Ikea Malm Dresser Makeover - Farmhouse Style [Part 1]
One thing I enjoy is repurposing a perfectly good piece of furniture and completely changing the style. You've seen it done on TV. It's like magic. I was looking for a quick, furniture fairy, but alas, I am out of genie requests.....for now.
As the house has evolved, I have settled on furniture and placement. The budget for both has determined my plan. Let's call it the "Not much of a budget plan". My goal is to try and change the entire look of my bedroom for under $200. It's not that I don't like the layout or storage of my furniture. I do. The storage and durability of my bedroom furniture is great, but it is to modern for this country gal. We purchased it while living in the standard, suburban model home. It went beautifully there. I purchased all but one piece on Craigslist. My great craiglist purchases. I went to Ikea, decided what I like and then watched for a couple of weeks on Craigslist. The bed was from Z-Gallerie, but it was purchased off Craigslist too. Now it is time to change them up to help give that farmhouse feel in my bedroom. I am so excited to see this project completed and believe it will be just the right fit.
After spending much time researching online whether the veneer on the ikea malm dresser could be sanded and restained/painted, I got my answer. Yes! Sort of... You see, the dresser isn't entirely wood veneer. It has some components that are nothing more than pressed wood with a vinyl sticker on the sides and a few less visible areas. I could sand the top and refinish it because it is veneer, but I wanted something less boxy and more modern. The trim I am using to front the drawer facing and sides of dresser would look just plain weird dimensionally. So..........Off to sanding. I sanded the dresser and drawers down gently, to avoid gouging the veneer. It was surprisingly durable. After cleaning the dust from the drawer, I tested the dark walnut stain. It took a couple of coats, but dried a gorgeous, warm hue. Perfect for the distressing technique I plan to use to reveal the stain from under the paint. It didn't take long and it was ready to test the stain. I needed to purchase more stain and find that the perfect trim.
I went to Lowe's and walked around. I walked around for a really, really long time. I think I probably looked over every piece of wood in that store. I guarantee you the security people were nuts watching me going back and forth looking through the same aisles of wood. I was not ecstatic about my options until I saw these great pieces of trim on clearance. They would be the perfect with mitered corners and keep this project well within budget. We were going to use the never ending pile of wood we bought off Craigslist that I talked about using practically everywhere. Instead, I opted to go with a pine top made from glued strips.
When I got home, the drawer fronts were measured and the trim cut to fit. Each strip was glued and then nailed down. Next, I used wood filler to smooth the seams on the corners and hide nail holes. Once it dried, I sanded them down to a smooth finish. Several more coats of stain were then applied all over the drawer fronts. Next I need to stain the top, attched it, add the side trim and prepare the milk paint. I purchased the color Typewriter from Miss Mustard Seed to paint over the stain. It is an antique black finish. But, I keep thinking a rich white might look nice too! I am torn, but will stick with my original plan. The walls will soon receive the great shiplap treament and a faux beam will be added to the ceiling. Everything but the beam and textiles will be white. Black will look great. Think Magnolia House Bed and Breakfast, (See Fixer Upper Season 3 Episode 4), and Restoration Hardware..... had a baby. I like the pop of black in the kitchen cabinets and furnishings. It will really anchor all that white.
Here are a few pictures from when I started to where I am now. You can see the very modern bed and dresser in the first picture. (Please ignore the dusty floor). Nice pieces of furniture, but they no longer fit the style of my home. This is the Ikea Malm Dresser. Turning Cheap to Chic.
After I finish the nighstands and dressers, I have plans to transform the look of the bed and mirror too! Check back tomorrow for an update about the progress on the top and sides of the dresser.
