As the queen of repurposing with dresser tales to tell – eye roll – I thought that I would give some great and creative ideas today to repurpose an old dresser. We have done that in Infarrantly quite a few times in the past.
How many people can testify of an old dresser sitting quietly in a corner, all shabby and neglected, begging to be loved? Well, there is good news for you. You can easily repurpose that old dresser into a tv stand, desk, changing table or that long-desired item you have in mind.
New furniture that suits your taste is often out of the reach of many people’s budgets. The good news is that you can quickly and, most of the time, cheaply, make that dream piece of furniture by repurposing an old dresser.
With some thought and inspiration, a dresser can be the basis for anything you can imagine it to be.
25 Creative Ideas To Repurpose Any Old Dresser
Repurposing is taking an old piece of furniture (a dresser in this case) and changing its function by cutting it apart or modifying it to create something new and valuable.
With the ever-increasing cost of furniture, those who are frugally-minded will always keep an eye out for a bargain. The most cost-effective furniture is the ones that are already paid for by you.
By recycling that old dresser instead of dumping it, you are saving money and helping to look after the environment.
Another popular method to save cash is visiting your local thrift shop, yard sale, or consignment shop. You might be fortunate enough to pick the perfect dresser for your DIY project. Or even some old drawers to repurpose.
Keep an eye out as you drive, as people often leave old furniture out on the curbside.
My RoadKill Rescue section is all about those abandoned pieces.
You do not need to be super skillful to repurpose an old dresser. Do your research, grab a saw with some paint and glue, and follow your heart and imagination.
For inspiration, a quick search turned up twenty-five great ideas to repurpose any old dresser. Let’s have a look at them.Â
1. Turn That Old Dresser Into A Coffee Table
DIY Dork found this old dresser on CraigsList and turned it into an innovative coffee table. He painted it in a beautiful two-tone grey that complements the piece.
2. Repurpose Dresser Into Media Center
Gail Wilson, The Creator of My Repurposed Life, recently picked up a dresser from the curbside and turned it into a media center.
She removed the top drawers, added casters, and changed the look of the drawers by adding faux catalog drawer fronts. Â
3. Convert A Dresser Into A Bathroom Vanity
Jami Boys from The Oregon Cottage shows us how to make a bathroom vanity by taking a three-drawer dresser, cutting a hole in the top, inserting a wash basin, and following it up with a neat paint job.
4. Upcycle An Old Dresser Into A Bench With Storage Space
Here William Claypool (featured on Grillo Designs) walks through the steps of turning an old dresser into a unique bench seat with storage space.
The whole project was made using only the recycled wood from the dresser. He used chalk paint to finish it off.
5. From Dresser To Office Desk
Alicia from Thrifty and Chic converted a 1970s nine-drawer Broyhill dresser into an office desk.
She removed six drawers (for leg space) and added a new top and two table legs. To finish it off, she painted it white, lightly sanding it for a distressed look.
6. Convert A Dresser To A Coffee Station/Bar
Mailey Elaine posted a video on her YouTube channel detailing how she converted an old dresser into a coffee bar.
She explains how she color-matched a new shelf to the dresser’s top using only wood dye. Brilliant idea.
7. Dresser into A Doggy Bed
There are a few of these on Pinterest and they look absolutely lovely. I pick this one because is the cutest.
8. Dresser Turned Into TV Stand
Jesse and Julie Park from “AtTheParks” share how they converted an old dresser into a beautiful, functional tv stand with ample storage space.
She included wicket baskets for storage that set off beautifully against the white paint.
9. Turn A Dresser Into A Potting Bench
Samuel Ademola from “Hobby Farms” posted detailed instructions on transforming a dresser into a DIY potting bench.
He describes how to strengthen the dresser’s carcass by adding a base and advises painting it for outdoor use.
10. Create Craft Room Storage Space
Krista, from “The Happy Housie,” upcycled a six-drawer dresser to form an ample craft room storage space by adding a bookshelf piece to the top of the dresser.
She painted the dresser with chalk paint and added bookplates and cup pulls to round the drawers off.
11. Turn An Old Brown Dresser Into A Gardening Bench.
Jaryr from “Jarden Designs” repurposed an old brown dresser to make a garden bench. He removed the bottom drawers and added a chicken wire back that enabled him to hang his tools.
12. Yellow Dresser Reworked Into A Pet Feeding Station
Katie Row from “Crafty Wife Crafty Life” walks us through the process she took to convert an old yellow dresser into a pet feeding station.
Take one old yellow dresser, cut and remove some drawers and add a new shelf. To round it off, cut two holes in the shelf for two dog bowls and add some blue paint. Perfection!
13. Hand Me Down Dresser Repurposed For A Buffet Table
Kenya Rae took her time and turned a mahogany dresser into a buffet table with some crafty ideas.
She replaced the drawers with shelves and added large hinged doors for easy access. Check it out!
14. Create A Dining Room Wine Rack From An Old Dresser
Brandi posted this converted dresser on “The Happy Housewife” website.
Brandi transformed the sturdy three-drawer dresser into a wine rack by inserting homemade bottle rests into the space previously occupied by the bottom two drawers. Neat and functional for the dining room.
15. Turn A Dresser Into A Unique Kitchen Island
Dede, from “Designed Décor,” took an old dresser and repurposed it into a stunning kitchen island. She gutted the dresser and replaced the top with a new desktop that she had in stock.
She made a new lower shelf from the old dresser’s top and painted the new kitchen island light green.Â
16. Convert A Dresser Into A Kitchen Buffet
Kimberley and her husband from “Farm Jar” bought a large dresser and converted it into a kitchen buffet.
They left the top drawers as is and removed the bottom drawers, replacing them with two shelves. Astonishing!
17. From Dresser To Practical Three Seater Bench
Geoffrey, from Photokapi, transformed an old dresser into a beautiful three seater bench. He removed the top two rows of drawers, leaving the bottom drawer for storage, and added a shelf to form a couch.
He finished the sofa by painting it black and replacing the pulls on the bottom drawers.
18. Alter A Dresser To Make A Laundry Station
Ash from “Dash Lifestyle” repurposed a tall dresser and expertly converted it into a large laundry station.
She ripped out the guts of the dresser, replacing them with three large IKEA laundry hampers. She kept the bottom drawers to add additional storage space. Â
19. Remodel A Dresser Into A Multi-Purpose Table
Sisters Melissa and Stephanie from “Two It Yourself” shows us how to convert a dresser into a multi-purpose table.
The table is fit for use as a tv console, buffet, or entry table.
20. Funky Entrance Seat With Storage Space Made From A Dresser
Robbie Effler made an entrance seat with storage from a repurposed dresser. In his video, he shows how he removed some drawers to make space for the seating area.
Robbie replaced the back of the dresser and created a new top from pine wood. He painted the frame white and left the seat and tabletop unpainted to show the natural wood color.
21. From Dresser To Baby Changing Table
Emily from Relentless Furniture took a beat-up dresser and repurposed it into a baby changing table.
She cut out half of the top drawers and the matching dresser top to form an alcove into which she placed a pillow for the baby changing station. A new coat of paint followed by new pull cups on the drawers.
Here in Infarrantly we did similar upcycling an old dresser into a changing table for $1.
22. Transform A Dresser Into A Media Stand
Chelsea from “Two Twenty One” made this media stand. She removed the top three drawers and repainted the dresser white. The end product is simple but elegant.
23. Transform A Dresser Into A Mud Room Bench
Karen from “The Weekend Country Girl” shared how she and her husband transformed an old dresser into a mudroom bench. They cut a three-drawer dresser in half, sacrificing the middle drawer.
They then fitted a large mirror in between the two drawers, with the top drawer overhanging the mirror. Simply stunning and inspirational.
24. Make A Rolling Tool Chest From A Repurposed Dresser
Monica Jensen from “Crafty nest” reappropriated an old dresser into a multi-drawer rolling tool chest.
She replaced the pull handles on the doors with stylish aluminum handles and compartmentalized each drawer using Ikea Fira drawers as inserts. Finally, she added casters for mobility and painted the chest blue.
25. Chest Of Drawers Bookshelf
Gail Wilson, the creator behind “My Repurposed Life,” transfigured a beat-up four-drawer dresser (or a chest of drawers) into a bookshelf by replacing the drawers with shelves.
She fitted three new shelves and added a bottom trim, followed by some serious sanding and a fresh coat of paint.
Conclusion
Repurposing an old dresser into something new does not have to be complicated or expensive. Anyone can do each of the projects featured with basic woodworking skills.
So there is no more excuse to keep staring at that old dresser in your basement.Â
