Repurposing an Old Dresser: Sasha Mershiev's Tutorial

Last time, Sasha Mershiev explained how to give a second chance to an ordinary old chair. Now it's the turn of the dresser!

Sasha Mershiev is a decorator expert, interior designer, and owner of the MERSHYHOME workshop

We will need:

• Dresser
  
• New handles
  
• Wallpaper scraps
  
• Water-based primer
  
• Wallpaper glue QUELYD Express
  
• Paint in the color of the wallpaper

• Pencil
  
• Ruler
  
• Scissors
  
• Brushes
  
• Furniture wax
  
• Sprayer

Remove the old handles. Clean the dresser with a soapy solution and let it dry.

Prime the surface of the door that will be covered with wallpaper.

Prime other parts of the dresser that will be painted with paint. Apply the primer in one layer — keep in mind that it must dry completely. Drying time is indicated on the label.

Exception: if you plan to use chalk paint, no primer is required.

Make a template from the wallpaper. Outline the contour of the front panel and add 1.5–2 cm on each side to fold the wallpaper inward.

Prepare the glue. I used QUELYD Express wallpaper glue designed for all types of paper wallpapers. It doesn't deform even thin wallpapers, is easy to prepare, and economical.

Apply glue to the front panel surface and attach the wallpaper. Press the wallpaper against the edges of the panel for 5–7 minutes on each side. Or secure it with a furniture stapler — after the glue dries, carefully remove staples.

Proceed to decorate the remaining fronts and the box. Our wallpaper has a black-gray background — for paint, we chose the same palette. First, coat with black paint in two layers, allowing each layer to dry.

Once the black paint has dried, apply gray — not over the entire surface but in strokes.

Spray water on the fresh gray paint and smooth it from edge to edge with a clean brush. This way, we partially dissolve the gray color on the black background.

When the paint has dried, coat the dresser with a clear protective wax — including the wallpaper.

It’s only left to install the handles — and our wonderful dresser is ready!

Photo: Yuriy Grishko.