When you’re out shopping do you sometimes buy two of something simply because it’s a good deal? I do! Especially when it comes to furniture. A local seller was offering two chests of drawers that were relatively the same size, but differed in appearance. This one below is my subject for today’s makeover. I’m going to show you how I not only repair this piece, but turn it into an industrial chest of drawers.
This particular dresser was looking like it was embarrassed. It seemed like it was red in the face. When JC brought it home I wasn’t exactly thrilled to see it as the owner didn’t describe it well. First, there was a huge hole in the top that had been repaired and was the repair was shrinking. And it was among friends with nicks and dings all over.
DAMAGE
Then, there was the issue of the top being entirely too short – like ¾” too short from the back. Not to mention the finish was just awful. I’m assuming the gap was from a mirror, but also could have been a decorative piece that had gone missing. I couldn’t really tell because the back panel showed no signs of hardware holes as it had been replaced, nor did it have any holes in the back top.
DIY TIME
What’s a girl to do about that? I could replace the top, however, I felt it was much easier to just fill that gap with a decorative piece. We did the same to the chest of drawers we installed in our bathroom as a vanity. It serves as our backsplash and works awesome.
Okay, so to get this looking like an industrial chest of drawers, I grabbed a hardwood board from my stash and cut it to length with my miter saw. Then, I sketched out my design and traced it onto the board. The best way to get the design is measure to find center, create a template exactly half the size, then trace it on both ends of the board flipping it at center. That allows you to replicate your design exactly on both sides.
Once traced, I cut out my piece with my jig saw, then added pocket holes with my Kreg pocket hole jig. Remember my motto: #toolsoverjewels !! {{happy dance}}
Then, for the cosmetic wear, I simply used wood filler to fill all the dings then sanded smooth with my sander.
I even decided to replace those knobs with new pulls, so I filled the holes and sanded those too. Next, I lightly sand everything down.
TOYS
Enter in a new toy, ahem…tool. I have long since wanted one of these cabinet hardware jigs to save my brain from becoming crazy trying to not only get measurements placed evenly, but level. Check it out….this thing allows me to set the measurements for pulls (or knobs), set it in place and then drill. How stinkin’ cool is that?!
This is when I begin to sing, “I love my tools, I love my tools! O how they make life easy.” (to the tune of O Christmas tree). Yes, I do love to sing when working. tsk. Doesn’t everyone?
No more drill bit slipping and I can know they will be level.
FIX ‘ER UP
I left the drawer fronts as they were. Then, I applied a black wax to the fronts. Brush the wax on and rub off with a soft cloth.
In order for that decorative piece I added to match, it needed to peek a stain out from under paint. Next, I apply a cherry stain that is similar to the current color.
Finally, I use two coats of a flat black paint.
THE REVEAL
After two coats of paint letting them cure in between, then topping off with wax, my rustic industrial chest is ready to go. It’s a far cry from the before, isn’t it?
That top, back piece I added really sets it off nicely and I’m glad I gave it a try. The bin pulls are extras I had from using in my kitchen remodel, they fit this piece perfectly. If you look close, I even added a couple of escutcheons to make it look like it has skeleton key holes. The metal accents I added match the original steel casters. I have a thing for casters…mmm….
I have this set up in my boys’ bedroom again our faux brick wallpaper we installed a few years ago. Isn’t it cool? You can see our room makeover in this post.
TRASHURE
The Tin Lizzie embroidery was a piece I scored off the curb on trash day along with some other prints I wrote about in this blog post here. I just love it! I found the velocipede at a thrift store and painted black. Gotta love thrift stores, right?
And just for fun, I lined the drawers with a paper. Who doesn’t love to peek at pretty things even on the inside too? I know I do.
Like most of my project pieces, this industrial chest of drawers is now available in my online store. We ship most anywhere, and the best part is our costs are half of most and we can ship more than one piece of furniture for the same price.
SHARE
Also, pin and share this industrial chest makeover to encourage others to give DIY a try. We can make our house our home for so much less.
Up next, I’m taking this old barn screen and turning into fabulous farmhouse decor. See the after HERE.
Likewise, stay updated and be sure to sign up for my newsletter. Until next time!
In addition, more projects like my industrial chest of drawers:
Oh yes!! Tools over jewels! 🙂 Love this piece and your new tool! You are helping me talk myself into a Kreg setup. 🙂
Beautiful makeover Larissa, truly gorgeous. I know it will sell fast.
hahaha!! That’s so cool, Christina! I need more of their stuff. Thanks for the love. 🙂
I need to repaint a small roll out pantry I built to hold canned goods. Lots of small crevices!
Sounds good!
Love what you did with this piece. I love seeing things come back to life!
I was delighted how it all came together so quickly and as I envisioned it. I’m so glad you like it!
I just love the look of this dresser, you really give an old piece new life. I love your work and your creativity. It’s so inspiring. Thank you!!!!!
Wahoo!! You made me smile from ear to ear, Nancy. Thank you!
Oh, these are both beautiful but I LOVE your re-do of the Red Baron. I sig while I work and I name furniture, too. lol I love all things Kreg although I don’t own any of their products yet…I am registered for a workshop on using the Jig in January and I am so excited! lol And, I used the AMAZING Zibra brushes that I bought through your shop to redo my dining room table and I now know why you sing their praises! I used the round brush on the table legs and it was so amazing and the 2″ angles brush for the skirt fir into my hand like it was custom made for me. Wonderful!
Ha! Love it…Red Baron. 😀 That workshop sounds wonderful! I think you’ll have a blast and that’s awesome that you can go to a workshop. Even better to hear about your experience with the Zibra brushes I adore. I’d love to have your review on them in my shop: leave review here Thanks!
Thank you for this giveaway opportunity.
Once the weather warms I would like to paint my dining room hutch
I hear ya on the warming up part. 😉
I just love the look of this dresser, you really give an old piece new life. I love your work and your creativity. It’s so inspiring. Thank you!!!!!
Hugs to you, Nancy! Thank you for the love.
You seem to know just what a piece wants to be and then “dress it up” (stage) so perfectly for its photo. Love this! (And love that you used the word velocipede!) My next painting venture (that I hope to break in and new set of Zibra brushes on) is a decorative shelf to go under the bathroom vanity mirror.
It’s fun to recreate and make something new from old. Yes, love that word…isn’t it crazy!! Hugs to you, Paula. {{hugs}}
I love cavair I could paint it on everything!
That sounds so funny, but makes perfect sense! hahaha… Awesome!
Another beauty!!
Thanks!
I have some chairs I would like to paint!
Sounds like fun!
Beautiful makeover.
Thank you, Pat.
Once again you have turned a drab piece into a fab piece! Thanks for sharing your talent with us.
This one was a fun challenge. Thanks so much!
Wonderful makeover. Your staging is superb! I love the brick wall and would never have guessed it’s secret 😉
Faux for the win!! 😀 hahaha… Thanks so much, Rebecca.
Wow, love that look and the colors you chose. Nice job of adding that little piece above the chest – great way to try your new toy, too !
Awesome to hear, Dodie! Thank you.
Love both of he chests. Would love to win the Zibra brushes, you make them look so easy to use. I would paint my foot stool first.
Thanks! You will love them, Dianne.
Great work! I have sideboard that’s missing its back piece, thanks for the inspiration to make my own!
Yay! That’s what it’s all about!
Beautiful piece. I agree with Rebecca. Your staging is perfect–it really enhances your pieces.
I’m so happy to hear it. Thank you, Denise. Fun to stage.
Larissa I love what you did to this piece! It’s nice to see the wood instead of painting over everything. I know that not all pieces are in good enough shape to be able to do that, but this one was perfect!
Thank you for making my day, Beth. 😀
Wow this turned out gorgeous!
Fantastic to hear! Thank you.
Love how you made these repairs look so easy! Really nice piece of furniture.
I was so stoked it took only about 30 minutes to cut and install that new piece. I had to run in and tell my kids since I was flying around trying to get it done. So fun!
That turned out great! Love the bin pulls on it. It just makes my heart happy you take ugly furniture and make it all pretty again. Thanks for all the inspiration!
I do believe you just made my day! Thank you, Cecilia.
Another gorgeous piece. Love your staging!
Thank you, Debra! Fun to get to play. 😉
What a difference you made. I love all of it. You head is so filled with wonderful ideas.
You’re so sweet to me, Jolinda. Thank you!
I love Kreg stuff and I am definitely going to have to look for that hardware jig. Great job on the dresser!
I have a few more jigs on my wish list…soon!!
I love industrial and your chest of drawers turned out great. Also love the bin style pulls! And I LOVE the Zibra brushes too! I even won one!
They are the best, aren’t they, Sue?! 😀
The piece is beautiful. Thanks for the tip of creating the back part of the dresser top.
You bet! Fun to share different hacks.
Love the new color and the drawer pulls! Yes, Jewelsovertools! And I enjoyed the little video on the side showing a quick look at the fire pit redo!
You got it, baby! 😀 So glad you like our video. We love that space.
The piece is beautiful.
Thank you, Bobye!
This piece looks beautiful now. Great job, as always. What a transformation! I put casters on everything, too.
A kindred spirit! Thanks!
My bathroom door needs to be painted and I have been planning something special too, perhaps a mural of some kind.
I like the paints you used for your chest of drawers.
That would be fun!
LOVE this look! Gorgeous! I’m wanting a couple different jigs at this point.
You and me both. Got my brushes I love, need more jigs.
I’d love to do a Vulcan mind-meld with you to see just exactly how you make doing wood filler repairs look so easy. No matter how careful I am to do them, they always end up looking like some kind of tiny abstract art sculpture. Love what you did to this chest!
You made me LOL so loud!! ahahaha!! That would be sweet. Feel free to email with questions. 🙂
I really like the black and natural wood together in one piece. This is lovely and one idea I might use for an old chest I have in storage. Need that brush! I’ve been entering the contest that Zibra is having on their website, too. thank you!!
You are bound to win, girl!!
I have a 100+ year old dresser that is in desperate need of TLC … that is the first piece that I will do!!! Thanks so much for the inspiration that you put out there on a daily basis … & also for the chance at these brushes!!!
Sounds like the perfect project piece. Hope you win!
I would paint a bookshelf and finish some cabinet doors that have been waiting forever because of the tricky angle on them… I don’t want to mess with tape and I bet one of these brushes would do the job!
I don’t blame you. I don’t use tape unless I HAVE to. ugh. These make it easy!
I’ll have to put the Kreg tool on my son-in-laws gift list! He’s my go-to handyman. Love the dresser! I painted the top of a 1923 phonograph cabinet black and left the stained body and legs The wood was dry and water-spotted in places but it just needed lots of Howards Feed n Wax to make is beautiful again. Your work is always inspiring! Have a blessed Christmas.
That’s a great idea!! Thanks for the love. Those old phonographs are awesome. My FIL restores them.
I can’t believe that is the same chest! Excellent job, and love the bin pulls!
Yay! I love it when it makes you look twice. Fun!
Love these dressers. You did a great job on both. I have one Zibra brush but need more. I see the wonderful way you paint with them.
You sure do need more. They’re awesome!
Love this piece. I am very motivated to paint a few pieces in my home. A desk would be the first. Really want to paint my kitchen cabinets as well.
Thanks! Those cabinets can be brutal, but these would make it a breeze. I had a cheapie one over ten years ago when I painted and oh how I wish these were around then.
Nice makeover! Thanks for the chance to win!!
You bet!
Great job! Love the look of this dresser! I would love to try these brushes on my china cabinet!
Fantastic to hear! Thank you!
This is my new favorite makeover! It looked so sad before, and now it looks like it has wonderful stories to tell…like a well traveled gentleman. I just love how you brought out it’s character.
happy dance!! You just made my day, Elaine. Thank you!! You got what I was after.
Great job! It looks so much better. Would love to try the brushes on my pie safe and a coffee table!
Thanks! I sure had fun giving it a try. Challenges like this make my heart happy.
The chest turned out beautiful. I love being able to rescue furniture that just needed a new lease on life. I’d repaint my daughter’s armoir since she’s not into pink anymore being a teenager now.
aww…they grow up so fast, don’t they?
Love it! I want to find a piece that I can use cavier on, such a cool color.
Thanks! It is such an awesome color.
I’ve got an armoire in my garage that’s begging for a makeover.
Sweet!
Gorgeous redo, as usual. And good brushes are so important to a good finish. I think I am getting a couple of the Zibra brushes in my stocking. Can’t wait!
Ooh…that is exciting!! 😀
Love the industrial chest. I also just saw the industrial footlocker at the foot of the bed in another picture. I use my dad’s WWII footlocker as a coffee table in my family room but haven’t done anything to it yet. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
That’s a treasure to have for sure. Merry Christmas to you too!
Again, such a handsome chest! Love the finish Larissa!
I’m so excited to hear it. This one was fun!
Larissa, it’s beautiful after your magic touch. I escutcheons (I had to google it) look like they’ve always been there. Pinned to share 🙂 Thanks for the awesome giveaway opportunity – you know how much I love these brushes! Wishing you and yours a Very Merry Christmas! xo
I couldn’t believe how this one came together. I was expecting many issues, so I’m very happy! Thank you, Marie. Gotta love Google. 😀
Love the makeover, I have 2 chairs I want to use in my living room that I need to paint & these brushes would make painting so much easier. Thanks
Thank you, Penny.
That turned out AMAZING!
Your words are music to my ear. Thank you!
Another awesome transformation. Can’t wait to start painting all my projects.
Thanks!
That is amazing (just like all of your designs!). If I won I’d give to my husband, who dreams of starting a woodworking business!
Thanks so much, Crystal. You’re a sweet wife.
I would start with my vintage bed headboard. Love your project!
Good place to start. 😀
This is a stunning piece, and I’m not even a fan of industrial furniture! Such a rich color.
Wahoo!! How fun to hear. Thank you, Leisa!