This salvaged dresser gets a modern finish by filling in dated drawer details/carvings. | YouTube Video
![]()
Hi, creative friends, I hope you’re doing well. Last week I visited my dear friend Mara. It was sooo good to see her and relax poolside. As I was leaving she offered me this cute three-drawer dresser. She had originally planned on refinishing it herself but like many of us, she has different projects taking priority. I felt thankful for this gift the entire time I worked on it. So let’s see if I can do Mara proud with this piece…
It’s also Furniture Fixer Uppers Day and I’m joining my FFU crew and sharing links to their projects below. I hope you join me in visiting their before and afters. I can’t wait to see what these talented ladies do.
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There may also be affiliate links in this post to other companies/products I use and love as well. You will never be charged extra when you purchase through these affiliate links. Thank you so much for supporting the #siblog! To see my full disclaimer, click here.
Here’s the three-drawer dresser.
The drawer and body are in good shape.
But I’m not a fan of the dated drawer carvings. Even if they were painted out, I feel their shape and the chipped and uneven wood within the groove would still make this piece look a little dated. Rather than try to smooth everything out, let’s create a modern smooth paint finish.
THIS POST IS SPONSORED/CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS TO PRODUCTS I USE. YOU CAN SEE MY FULL DISCLOSURE HERE.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
3 Drawer Dresser – SALVAGED
Sand Pads | Shop Towels
Easy To Sand Wood Filler
Bondo Filler
Bosch Sander
White Lightning Cleaner
Paint Brushes
Smooth Roller
Dried Sage Chalk Mineral Paint
Gator Hide Topcoat
Brushed Brass Hardware Pulls
PAINTED THREE DRAWER DRESSER
This dresser is a super cute three-drawer laminate dresser from the 50’s. I’ve worked on pieces with similar finishes here, here and here. These dressers can be salvaged and transformed into modern beauties if the dated detail is filled in. And that’s exactly what I’m going to share today. It’s easy to do and like I always say, if I can do it, YOU can do it. I’m sharing my favorite way to fill in dated drawer details seamlessly… you won’t even know they were there! These simple steps can transform a dated piece into something spectacular that sells at retail stores for hundreds of dollars. So salvaging these pieces is SO WORTH IT! Here’s how it all came together…
REMOVE HARDWARE
There were two ornate handles and two knobs that I removed from this dresser. I like their uniqueness, so I’ve kept this hardware for another project.
CLEAN/PREP
The inside and outside of this dresser were cleaned well with this White Lightning. I wiped it down a few times and then used clean water to remove any residue.
HOW TO FILL OLD DRAWER DETAILS
An easy way to update an older dresser is by filling in the dated engraved details on the drawers. I use Bondo to fill these grooves because they are often fairly deep and wide. A regular wood filler would work but requires several applications to get a smooth finish – and who has time to wait for all the dry time? Bondo is perfect for larger repairs and dries quickly.
I mixed the Bondo and added the hardener. Bondo dries super hard and fast. It’s one of the benefits of working with bondo (because you can sand it down within 15 to 30 minutes after applying it!) but it’s also one of the downsides of Bondo (because it dries super fast you have limited time to work with it). I have a full tutorial on how to use Bondo (included video) here.
My secret to getting a seamless finish is applying a ‘soft’ easy-to-sand wood filler OVER the Bondo. This fills in any tiny air bubbles, and little misses the Bondo did not perfectly fill in. I do this right after the Bondo dries, however you could sand the Bondo down flush and then apply the wood filler if you felt more comfortable. This way it saves you money and product because your applying it ONLY where it needs to be rather than along the full design.
SANDING
The next morning I scuff-sanded the body and drawers smooth using 100-grit sand paper and my Bosch Sander. This gave the surface a little tooth for good paint adhesion. Then using a tack-cloth, I removed all the sanding dust before priming.
PRIMING
Primer was needed to block the wood filler and Bondo showing through the paint – otherwise, the paint would ‘take’ differently and you’d be able to see where it was filled in because the paint would look slightly darker.
I applied two coats of BIN Shellac based primer to seal the drawers and body. Then I lightly sanded with a 220 sanding pad to knock the paint down before painting.
Tip – If you’re looking for a water-based version of a bonding stain-blocking primer – I’ve been using and loving this one here. It works equally well but requires a 24 hours dry time to do its thing.
PAINTING
I used one of my favorite colors – Dried Sage. I’d describe it as a neutral beige-green – muted so it has a serene feel. To get the smoothest finish without using a sprayer, I brushed on a coat of paint and immediately once the paint was laid down, I lightly went over it with a roller.
I have a full tutorial including video on How To Brush And Roll For a Smooth Finish here.
FINISHING DETAILS
For the finishing details, I sprayed three coats of Gator Hide topcoat letting each coat dry for two hours in between each coat. I find Gator Hide sprays beautifully. Depending on how thick you spray or brush it on will depend how fast it dries, but I would say it’s a fast dry time in comparison to some other topcoats. The added bonus is it provides a SUPER strong finish!
Tip – When painting and topcoating legs, I find it helpful to take a scrap piece of wood and drill four holes to make a ‘stand’ for them. This way the paint and finish stay meticulous because they are not falling over or touching anything.
The last detail was adding these gorgeous brush brass edge hardware pulls and reattaching the legs.
THE FINISHED LOOK
Here’s the finished look. I LOVE it!
And what do you think of the drawer fronts? Can you see where the carved drawer detail was?
Here’s a close-up look.
There’s one tiny area when the light hits it just right I can tell where it was filled in but I’m guessing that’s because I did the filling. If you didn’t know what the before looked like, I’m guessing no one will know. 😉
PIN FOR LATER 🥰
And just for fun, I Ai generated this dresser as a luxurious bedroom sidetable. I’m always amazed at what a little paint can do. It looks so updated and gorgeous!
YOUTUBE TUTORIAL
Here’s the full step-by-step video tutorial below. Our #siyoutubefamily is already a community of 46.8K so don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t done so already! So exciting, thank YOU!
And now for some FURNITURE FIXER UPPER FUN!
You’re going to LOVE what my creative FFU ladies do! Below are the BEFORE photos. Visit the links to see the amazing AFTERS and learn how they did it! I’m heading over to take a peek as well!
1. PETTICOAT JUNKTION
2. MY REPURPOSED LIFE
3. CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL DIYER
4. A RAY OF SUNLIGHT
5. SALVAGED INSPIRATIONS (HAPPY YOU’RE HERE!)
Here’s another look at this dresser before and after. I hope it inspired you and gave you some ideas for your upcoming furniture painting projects.
Let me know what you think of this makeover in the comments below. I always love hearing from you, it makes my day! 🙂
Happy painting my friends!
Denise x

























I love this soft zen color. Great choice for this now timeless piece. The pulls add the perfect jewelry for this piece.
Your instructons are always sooo complete – easy for even this novice to understand.
The bondo / dixie mud process makes complete sense. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks also for the brush on and roller tip to smooth the paint. I think I can gain a lot from this one !!
You’ve been doing this for quite a while – and still going strong !! I look forward to all your posts.
Thanks. 🙂
Thanks so much, and if you try the bondo/mud or brush roller combo I’d LOVE to hear how it all turns out for you! XOXO
OH! MY! GOSH! What a beautiful transformation! Perfect color and drawer pulls. You nailed it!
I’m so glad you love it Joanne, thank youuuu!😃
What an unbelievable transformation Denise! I love how your visions come to life!! So inspirational!!
Thanks so much Suzanne, working with amazing products helps bring everything to life!🤗
Wow! what a difference that made. I love your pieces. You’re a true DIYer and artist!
Thanks for the step-by-step instructions. That def takes the fear out of doing something like this.
Thanks so much Matthew! Glad the step by step is helpful!
Wow! That is so cool. Well done!
Thank you for your inspiration!
Terri
Milwaukee
Hi Terri from Milwaukee! Thanks so much, glad you like it!😊
WHAT A LOVELY TRANSFORMATION!!! PERFECT!!!
Yaaay, thanks so much Susan! XOXO
Great Pro tip, Denise! I never would have thought of using the DB Mud over the Bondo. I’ll definitely add this to my list of furniture painting hacks. I love the modern updated drawers, too! xo, Do
The DB Mud works AWESOME! So glad you love the modern smooth drawers Do, means a lot coming from you my friend. XOXO
Denise
The update on the outdated dresser is amazing. I love the new look and I’m sure your friend does too.
Thanks for the tips on Bondo and wood filler. I don’t think I’ve ever used Bondo before. But you have given me the nudge to try it someday.
pinned!
gail
Hey Gail, Mara does love it and I’m so glad. And yes, Bondo is amazing. I couldn’t live without it…lol.
Love this project! The color is beautiful!
Thanks Deb! I really like this color too! xo
That is truly an amazing makeover!
Thank you Pat!😊
Beautiful work as always!!! Turned out great.
Heyyy, so nice seeing you here Kevin! Thanks so much!😃
Absolutely Gorgeous!!!! Thank you for sharing and always doing such beautiful work.
Thanks so much Teri!Have a super day!🤗
Wow what a beautiful save-you really brought it into the 21st century. . Love everything about the dresser.
I’m so glad you love it Laura, thank youuuu!
I love Dried Sage color and great job at covering up that detail. Looks beautiful Denise!
I LOVE Dried Sage too, it’s such a calming color and pretty much goes with everything. Thanks Nicki! XOXO
I love your step by step instructions and links to products, makes it a lot easier to find the things you use and takes out all the guess work. Your pieces are stunning and flawless, thank you for taking the time to help us beginners, it’s greatly appreciated.
If there’s anything else I can do to help, just let me know Marjorie. I’m always open to feedback and new suggestions so thanks for chiming in! Happy painting.😃😘
Great job, Denise! Thanks for all the great tips! You make it look so easy, which is a sign of a true craftsperson!
Aw thanks Beth, that’s super sweet of you and I’m happy you find the tips helpful. Have a super day!🤗
Wow! That’s a great transformation. It’s beautiful.
Thanks so much Lizzy!🤗 Enjoy your day!
This turned out so fabulous, Denise! A MCM masterpiece! I bet your friend Mara was so happy to see it made beautiful again! XOXO
I haven’t sent her a pic yet, but I hope so. Thanks my friend!💙 XOXO
Hi Denise. You took this plain little 50’S dresser from dated to absolutely darling. Perfect color choice and hardware for this mcm beauty. Your friend Mara will love what you’ve done.
I hope she does! It was super sweet of her to gift me the dresser and it was such a fun makeover. Thanks Monique! Hugs XOXO
Well I don’t see it! It’s perfect! I love the transformation.
YAAAAY, and I’m so glad you love the new look Jeanne! Thanks so much! XOXO