament.

Floral print

Floral and floral motifs on the furniture will "enliven" the interior. They will make the room more comfortable, more picturesque. Depending on the purpose of the dresser, it can be large, bright flowers or a small ornament.

Lace

Old lace capes, curtains are used as a stencil. A canvas is applied to the prepared surface (all or a fragment) and a paint is sprayed that matches the main tone. The lace is removed, the ornament is allowed to dry. Put the hardware in place.

Lacquered chest of drawers

Furniture varnish has different shades, which can be used to decorate chest of drawers.

Commemorative inscriptions

With the help of a cardboard stencil, any inscriptions are made on one or all drawers of the facade, countertop.

trailer

The chest of drawers, painted as a stylized trailer, looks original.

Painted toys as handles

Soft children's toys (whole or parts thereof) can be used as handles for a children's chest of drawers.

Ombre style

The transition from a light shade to a dark one (and vice versa) on a chest of drawers can be smooth or contrasting. With a smooth change in tones, 2 colors are used: white and any other of your choice. Depending on the number of transitions, containers are used for mixing paints. The concentration of the base component changes smoothly, in the same proportion. For example: 50 milliliters, 100 milliliters, 150 milliliters. Contrasting ombre is a four-color option. For example, from rich turquoise to light turquoise and light raspberry to raspberry.

Coloring must be done in two layers, observing the original ratio when mixing paints.

Wooden plank for cladding

Replacing boxes with baskets

If you want to have a chest of drawers in a rustic style, baskets are inserted instead of drawers. Products must be from natural raw materials, of the same type, of the same color.

Maps of different countries of the world

Unusually looks like furniture pasted over with cards. Such a surface does not require additional protection due to the laminated layer.

Magnetic paint

Magnetic paint is applied to the entire facade of the chest of drawers or part of it in 2-3 layers (after the previous one has dried). Covered with acrylic paint. Furniture acquires the properties to hold magnets, which is used for decoration.

Newspapers

Newspaper sheets are pasted over the drawers / doors of the chest of drawers, varnished.

Gift wrap

Wrapping paper has a variety of textures:

• silk;
• varnish;
• polymer;
• wrapping.

Festive packaging can be monophonic and multi-colored. For decoration of gifts, ribbons made of textiles, polypropylene are used. Using this high-quality material, you can create applications, accentuate the relief parts of the chest of drawers.

Optical illusion

An optical illusion is achieved through the play of colors and shades, asymmetrical lines, geometric shapes, and the use of mirror reflection. So, for example, painting the surface of all parts in black and white triangles transforms furniture.

Carnations with caps

From furniture carnations with caps, you can make any ornament, drawing on the facade of the chest of drawers. Hats can be decorated with leather, gold, silver plating. Using nails of the same type or different in shape, the decoration of the facade of the furniture is obtained.

Cross Stitch Effects

A pattern imitating embroidery is applied to the surface of the chest of drawers. To obtain it, a stencil and an aerosol of a darker color than the base one are used. You can decorate in this way the facade of one drawer or the entire front panel.

Stylization

Styling an old chest of drawers involves restoration using a certain color, accessories. For example, rustic style is a bright floral print with rope handles. Restoring furniture in the Provence style means using only natural materials: wood, textiles, metal, wax, baskets. The color range of products is pale blue, blue, white. Additional techniques: aging, decoupage.

foil coating

Aluminum self-adhesive foil will create the illusion of a mirrored facade near the chest of drawers. Decorating convex parts with silver, gold, bronze material will create the illusion of an expensive product. To repeat the relief, hot glue is used as a substrate.

Scribble

Hand-painted on a white background looks no less fresh than other design ideas. The letters are applied with black acrylic paint on a chest of drawers and varnished.

Brass brackets and handles

The use of this type of fittings requires a dark solid color chest of drawers to emphasize its elegance.

The handle in the form of a bracket can have:

• straight;
• rounded;
• curved corners (in the form of an arc, the letter P).

Handles are convenient, universal, reliable. The ductility of brass makes it possible to produce railing, button, and shell molds.

colored texture

Blooming chest of drawers pleases the eye with bright colors. To obtain an image, decoupage, a stencil are used.

Numbers as handles

Metal numbers of houses and apartments successfully replace traditional fittings on furniture drawers and doors.

Inner surface of drawers

Painting the inner surface of the drawers with a contrasting paint will give the furniture an exclusive look. Color compatibility: cold light ones do not harmonize with dark warm ones and vice versa.

family photo

The image is glued with the front side on the surface (on varnish, decoupage glue). After drying, the paper layer is wetted with water and removed. The resulting print on the chest of drawers is varnished or waxed.

Facing with old rulers

School rulers cover the entire surface of the chest of drawers, combining their location.

Blackboard paint

After drying, the slate paint forms an even matte finish on the surface of the chest of drawers, as an element of decor.

Old suitcases instead of boxes

Suitcases on the shelves of the chest of drawers - a solution to the problem of decor and storage. The main requirement is a match in width and depth of the chest of drawers.

PVC pipes

Rings cut from plastic pipes decorate the entire facade of furniture. The use of this method requires the installation of pads around the perimeter of the boxes. The main tone of the furniture may match, be darker than the color of the rings.

Dresser decoupage is an easy way to breathe new life into your furniture.

If your chest of drawers is cracked, old or just tired of you - do not rush to throw it away, because it is quite possible to turn it into a new one without spending a lot of money.

This can be done with the help of decoupage - an unusual furniture design technique that came to us from France and quickly fell in love in Russia.

In the article, you will learn how to restore furniture in a similar way, and also get a master class on decoupage chest of drawers.

Photos, videos and instructions will help you cope with this work and give new life to your old things.

The decoupage technique consists in covering furniture and other household items with colored paper, pictures, as well as additional effects such as coloring, gold plating, etc.

The decoupage technique became most famous in the 17-18 centuries: with its help, merchants faked Chinese furniture that was fashionable at that time by covering ordinary furniture with additional elements and decorations.

Such a product was to the taste of the poor segments of the population who could not afford real furniture.

Initially, this technique spread throughout Europe under the name "art of the poor", but soon more affluent segments of the population were carried away by it, and soon it reached the court of King Louis XV.

In addition to pasting furniture, decoupage is also common on other items of everyday life: clothes were often decorated with the help of decoupage, for example, ladies' hats, plates, caskets, mirrors, etc.

Over the years, decoupage has not lost its relevance, but, on the contrary, has entered the same row with other professional occupations - for example, such great artists of the 20th century as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso used this technique in their works.

Today, decoupage is available to everyone who loves creativity.

The big plus of this technique is that you do not need any expensive tools - just imagination and improvised blanks, such as old magazines, stickers or pictures, which can be purchased inexpensively in specialized stores.

In the photo you can see what the decoupage technique looks like - in fact, it is just furniture and household items pasted over with pictures and varnished.

Naturally, in order for the result to look attractive, and not hit and miss, you need a concept for the future creation.

You can use ready-made ideas - for example, decorate your chosen item in the popular Provence style.

To do decoupage, you will need pictures that you can find in magazines, newspapers, books, sticker albums, wrapping paper, postcards, photographs, etc.

To cut them, you will need scissors or a razor, and to stick them, you need PVA glue or special decoupage glue.

To remove the glue, you will need a rag or sponge, and to finish the job, the glued pictures need to be varnished or acrylic and polyurethane spray.

As you can see, this technique does not require large expenses.

Decoupage can be used to decorate literally any item, and it will be of interest to both adults and children who can use it to decorate their notebooks, diaries, shelves or tables in the room.

However, when it comes to furniture, decoupage should be approached with great responsibility, because this item will be in your house for more than one year.

Decoupage of furniture is not such an easy task, and below you will receive instructions on how to deal with it so that the chest of drawers is really pleasing to the eye.

How to restore a chest of drawers using decoupage?

Before you start decoupage of a chest of drawers, you need to decide how you want to see it in the end, as well as choose a coating technique. One of the simplest techniques is decorating with paper.

Such a restoration of a chest of drawers with your own hands is suitable for those who do not have much experience in furniture finishing, because. it is quite simple, but at the same time it looks attractive and original.

The design of a chest of drawers depends on its location and the general interior, for example, with a strict monophonic design of the cabinet, a chest of drawers can be decorated using ordinary newspapers, but for a children's room it is better to choose something more interesting and bright.

If the room is decorated in a certain style, for example, Provence, then it makes sense to make a chest of drawers in a similar way so that it does not stand out from the general style.

Before you get started, watch the mini-master class. Decoupage takes place in several stages.

The first step is to wash and dry the surface of the furniture and remove the drawers and shelves that are inside. If the chest of drawers is uneven, then you can process it with sandpaper.

Now you can start painting. You can paint the chest of drawers completely or partially, depending on your idea.

Then, after drying, the painted parts are treated with sandpaper and the next layer of paint.

Now comes the decoupage itself. Take the mini blanks you made (newspapers, magazines, etc.) and cut out the images, and then place them on a surface pre-lubricated with glue.

The paper can be smoothed out with a roller or just by hand. Then you can apply paint along the outline of the picture, if you want, you can varnish the chest of drawers.

Wait a while and you can collect the chest of drawers.

Decoupage with cloth

As you can see, the first mini-master class is quite simple. It will be a little more difficult to arrange a chest of drawers with a cloth. In terms of material costs, it will not be more expensive - most likely, there is an abundance of old fabric in your home.

Usually, not the entire chest of drawers is decorated with this technique, but only drawers, but you can try another way by looking at the design options in the photo.

This mini-master class begins similarly to the previous one - first you need to wash and disassemble the chest of drawers.

Before gluing the fabric, you need to make mini-blanks - that is, patterns with a suitable pattern, while they should be a few centimeters wider than the front of the box.

You can buy ready-made patterns, or choose an example from a photo, or come up with a pattern yourself.

When the fabric is ready, coat the outside of the drawer with glue and attach the fabric, and then smooth it from the middle so that it is even.

It is better to attach the fabric folded inside the box with a stapler so that it holds better. After the glue has set, you can assemble the chest of drawers.

The most difficult thing in this method is to make patterns. A mini-master class on video will help you with this.

It is best to choose a fabric that matches the tone of the interior, or in some interesting and popular style, such as Provence.

Luxurious decoupage option

The following mini-master class will help you make a dresser in a truly luxurious style and turn it into the main addition to the interior.

To do this, you will need some blanks: pasting paper - it is better to buy ready-made, as well as additional decorative elements - for example, paints and gold leaf.

After preparing the chest of drawers, you need to paint all the details, and then apply the ornament of your choice to the doors.

The pattern can be applied according to the finished pattern, or see a master class on decorating a chest of drawers in a bohemian style.

Cover the finished ornament with gold leaf or other material of your choice, and close the facades of the boxes with baguette frames.

Then the entire surface must be varnished, and you can assemble the chest of drawers.

If you don’t want to decorate a chest of drawers in a too pompous style, then you can choose something lighter and more modern, for example, Provence, hi-tech, etc.

Dresser aging

The last mini-master class is devoted to how to artificially age a chest of drawers. You can do this in addition to the selected style, or choose this design option as the original and only one.

As in other cases, you need to completely disassemble the chest of drawers and process all its parts with sandpaper. Then wipe the surface with a sponge or cloth.

Paint the furniture and wait until it dries a little, and then you can start "aging".

To do this, you will need some ideas and blanks of tools - candles, a scraper or a skin will do.

With a scraper, you can create artificial damage on the surface, and rub some fragments of the surface with a candle.

You can apply other options for "aging" by looking at a master class or a photo with decoupage. Then you need to fix the blanks with an additional layer of paint.

Re-treat the chest of drawers with a sponge - where the paraffin has been applied, the paint will come off easily, and you will get the effect of aging.

If you want, you can also add decoupage to the resulting design using paper or ornament. After everything is ready, varnish the surface and you can assemble the chest of drawers.

This style is considered “rustic”, but it will also fit perfectly into a city dwelling if your apartment is decorated in country or Provence style.

Thus, with the help of decoupage, any restoration of the chest of drawers can be carried out.

To do this, you only need to make inexpensive blanks that will make up the drawing, choose a design style (Provence, Art Deco, hi-tech, etc.) and put a little imagination and effort - then you can restore the old chest of drawers so that it will turn out no worse than a new one.

Many hobbyists transform old things, breathing new life into them. Having spent a little money and personal time, you can restore the chest of drawers yourself, making it more modern and suitable for the interior of the room.

We will tell you how you can do it yourself.

Materials and tools

Before carrying out restoration work at home, you should prepare the necessary tools. In this case, the process will be faster.

Materials and tools that will be needed for work.

• Sandpaper, it is better to use fine-grained.
• Sander.
• Paint brushes or roller.
• Paint and tray.
• Putty for woodworking.
• Applications and stickers (in case of additional decoration).
• PVA glue.

Reference. The list may vary depending on personal preferences for furniture restoration.

Preparing the chest of drawers for restoration

The final result directly depends on the preparatory process. The chest of drawers that we are restoring should be thoroughly prepared for the transformation. This will speed up the restoration process and help prolong the life of the product.

• First of all, it should empty all boxes from other things and objects. Old handles and fasteners must be unscrewed. If desired, they can be left, treated with paint to obtain a new, more attractive color.
• The surfaces of the dresser are thoroughly wiped from dust and dirt.. To do this, use a special detergent for cleaning wooden furniture.
• If the boxes are decorated with carved elements, dust can accumulate in openings and cuts. For a more thorough cleaning, you can use a toothbrush..

Advice. It is better to refuse modern alkaline cleaners. This may damage the dresser's finish. For cleaning, a solution with laundry soap is suitable.

• Using a grinder, we process the surface of the chest of drawers, carefully removing the old coating. In hard-to-reach places we connect sandpaper to work.
• If the fasteners are loose, they can be unscrewed and treated with PVA glue for reliable fixation. Rails for moving boxes can also be changed to modern skids.
• The surface of the furniture is treated with the first layer of primer. Leave for at least 12 hours until completely dry. After that put on a second layer, leave for another 12 hours. Work in this case should be carried out on the street or in a well-ventilated area.

Important! The drying time of the primer can be up to 24 hours. It depends on the composition chosen. The necessary information is indicated on the package.

Preparatory work is a rather long and laborious task. For a high-quality and effective result, all points should be performed in turn. Otherwise, the process will not have the desired result and will be in vain.

Restoration options

In order to return the furniture to an attractive and bright appearance, there are several methods.

Coloring

The most popular type of restoration is staining. Painting work is the easiest way to change the image of furniture. The new paint will help refresh the chest of drawers and harmoniously fit it into the interior of a bedroom or living room.

The chest of drawers can be painted in a different color, use several combinations, apply bright drawings of a different shade on top of the main paint.

Important! All work is carried out exclusively outdoors.

Operating procedure

Before painting, it is necessary to clean the surface of the chest of drawers from the old coating. Here you can use acetone or a special cleaner. Using a brush, apply the cleaner to the surface. Experienced craftsmen use cling film, which covers the surface for 5-10 minutes. In conditions of interruption of air supply cleaner or acetone works much faster.

Important! When working, do not forget about a respirator and gloves to avoid injury.

After the required time, remove the film. After such “preservation”, the paint easily moves away from the tree. In hard-to-reach places, you can use a spatula or a brush dipped in acetone.

At the second stage, it is necessary to prepare the chest of drawers for staining.. For this we use grinding machine. With it, it is easy to remove the remnants of the old coating and level all surfaces. In hard-to-reach places, use fine-grained sandpaper. After grinding, we process the chest of drawers with putty.

After preparation, you can proceed directly to staining. Pour the paint into the tray, a small roller or brush is suitable for work (optional). We process the surface with paint, let it dry. It is recommended to apply two coats of paint for a more saturated shade.. The result is fixed by varnish processing. The inner surface of the drawers can be finished in white or beige.

Aging

Now furniture made using the “aging” technique is very popular. If desired, a painted chest of drawers can be decorated using the technique of imitation of antiquity.

After processing, the paint in some places is erased with sandpaper. When the desired result is achieved, the surfaces are covered with wax. You can use a regular candle. The dresser is ready. It will become the main decoration of the room and will attract the attention of every guest.

Additional decoration

Decoupage technique is also not inferior to positions. With its help, you can achieve a complete renovation of furniture.

In this case additional elements are used for decoration. These can be applications, stickers, logos of various brands or popular music artists. Drawings and applications are chosen at will.

Also as decoration you can also use colored paper collages, newspaper and magazine clippings or photos.

Many craftsmen also use unnecessary rolls of wallpaper, lace or scraps of fabric. When decorating with additional fittings, you can fully reveal and show your imagination.

After the preparatory process and staining, you can proceed to the design of fittings.

• Cut out the embellishments, roughly position their position on the surface of the chest of drawers.
• Wrong side of pictures processed with PVA glue, we do a similar action with a chest of drawers.
• We place the drawings on the surface, let dry.
• In order for the fittings to look more natural, it is necessary to remove the gluing edges as much as possible. To do this, you can lightly rub the surface with sandpaper.
• Large items look harmonious on drawers, on the sides or on the top shelf. Small details can decorate the corners.

Repair work

Antique pieces of furniture need more than just a refresh. To upgrade, you will need to perform various repairs.

Restoration of fixtures and fittings will positively affect the appearance and significantly extend the period of use.

Another option is alteration. The chest of drawers can be converted with a few auxiliary rails, drawers can be converted. With this approach, the product undergoes a thorough transformation, radically changing its appearance.

Antique knobs, provided they are tightly fitted and undamaged, could be updated a little. This will require only bright paint. Gold or silver look especially impressive. After staining, carefully process the handles with paint using a thin brush.

For more comfortable use, replace old rails with new ones. We remove the old skids, mark the location of the new ones. Using screws and a screwdriver, we fix the skids on the surface of the boxes.

Helpful Hints

• When repairing and restoring you must first change the fasteners, and then proceed to the design of the appearance.
• Removal of the old coating in the preparatory process is necessary. If this point is ignored, the restoration process may be in vain.
• Don't Forget Protective Measures. Work in the fresh air, gloves, a respirator will help protect against serious harm to health.
• Apply primer, paint or varnish only after the previous layer has dried.. Otherwise, stains or cracks may appear. Then the work will have to start over.

A small but roomy chest of drawers has become an integral part of the design of any room. However, many products do not have an attractive appearance or price. In this case, you can apply a little skill and restore the old chest of drawers. Such a piece of furniture will stand out for its uniqueness and originality.

We continue to fill the piggy bank of ideas for updating the chest of drawers so that it becomes a spectacular decoration for any room in your home. In we showed different options for using this small piece of furniture, and also offered 3 thematic plots for updating a dresser that does not suit you in appearance, + about 40 ideas in pictures.

And here we have put together practical guides, thanks to which, in just a few simple steps, you can update your chest of drawers with your own hands.

According to the materials and techniques used, they can be divided into several parts:

• methods 1 and 2 can be implemented from the remnants of wallpaper or fabric;

• for 3 and 4 you will need stickers or stencils;

• method 5 is possible using different materials (paint, fabric, wallpaper);

• 6, 7, 8 - how to give the chest of drawers an "aged" look and add original handles in the colonial style;

• method 9 - another small contribution to upgrade options;

• guide-10 is a solution for lovers of sophisticated style with a budget imitation of luxurious “mirror” facades (plain food foil is used).

You will see each guide in pictures. A large photo is the result of creativity. The first of the small ones is the “original view” of the chest of drawers + materials and tools. The rest are incremental steps.

Find among our ideas the one that will allow you to turn your standard (or just old) chest of drawers into a unique designer piece. Enjoy your creativity and excellent results!

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 1: SUMMER MEADOW

This chest of drawers in the style of "summer meadow" will look especially good against a smooth wall and next to a vintage armchair.

You will need:

• remnants of floral wallpaper with a large pattern or a couple of large sheets of wrapping paper (not foil!);
• furniture handles to match - made of glass or acrylic;
• pencil, ruler, scissors (cutter), transparent or white PVA glue.

Cut out the wallpaper with an allowance of about 5-10 cm, then glue it on the fronts of the drawers, carefully tucking the edges on the inner surface. Smooth the wallpaper with a dry cloth to avoid "wrinkles" and "air bubbles". For practicality, after the glue has completely dried, you can cover the surface with a thin layer of transparent acrylic varnish.

After the facades are ready, find a hole for the handles on the inside and carefully cut through the coating from the outside. If the handles are fundamentally different, drill new holes. This technique can also be used for linen or calico.

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 2: JAPANESE MOTIVES

The Japanese-inspired theme would therefore look great paired with a matching Japanese-themed poster or fan.

The technology is almost identical to the previous one, but it is recommended for a wooden chest of drawers that can be painted. So, in addition to the materials described above, you will also need paint (translucent glaze) for wood to match the main surface of the wallpaper + a flat brush.

All surfaces of the chest of drawers, with the exception of those that are covered with wallpaper, must be painted. After the paint has dried, go through all the steps described in method No. 1.

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 3: CAFE-SHANTAN

The chest of drawers updated in this way will perfectly decorate a laconic interior.

You will need:

• stencils with letters folded into words, chopped font (in the photo they are made manually using drawing tools and special paper), light and dark paint for wood and brushes (wide - for painting a chest of drawers and short hard - for drawing) - if the chest of drawers is wooden ;
• stickers from an advertising vinyl film, contrasting with the background - if the chest of drawers is made of MDF or chipboard.

If you need to paint the chest of drawers, make a "glaze": mix the paint with a little water and lightly remove the paint from the brush, cover the entire surface of the chest of drawers. You should get a slightly vintage (uneven) effect.

After the main surface of the chest of drawers has completely dried, paint over the letters according to the stencil, dipping the tip of the brush into the paint. Then go over lightly with sandpaper to get a vintage effect.

If the chest of drawers is made of composites, just place stickers on it without removing the “middle” letters from the part. Smooth the stickers with a cloth to avoid "air bubbles". If you manage to purchase special mounting paper with markings, things will go much faster.

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 4: FOLK GLAMOR

This method is similar to the previous one, but a different style is chosen. Delicate "romantic tones" of paints and stickers + a little bit of humor will help to create such an original chest of drawers for a nursery or a girl's room.

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 5: SPRING GARDEN

A light eco-style story is created by a composition of an updated chest of drawers and a canvas stretched over a frame (similar frames are sold at Ikea).

You will need:

• cotton fabric with a large pattern in natural colors;
• very sharp fabric cutter, scissors, glue, acrylic lacquer, hammer, small nails.

You need to cut out the elements of the pattern from a piece of fabric and stick them on the chest of drawers. From above, the drawing is varnished for practical reasons. Stretch a large piece of the same fabric over the frame and attach with carnations.

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 6: SPANISH CLASSIC

Another composition of several items. This time - large-scale and luxurious. The "trio" includes a wooden chest of drawers, a chair and a mirror in a wooden frame.

Details - in the special issue "" (master class No. 2)

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 7: SEA WOLF

Sometimes you want something completely different. This chest of drawers in a colonial style will look especially impressive surrounded by "trophies" from long-distance (or just sea) travels. We use a wooden chest of drawers, even a very old one.

You will need:

• white and light gray paint for wood,
• brushes, wire mesh, sandpaper;
• a piece of real thick rope (2-3 cm in diameter);
• natural wax for finishing.

Get a wood paint that doesn't dry too quickly, and coat every piece of furniture. Alternate strokes of white and gray paint, and then create a more uneven look by sanding with twisted wire mesh.

After complete drying, go over all surfaces with transparent wax or first with mother-of-pearl glaze, and then with wax.

Remove the varnish from the old wooden handles and paint with the same paint as the chest of drawers. Tie the rope with a "nautical" knot and thread the handle through it so as to hide it almost completely. Return the updated handle to its original place. Top coat with natural wax.

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how to update a chest of drawers, method number 8: FRENCH BOUDOIR

This is a variation on technique #7, but the chest of drawers becomes an old-fashioned bathroom vanity. In addition to the chest of drawers, a mirror and a bowl of an overhead sink are involved in the creation of this item.

See more in the special issue "" (master class No. 3)