How to update an old chest of drawers and fit it into the style of a new interior

There are a lot of ideas on how to update an old cabinet with your own hands, so you shouldn’t get rid of the furniture. Proper restoration will help restore its unique appearance.

Necessary materials

You can always get rid of old items, so you don’t have to rush with this matter. To begin with, you can try to return the furniture to an attractive appearance. Restoration will help create something that will become the main highlight of the interior.

To remodel a chest of drawers, a wardrobe or a dressing table, different materials are used, it all depends on what exactly you want to get in the end.

To remake a cabinet based on chipboard, you will need wallpaper or self-adhesive film. Furniture made in decoupage style looks beautiful. The option of painting the surface with paint is also popular.

Expensive items made of natural wood allow you to show your imagination, but it is advisable to preserve the unique texture during restoration. Colored impregnation and varnish will help with this; in the end, you can use the technique of artificially aging the surface.

There is a standard set of materials and tools that will be needed to remodel the cabinet; you need to stock up on the following:

• solvent, with its help paint and varnish coatings can be easily removed;
• sandpaper and grinder;
• a screwdriver with a set of attachments;
• putty for wooden coatings and spatulas;
• wood glue and brushes;
• masking tape.

With this set of materials you can prepare a cabinet or chest of drawers for the restoration process. It is also necessary to stock up on finishing materials that will be used in decorating old furniture.

Preparatory work

Before restoring furniture, you need to conduct a thorough inspection to find all the defects present on it: cracks, loose fittings, divergence of joints, and other types of damage.

These troubles should be gotten rid of even before the remodeling begins. It is possible to qualitatively update old furniture only if the correct preparatory measures have been carried out at the initial stage.

To prepare the chest of drawers for restoration, perform the following steps:

• dismantle all fittings, this applies to handles, hinges, locks, shelves, as a result only the furniture body should remain;
• remove the varnish coating, remove the paint, this can be done with a solvent, and finally clean everything with a grinder;
• seal any detected cracks or holes with putty, and after complete drying, sand with fine-grained sandpaper;
• degrease, dry and finish with primer.

All these activities are easy to do with your own hands; the process does not require knowledge or experience. The main thing is to act consistently. After the furniture has dried, you can return the removed fittings to their place.

Note! Before painting wooden furniture, it is recommended to treat it with an antiseptic; the composition prevents the appearance of mold and borers.

Dresser drawers covered with wallpaper

Wallpapering

The most budget-friendly option to give an old item a new look is to cover the surface with wallpaper or photo wallpaper.This method of decoration can be used in remodeling cabinets, bedside tables, and wardrobes.

The step-by-step restoration process is as follows:

1. Before starting work, the surface is cleaned of old coating. Then everything is leveled with a primer.
2. At the next stage, the surface is thoroughly degreased. Alcohol or acetone is suitable for this.
3. Glue is applied to the cabinet and the back of the roll, and then wallpaper is applied. Then you need to thoroughly smooth out the wrinkles and bubbles with a dry sponge.

Please note that the wallpaper with which the closet is covered should be different from those on the walls, but combined with them and other elements in the room. They should have a common style and color composition. This decoration option allows you to show your imagination, for example, make a collage of photographs or paintings with a natural theme.

Paint Update

The easiest way to return an old cabinet to its original appearance is to repaint it. This method has many advantages:

• refreshes doors and facades, the color of which has faded after prolonged use;
• changes the color of furniture, adds brightness, a chest of drawers can become the main accent and highlight in the design of the room;
• The decoration method is considered one of the most budget-friendly and easiest to implement.

On the construction market, paints are presented in a wide variety of colors, so you can choose the appropriate option. The dyeing process itself is carried out according to the following instructions:

• we level, prime and sand all parts of the chest of drawers, this will help hide any defects on them;
• carefully sand the surfaces, then the coloring will be even and perfect;
• Apply the paint with smooth movements, make 2-3 layers, leave to dry;
• Cover the dry surface with a water-repellent mixture; it will protect the furniture from damage and premature color fading.

The easiest way to work is with a spray bottle. This technology allows you to get the most even result, without drips or wicking. The updated cabinet is ready for use.

Aging effect

Furniture pieces made using the artificial aging technique look stylish; they acquire the effect of time. This type of restoration can only be used on wooden surfaces.

Step-by-step decoration of the cabinet is carried out in several stages, namely:

1. The surface is painted in a color palette; the selected shade should be slightly darker than the original one. It is better to choose a color that fits into the overall design of the room.
2. To perform the next step you will need wax; you need to rub the surface with it. To do this, you can use a regular candle.
3. The surface of the furniture is painted in a light shade; cream, beige, and gray shades are best suited. The furniture is left for a day, during which time the paint should dry.
4. Gently rub the surface with sandpaper or a grinding machine. In this simple way, abrasions appear.

You can go a much faster and easier way, but for this you will have to purchase craquelure. The varnish is evenly distributed over the front of the cabinet; after drying, cracks appear, which give the furniture a beautiful antique look.

Fabric decor

Finishing with fabric will help to refresh old pieces of furniture, in particular an old wardrobe or chest of drawers. This method is good because you can update the color and design without additional effort in the form of sanding and priming surfaces.

Decorating with lace elements will add special elegance to the furniture; such items will fit perfectly into the interior in the Provence style. Contrasting patterns will add Japanese flavor to the room.

To carry out the alteration, you need to stock up on the following set of materials:

• padding polyester or foam rubber layer;
• fabric suitable in color and texture;
• stapler.

The decoration manufacturing process itself is easy to do with your own hands. To do this you need to do the following:

1. Distribute sheets of foam rubber or synthetic padding over the entire surface so that they are in close contact with each other and do not leave empty spaces. Secure them around the entire perimeter with a stapler; you can also use liquid nails for this.
2. Gently but tightly pull the fabric over the lining. Then securely fasten it to the base. At this point the decoration is finished, the furniture updated with fabric will sparkle in the room in a new way and become the object of admiring glances.

The material “sits” especially well on natural wood products. Although such restoration can also be used on products based on veneer and MDF.

As you can see, there are a huge number of methods and techniques that will help restore old cabinets, sideboards and chests of drawers. The owner of such furniture can only choose one of them and bring it to life. There is nothing complicated in the alteration; anyone can cope with the task.