41+ Creative DIY Painted Dresser Ideas and Projects (With Pictures)

Last Updated on January 4, 2022 by Kimberly Crawford

While painting a dresser may appear like an easy DIY project, it’s not always as easy as it seems. Choosing paint color and knowing whether or not you should sand and prep your dresser first can be a daunting task.

In this article, we’ve showcased 41 creative dresser makeovers for you to browse through and get inspired by. Hopefully, these dresser painting ideas will help calm your mind when it comes time to paint that piece that’s been sitting in your garage for a couple of months now.

Related: 26+ Different Types Of Dressers: Materials & Styles (Buying Guide)

creative diy painted dresser ideas

1. Chalk Painted Dresser Makeover

1 diy painted dresser ideas
Source: So Much Better With Age

Chalk-painted dressers and cabinets provide a smooth, clean, and crisp finish that will be sure to impress. For those just starting out with chalk paint projects, we recommend working on something small like a wooden tray before taking on a whole dresser or cabinet.

2. Under The Sea Dresser Makeover

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Painting a dresser blue is probably one of the easiest paint projects you could do because you can use so many different shades of blue, and it will look great.

The under the sea gives you a chance to add some interesting patterns, and it will tie the whole look together. It works well for those who appreciate some aquatic feel.

3. Gray Guestroom Dresser

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The guest room is mostly overlooked because you don’t spend the most time there after all. But what if we tell you that it also needs some dresser makeover and will do well with a gray color?

You can never go wrong with the gray color on your dresser, especially when you add a little bit of white and wooden furniture. How about you also give it some newly updated knobs to make it even more beautiful.

4. DIY Black Painted Dresser Makeover

3 diy painted dresser ideas
Source: Renovated Faith

Black paint has been popular for quite some time now, and it seems like the trend isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. This is great for those looking to re-paint old dressers or chests in the garage.

Since black can be a bit tricky to work with, it’s essential to take things slow and make sure that every part of the dresser is painted properly. You’ll want to paint several thin coats while using a good brush to avoid any spots or missed areas.

5. Gold Painted Dresser Makeover

4 diy painted dresser ideas

Gold and black is a classic and timeless combination that never gets old. If you’re looking to give an antique or vintage dresser a new look, we recommend going with this combination.

The gold paint color for your dresser can be whatever color will work best in the room that you’ll place it in, such as silver, dark brown, white, or even champagne.

Related: 23+ Minimalist Dresser Alternatives For Your Bedroom (Photos)

6. Two-Tone Painted Dresser Makeover

5 diy painted dresser ideas

Two-tone paint jobs are a lot of fun, and they’re not that hard to pull off. This one is more for those who have an artistic flair and can come up with unique color combos that work well together.

If you’re new to two-tone paint jobs, we recommend starting with a lighter color for the top and then darkening it up on the bottom area. If you’re not happy with how it turns out, just wait for it to dry and then re-paint it again.

7. Painted French Dresser Makeover

If you’re looking for a more modern and sleek look, then why not go with this French-inspired paint job.

The light blue combined with the white accents give it just enough color to keep things exciting but not too much that it overwhelms the eyes. Just make sure you paint it in a way that all the details pop out.

8. DIY Painted Dresser Makeover

7 diy painted dresser ideas

Those who don’t feel like buying new furniture can always go with a makeover instead. Even though this dresser is already in the bedroom, it can look completely different if changed out the knobs and added some new decorative pieces on top of it.

The good thing about this makeover is that you don’t have to spend a lot on it. This makes it a budget-friendly project.

9. Painted Antique Dresser Makeover

Antique dressers are beautiful, but they often look out of place in modern decor because of their detailing and color. But if you have an old dresser that you don’t want to get rid of, then picking a fun paint job should be your next step. 

Paint the dresser using a dark gray color, and it fits perfectly with the modern room where it is now located. If you want to build on this look, then adding some colorful knobs or decorative pieces can make it stand out.

10. Powder Blue Painted Dresser Makeover

A powder blue paint job is a great way to add that pop of color and interest into any room. You can use this on an old or vintage dresser, and we recommend going with two different shades of blue, one for the top and another shade at the bottom. It’s really up to you how many colors or shades you want to add, and we recommend using a thin brush when applying the paint.

10 diy painted dresser ideas
Source: Just The Woods

If you want to take this project up a notch, go with gold or silver accents on top of the blue color already there.

11. Stenciled Painted Dresser Makeover

Stencils are great for adding that unique detail into your paint job. When you stencil something onto an object, it gives the illusion of a factory-created design rather than by hand.

To get this look, you’ll want to start with a dark base color and then use a brush to add in certain dresser parts using white paint.

12. Cottage Style Painted Dresser Makeover

12 diy painted dresser ideas
Source: Hymns and Verses

Painted dressers don’t always have to be a modern and sleek look. You can go for more of a cottage or shabby chic paint job, which brings back that old-world feel into your bedroom.

We recommend creating a personal touch to get this design. The best part about this type of paint job is that it will work in any bedroom, no matter its style or look.

13. Paint Stripes Dresser Makeover

13 diy painted dresser ideas
Source: Girl In The Garage

One way to add a fun and unique detail to your furniture makeover are by painting on stripes.

You can go with three different colors as we did on this dresser, or you can even make it more complicated by adding various patterns and accents using a paintbrush.

The great thing about painting stripes is that it works on any type of furniture, whether it’s a vintage piece or a brand new one.

14. Painted Chalkboard Dresser Makeover

14 diy painted dresser ideas

Chalk paint is all the rage these days, but most people forget about painting their dressers with it because they are usually too big or too small. But with this paint job, you can easily turn any dresser into a chalkboard so that you can jot down messages, notes, and reminders throughout the day.

One of the best things about this type of makeover is that you can change out the chalkboard design whenever you want without redoing your entire dresser.

15. Navy Blue Painted Dresser

15 diy painted dresser ideas

Many painted dresser ideas go with blue color. Try these navy blue ideas for your dresser and have a different look altogether.

The navy blue color will give your dresser a masculine feel, and you can pair it with any other color in your bedroom. This color can work well for their bedroom dressers if you have boys in the house.

16. Ranch Painted Dresser

16 diy painted dresser ideas

This look doesn’t go with any specific style or design but is a personal touch that you create for yourself. This dresser was painted using the ranch-style technique, which involves rolling on paint with two different colors in the same shade.

We recommend going with a white base color and then using a darker brown shade for your dresser’s inside and inside compartments.

17. Green Accents Painted Dresser

Painted dressers don’t have to be limited to just one color, either. You can have multiple colors throughout your furniture and even on each drawer.

To get this design, you would first need a sturdy and smooth dresser with some depth and dimension. Then start with a base color that matches or blends in with your wall color.

Once the base is totally dry, start stenciling on a lighter shade of green and then a darker shade for just a few drawers to give it that unique look.

18. Farmhouse Painted Dresser

Farmhouse style is a trendy look for many different types of furniture items. But it can also work well when you paint your bedroom dresser in this fashion.

The key to getting this design right is using a rugged and weathered wood-tone base color, giving it that worn and distressed feel.

19. BLandscape Painted Dresser

Painting your dressers doesn’t always mean painting them in solid colors. You can also give it a unique look by painting landscape designs on it.

19 diy painted dresser ideas

This design is really easy to create, and all you will need is an image that you want to use as the focal point of your design. Then you would need to print it out and use freezer paper to trace the image onto your dresser.

Once you take off the freezer paper, go over it with a foam brush one or two times to give it that unique look.

20. Beach Inspired Dresser Makeover

20 diy painted dresser ideas

You can translate any design or theme into a painted dresser, and this look is no exception. If you love the beach and plan on spending a lot of time near the ocean, we recommend painting your dresser to look like it came straight out of a beach house.

21. Vintage Painted Dresser

21 diy painted dresser ideas

If you want to go with a vintage look for your bedroom dresser, then there are many different ways that you can achieve this.

The vintage design doesn’t always mean using the same color scheme or pattern throughout. You can actually use different colors on each drawer to give off that layered and fun vibe.

22. Distressed White Painted Dresser

22 diy painted dresser ideas
Source: Petticoat Junktion

Distressed furniture projects are really popular right now, and most of the time, they aren’t too difficult to pull off either. To get this distressing look on your bedroom dresser, all you need to do is add a base color that matches your wall.

Once the paint job is totally dry, start using sandpaper to distress certain areas of the dresser’s surface. You can also add other details like glaze and wax for a more aged look.

23. Painted Yellow Dresser Idea

23 diy painted dresser ideas

Yellow paint is not always easy to match with other decor. But it can also be extremely versatile when you get the right shade of yellow down.

This dresser makeover idea shows how great yellow paints can work in any bedroom space. Just make sure it matches the rest of your home decor, so the yellow doesn’t look odd out. 

24. Antique Blue Painted Dresser

Antique blue is a very popular bedroom design choice, but many people don’t pick this color for their dressers.

If you are looking to change up the look of your dresser with something beautiful yet not too dramatic, then this is a great design choice for you.

To get this look, you’ll have to paint the dresser and allow it to dry before adding some different antique details like glaze and wax to make it look more rustic.

25. Brown Painted Dresser with Gold Accents

25 diy painted dresser ideas
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This next bedroom dresser makeover idea takes a much simpler color and design but still showcases how gorgeous brown can be in a bedroom. To get this look in your room, you need to start with a dresser that already has some decent structure and drawers.

This design uses two different colors for the dresser – brown and gold. The base coat color should be the same color as your wall so that all it takes is just a little bit of gold to make it pop.

26. Peacock Blue Painted Dresser

26 diy painted dresser ideas
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This bedroom dresser makeover idea is perfect for those who love nature and want to bring it indoors.

To achieve this look, you would need a sturdy white base and then paint on the peacock blue color and leave enough of an edge so that it does not become too overwhelming or busy in your space.

To get this design, you need to use a few different shades of blue paint and add in some random stripes with a light blue hue.

27. Pink Champagne Painted Dresser

27 diy painted dresser ideas
Source: Salvaged Inspirations

If you are looking for a bedroom makeover idea that is less intense than the previous ideas, then this pink champagne dresser might be a perfect choice. It uses soft colors like pink and white, making it look more feminine in design.

To achieve this look in your room, all you need to do is paint the base coat with a champagne shade and then top off with a slightly lighter pink color for a gradient effect.

28. Rustic Distressed Painted Dresser Idea

28 diy painted dresser ideas

This last idea is for those looking to get a dramatic bedroom dresser makeover that is rustic, sturdy, and more masculine in design. This idea uses gray paint on the base coat, making it great if you are looking for some contrast against your flooring or wall color.

All you have to do is paint the dresser using some base coat, then start adding on some different levels of distressing. You can do this by adding sandpaper texture and scraping off the sides.

29. Lace Stenciled Dresser Makeover

29 diy painted dresser ideas

This dresser makeover involves a much more feminine design which is why it uses white and a light pink to give off that girly feeling.

To get this look for your bedroom, you would need to start with a dresser that has been painted using a base coat color of your choice.

30. Mint Green Painted Dresser

30 diy painted dresser ideas

This bedroom dresser makeover involves green being the main color of focus, so it would best go in a room that has some other green accents or features.

This idea also uses two different shades of green to give off that gradient effect, making this design stand out even more.

31. Timeless Painted Dresser Idea

This design has a more vintage and traditional feel to it which is why it uses white as the base color. The topcoat of this idea is done in black so that the finished look can be both cool and modern while still maintaining a timeless element to it to make it an idea that won’t go out of style anytime soon.

31 diy painted dresser ideas
Source: Just The Woods

Make sure that when you are painting it on, you use tape or stencils to help with any straight lines or angles that need to be perfect for this kind of look.

32. The Deep Blue Painted Dresser

32 diy painted dresser ideas

This design is excellent if you want to have a deep blue color used in your room without having too much going on in terms of the overall design.

This idea is also great if you have a bedroom with some natural wood used in the flooring or wall paneling. It adds more contrast to the overall look.

To get this painted dresser look, just use a nice blue color for your base coat and then add a white shade over top of it to give it that gently colored look.

33. The White Painted Dresser Idea

33 diy painted dresser ideas

This design is great if you are looking for a bedroom dresser makeover idea with some different elements mixed in.

The white base coat is an excellent idea because it combines many different colors and designs. You can easily adapt this to whatever color or theme you have going on in your bedroom.

34. Midcentury Credenza Makeover

34 diy painted dresser ideas

This idea is for those looking to get a modern midcentury look with an old-school aspect. You can do this design using black as the main color because of its prevalence in this type of design.

To achieve this dresser makeover, just start with a base coat of white and then paint on the midcentury black color for your topcoat.

35. The Antique White Painted Dresser Idea

35 diy painted dresser ideas

This idea uses a white base coat and then adds a second shade of gray over it. The shades used are lighter and darker to give it a unique blend of colors that look great together.

Start with a base coat using your white color choice, and then paint on the gray for your topcoat to achieve this look.

36. Warm Foxy Painted Dresser Design

36 diy painted dresser ideas

This idea uses a brown base coat for the whole dresser, which helps give it a more rustic and classic look.

The top color is done in a creamy white, adding that classic old-school vibe to it while still maintaining its unique style.

For this design, all you need to do is start with your brown base coat and then once it has dried up, just paint on the creamy white shade for your topcoat.

37. Ombre Dresser Makeover

37 diy painted dresser ideas
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This design is for those who love incorporating different elements into their bedroom and want that Ombre effect with the dresser instead. The top color shade has a much lighter tint than the bottom one, which gives it a nice contrast.

To achieve this look, just start by painting your base coat color and then add on the topcoat color once it has dried up.

38. Retro-Inspired Florals

38 diy painted dresser ideas
Source: Salvaged Inspirations

This design gives you that old-school look and allows you to still have an easy time using it. You can also use different hardware knobs or handles to make the drawers and doors easier to open and close as needed.

This design needs you to choose your floral prints and tape them around all of the parts where you want that print to be seen.

39. Zigzag Painted Dresser Idea

39 diy painted dresser ideas

This idea is excellent if you are looking for an easy way to makeover your bedroom dresser without putting too much work into it.

As long as you can use a paintbrush, you should have no problem completing this task. If you get it right, the zigzag design will give your dresser a look that it needs to match your bedroom.

40. Teal Painted Dresser

40 diy painted dresser ideas

Teal-painted dresser idea for those always looking to incorporate a little bit of color into their bedrooms. This is especially great if you have a larger bedroom where you want it to really stand out from the rest of the room and become noticeable as soon as you walk past it.

41. An Automotive Color Finish

41 diy painted dresser ideas
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This old-school dresser makeover idea is for those looking to bring a little bit of the old with them and incorporate it right into their bedroom design.

The automotive finish gives your dresser that classic look and feel, so you know you will always love using it all the time.

Conclusion

Once you have completed a dresser makeover, you will easily see the difference that it makes. The life of the furniture is also extended because you are always taking care of it and ensuring that it lasts long. In terms of your home, making over any piece of furniture has never been easier, and this means that you should start right away.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to like and share it with your friends and family so that they can also use any of these tips when they are working on their dresser makeover. Thanks for reading all of this, and we hope you enjoyed our ideas.