A few months ago I went down to the Washington-Wilkes area of Georgia for their Tour of Homes (so awesome, btw), and of course I had to stop into a few shops while I was there. I spotted this little dresser and I couldn’t resist the hardware… or the $30 price tag. I didn’t even haggle, I also didn’t even think about the fact that I had a dog and a husband who had to fit in the car on the way back to Atlanta. It all worked out, though. Good thing, the Hubs would’ve been mad if he had gotten left behind. Wink.
The inside of the dresser was stamped with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters label, so I knew it was made well and worth saving. I’m not totally sure how old it is, I’m assuming that the 5’s on each side of the stamp mean 1955? Anyone know?
Either way, I loved it at first sight but knew I wanted to add some legs to it to raise it up. I’m getting to be an old woman and anything I can do to keep from bending over is awesome. Okay, so I’m not that old. But I am that lazy.
I started by removing the bottom trim on the dresser. That’s when I realized that the “trim” was made up of 2×4’s that someone had recently added. When I pulled them off, I saw that there had been legs on it. Furious. Someone took the legs off of this baby and added 2×4’s!!
I had planned on staining this piece so I got busy stripping off the paint. I found this amazing stuff at Home Depot called Klean Strip Premium Stripper. So. Easy. It took two cans, but waaaay less clean up than non-spray. While I was removing the paint, I was still fuming about the fact that someone amputated my dresser. And then this happened.
One drawer was a totally different color!
Cue peanut-butter-throat-wookiee-noise of frustration.
I sanded and stripped over and over and nothing helped. I knew that if I stained it as it was, that drawer would take the stain differently and would always bother me.
Ugh! I mean, wouldja look at that?!
So annoying.
Ohhhhkay, paint it is, then. I sprayed it with a spray primer and let it cure for a few days and flipped it over to add the tapered legs. Real time commentary: My hound dog has the most insane, room clearing, nose hair singeing gas right now. I’m dying.
Here’s a leg hole from the previous legs. Sad story.
I added a couple of 1×4’s to the dresser and attached the leg brackets to the wood.
The legs are 16″ Round Taper Legs by Waddell from Home Depot.
In order to hide the wood supports that the brackets were attached to, I added a couple of 1×2’s around the edge as trim.
I added wood glue and clamped ’em down and let them sit for 24 hours. I set the sides flush and set the front piece back just a bit.
I was still holding onto the stain idea for the top two drawers that didn’t have hardware but decided that might not look great with the paint color, so I went ahead and primed those as well.
After a good sanding, I taped off the feet and painted the whole thing with HomeRight FinishMax.
I’ve found that stacking is the easiest and fastest way to paint drawers. Maybe I’m late on this one…
I just tape off the sides and set each one back a bit so I can paint the top lip of the drawer as well.
After two weeks of drying/curing time, heeeeere she is!
I sprayed the hardware gold to go with some other gold action goin’ on in the master.
I picked up this phrenology hand at Home Goods for $15 bucks and added some vintage faucet knobs that I picked up at an estate sale.
This little light fixture was on my great grandmother’s front porch and we had it on our patio at our previous house in Texas.
Before:
After:
Whaddya think? Better amputated?
It’s looks a little fat for the legs in some of these pics, but it’s really only 16″ inches deep and not as top heavy as it looks.
Have you ever added legs to a piece of furniture?
dena@heartsandsharts.com
hey this looks great!!! i want to ask a question? did you use a drill to attach the legs and how hard is it to use a drill if you’ve never used one before? that’s the only thing that’s stopping me from taking something like this on. if i could use a drill, i think i’d be doing things like this more often, thanks.
toni 🙂
Oh, Toni! Get yourself a drill! I did use a drill for the legs. Try a Ryobi – not hard AT ALL to use. Don’t let that slow you down! There are tons of videos online about how to operate one and once you get comfy with it, the possibilities are ENDLESS!
This is absolutely gorgeous. I’ve recently decided my decor style is mid century modern-meets rustic farmhouse and have been DIY’ing some things. (leather ottoman with hairpin legs to be finished today!)
I have the Waddell legs from a side table attempt (too short for my sofa). How sturdy are they on a dresser with items inside?
Thanks in advance!
Hey Kellye! They’re pretty sturdy. These legs are actually a lil long for this dresser but it was still pretty sturdy. We had that thing packed full.
I totally Agree the genuine-ness of rustic and the convenience ( to clean – 4 kids) and happy airy (&colourful) of the Long legged mid century.
I love this dresser idea and the colour! now i’m on hunt for free dresser and and a shop for long legs. 🙂
Dressers and chests are my kryptonite . Love your reinterpretation with the tall sexy legs and bold color. Stunning choices!!! Your frustrated WOOKIE yell choked me. Had a similar experience after I painstakingly removed the layers on a detailed french provincial dresser (with a matching armoire) to find the wood underneath very flawed. Much to my chagrin, the pieces were always meant to be painted vs. stained. Taking something down to the bones can be a risk — and way too labor intensive for my efforts these days. Hats off to you!
Thank you, Bridget!! Glad you understand my wookie-frustration. I mean, not glad that you went through the same thing because it totally stinks, but, ya know… 🙂 Hope it’s warm out there in Cali. Dang cold here in ATL!
What a great piece! I’ve started dabbling in refinishing furniture and I’ve really wanted to find a great piece to add legs to. I love the color you chose! Great work!
Thank you so much, Lori!!
Love everything about the dresser!
You provided the depth as 16″. Can you share what the overall height is, leg height and what the drawer section height is?
Thank you.
Thanks so much for this! I’ve been wanting to add legs to SO many mid century pieces, thanks for the post!
PS love the coral, such a cute/bold choice!
Thank you, Steph! For the record, just in case Hubs sees this – the color is Fiery Red – not to be confused with any shade of unmanly pink. 🙂 Wink.
Due to aging and arthritis it’s getting hard for my folks to bend over to get into bottom dresser drawers. Adding legs will certainly help them out. Thanks for sharing this neat idea.
Glad I could help! Thank you, Kathy!
Hey, I love your upcycle! I was actually looking for a solution to a problem I have when I came across your blog. I was wondering if you have any suggestions. I found a deadbeat dresser at a thrift shop and it was cheap. I am just beginning to get into upcycling and thought it would be a great choice. Once I got it home, I noticed that the decorative trim on the bottom of one of the sides is broken (maybey from being moved/slid?). It is a 1980’s dresser, I believe, and has a lot of curves and striping. Im not skilled enough, nor do I have the tools to recreate the trim piece, but I do think I am pretty handy. I am also on a tight budget. What would you suggest?
Hey Rachel! This is a tough one. Without seeing it, I’m not really sure what I would do to recreate the trim… If you are painting the piece, I would start thinking outside the box about anything and everything that might duplicate the curves or striping – once it’s painted, you wouldn’t be able to tell. I wonder if you might be able to make something out of Sculpey that you could glue on and then paint over?? I wish I could be more help on this one!
What size bracket did you use for the legs? Could you provide the url for home depot? I found the legs just not the brackets.
Yep, here ya go! http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-Heavy-Duty-Top-Plate-2755/100390125
Wow. It now looks like a mid-century modern original. Gorgeous work!
This was the first thing that came up as I started searching for information on adding legs to a dresser. I’m inspired!
Thanks, Tru!!! I’d love to see yours when you’re done!
Hi! Love this. May I ask, what color/brand paint did you use? Thanks!
Hey Pat! Thank you! It’s called Fiery Red by Behr. I used enamel. 🙂
This is such a great idea. I need to do this for my living room. I wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the very inspiring blogger award. Sorry it has taken me so ling to let you know. I was on vacation when the post went live and got super busy when we got home. Check it out http://lifeslittleprojects.com/inspiring-blogger-award/
Thank you AmieJo!!
Oh my gosh, I’m so glad you found those legs at Home Depot. I’ve been looking for similar legs online for a project and they were so much more expensive!
Girl, I looked forever! I had a secret pin board of MCM legs, it got a little out of hand. Can’t wait to see what you’re doing with them!!
Beautiful!! Love it!! Great job!! Well done!! Trying to get the nerve to paint the oak dressers, in my bedroom. Thinking about doing them two-toned.
Mary
Thanks, Mary! Go for it!!!
Lovely makeover! Seriously, I would have never thought to add to feet and I adore it! Pinning.
Thank you, Ashley!!
I can. not. believe they took off the original legs and added 2x4s on the bottom! Good thing you were around to fix that! Looks great, Dena!
Thanks, Alexis. I don’t know why, but I feel like it had to be a dude that amputated the dresser… and he probably had a mullet.
That color is PERFECT. I love the tips for adding legs – I have a similar piece, too, that is just too low for my lazy butt to bend down and get into. Haha. Might have to give it some height!
Thank you, Erica! Put some legs on that baby!! 🙂
Hi,
Love the dresser transformation of your red dresser! Can you tell us why you left your paint to dry/cure for weeks when most paint is ok to 2nd coat from 1 hour to 24 hours?
thanks!
Thanks, Seana! I just wanted to make extra-sure that when I put my books and stuff on it that it wasn’t tacky at all. Plus, it was out in the garage and it is super humid in Georgia so I wanted to give it extra time to dry. Also, when I picked up the paint at Home Depot, the paint guy recommended not putting anything on it for two weeks after the final coat was put on. Better safe than sorry!
Very nice job, and I sure understand about not bending down too far, too often. I believe that the original legs would have been about 6-8 inches long, tapered from about 2-3 inches at top, and angled slightly toward the sides of the dresser. I also think that someone had stripped it before you and then put stain on the one drawer, didn’t like it and decided to paint. Or something like that anyway.
Good dressers are wonderful storage for so many things in any room. Great job on making yours unique!!
Thanks, Zoe! I couldn’t find the exact legs I was looking for (for a decent price) and after two shipping mix ups, I just went with what I had. When I went to Home Depot to get angled brackets, they didn’t have any and said I would have to order them. After working on this thing for three weeks I was ready to have it done so I just went with the regular ones. Sure would have loved it if someone hadn’t cut those legs off in the first place!
What an update! Love the bold color and legs addition!! Great work.
Thank you, Amy!!
I love the color (my favorite, btw) and the legs. The legs make such a difference. Great job! 🙂
Thanks, Juana!
Just gorgeous. What spray did you use for the gold?
Thanks! I used Rustoleum’s Specialty Metallic Spray in Gold.
This is amazing! Adding the legs make such a difference. I can’t believe they were removed in the first place! Awesome job 🙂
Thanks, Breanna!
I’ve been meaning paint an old armoire that color for quite some time now, but have been rethinking the color, seeing all the great looking yellow pieces plastered all over the internet. Now I know my gut was right!
Also, those legs are perfect! Great job!
Always go with your gut. Thanks, Nick!
You are a genius! I am copying you as soon as I get my hands on a dresser!
Thanks, Lesley!!! I’ll be sure to tell my husband that I’m a genius. He’ll be ecstatic. 🙂
Love, love, love the new color! So nice to meet you this past weekend. (wow, was a week ago, already!!!)
Thank you, Candace! I know, it’s gone by so fast, especially when trying to put all this new stuff to work!
What a great idea!
Thank you, Darlene!
The legs have me mentally singing (because I’m at work it would be weird to just belt out…) ZZ Tops (I think that’s who sang it…) She’s Got Legs! LOVE them! SO much better with them than without.
Great minds, Christine! I sang that a million times during this project! Thank you!!
Yeah. That’s a win. SO much better. The color is great too. The gold cap on the leg is genius… stealing that idea.
Thanks, C! The legs came with the cap, I just painted ’em. 🙂
The legs add so much to it! I love the color you chose! Great job!
Thank you, Shanna! Great to meet you this weekend!
Love the legs and love the color!! What color is it?
Thanks, Laura! The color is Fiery Red by Behr.
LOVE LOVE LOVE it! The style is amazing and the coral and gold are perfect.
BTW, it was great to meet you at Haven! Hope to see you again next year!
Thank you! Great to meet you as well, Kim!!
Love the color!
Thank you, Andrea!