Category: Home

I briefly looked at furniture and found out really quick how pricey it can be. Instead of spending tons of money on a new dresser, I decided to take an old dresser and spruce it up a bit. The dresser was already white; however, it was an off-white and looking pretty yellow and dingy in spots. I decided to paint it a bright white that had more of a matte look and switch out the hardware to give it more of a modern look. While I am by no means a pro, I thought I’d share what I used and the steps I took for this little DIY project.

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Remove Hardware & Clean

It seems simple, but don’t forget to start with the basics. Remove the hardware that’s on it and wipe the piece of furniture down. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but make sure there is no dust or anything on it.

Sanding

I didn’t spend a ton of time on this part. I took a couple of the sanding sheets below and quickly sanded down the furniture. Again, I’m not a pro and kinda just went with the flow and did my own thing. I basically just sanded it enough to get the soft/glossy feel off and make the furniture a little more rough to help the new paint stick better.

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Priming

In my opinion, priming is a necessity. I just did one coat of the primer and rolled the primer on the dressers. I wasn’t as worried about getting the primer in every little crack, but I did want the whole dresser covered. I will say that they had this primer at Lowe’s, but I only saw it available in a gallon for around $24. I knew I didn’t need that much, so I ordered this smaller one on Amazon for around $9. After I finished priming, I let it dry for 1 hour.

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Painting

I thought picking out paint was as simple as going in Lowe’s, picking out a color, and that’s that. Little did I know, there are many factors that go into paint. I’m going to share pictures of the one I got incase you want all the details. Let me start by mentioning that I’ve painted furniture before, but these dressers were boogers to paint! There were so many cracks and details that you really had to get the paint into. I took the small, angled brush shown below and started with the small details on each side. Then, I’d go in with a roller and even everything out. Again, I’m no pro but this worked for me. I painted one coat, let it dry, then painted another coat.

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Hardware

In my opinion, this is key to making a difference! I knew I wanted gold hardware that looked a little more modern. I found a 15 pack on Amazon for under $25. It’s important to note before ordering or buying hardware how many holes and/or the distance between the holes. Both dressers of mine required single hole knobs. The pack I ordered came with two different size screws and both were too long. Thankfully, I was able to use the screws that came with my dresser and they worked great! Make sure the dressers are completely dry before adding the hardware.

As simple as that, you have a dresser that looks like new and you’ve saved lots of money! I spent well under $100 on this project and many dressers that look similar online are well over $2,000. I do recommend checking Amazon for primer and brushes before you buy from Lowe’s or elsewhere. They seemed to be a little cheaper on Amazon, so I ordered most everything from there. I will link everything I ordered here. I will share before & after photos below and some pictures that you can really see the color difference. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out!

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Ahh, my favorite time of the year! If you know me, you know I love the Christmas season and celebrating the real reason. Christmas is my favorite time of the year and decorating for the holiday is no different!

Do you struggle filling in the empty gaps or adding character to your tree? Is the perfect amount of chaos a thing? That’s what I think about when thinking of tree decor. I’m sharing my top 3 tips when it comes to decorating a Christmas tree!

1. Add 3 Different Ribbons

In my opinion, this is key to making your tree look full! It’s a way to give your tree life and not make it look so bland. I find that using wire ribbon works best. I like mixing up the ribbons. I start with a ribbon with more texture. I used the burlap mesh ribbon first. I then went in with a ribbon with a little sparkle. I finished with a ribbon in the main print and look I’m going for. I add that ribbon last that way if the ribbons overlap in any spots, the main ribbon will be the one overlapping and not more hidden under the others.

I have no rhyme or reason for how I put the ribbon on the tree, so I’m going to try to explain it the best I can. I don’t start at the top and wrap the ribbon in a circle around and down the tree. I start in a random spot and will tuck the ribbon on a branch towards the back of the middle of the tree. I will then take the ribbon in whatever direction I think will look best…could be horizontal, vertical or diagonal. I take approximately 2″-4″ of ribbon in one direction, tuck, and then go in another direction. I do this with all 3 ribbons.

2. Add Small & Large Picks

This helps give dimension and texture to your tree. I love adding large picks to the top of my tree to make it look more full of life and give it a little bit chaos. I went with a couple different types of large picks. I added a couple flocked picks with berries for a classic look and a couple crazy picks for character. It’s ok to have some picks sticking out and not super tight and hidden. I like adding little picks throughout the tree. I choose one look for the small ones and stick with it. I went with the little red berries to add a little pop of color.

3. Choose a Color Theme & Add Character

I love neutral colors so I went with white and black and added in pops of burlap, gold, glitter and red. If you know me, you know my favorite accessory is hats and I love gingham print. I created my tree around those 2 things. I started with finding the tree topper and ribbon. I found a couple of gingham hat ornaments and added in some little leopard print owls. I just bought a variety pack of neutral ornaments and added those in last. I think the key is finding something connected to you or your family and incorporating those into your tree theme.

I love being able to look at a tree and see someone’s personality and style through their decor. By no means do I know everything about decorating a Christmas tree or claim to. But I hope this helps you add some character and life to your tree if you need it.

While I love decorating for Christmas and everything about it. I love celebrating the real reason for the season more!

Please tag me if you incorporate any of these tips into your tree decorating! I love seeing everyone’s decor! I have linked everything I can and/or similar items here. 

You can follow me on the LIKEtoKNOW.it app to shop all my daily looks and home decor at liketoknow.it/sara.baker!