Outdated Dresser to Modern Changing Table

Turn an old dresser into a modern changing table that’s every bit as functional as it is pretty. It’s a great way to get some much needed storage while utilizing the top as a changing table!

This table went into the nursery of our very first grandson. And I have to admit we had so much fun designing his space. It was a refreshing change from decorating for the four daughters and four granddaughters. But due to some DIY fails, finishing his room was delayed by a couple of weeks and was completed just in the nick of time. Seriously, no sooner than we had placed the furniture in the room and cleaned up our mess, this little guy decided to make his debut. We had a 30 minute respite from a weekend of major work before having to head to the hospital.

But in the end it was all totally worth it.

One of the most important pieces in the nursery is the changing table. But a changing table quickly becomes obsolete after only a couple of years. So instead, we chose to use something more practical – an old dresser. It’s a piece that can do double-duty and will easily transition with this little fellow once he outgrows the nursery.

I wish I had a before picture of this dresser to show you, but the best I could do is this pic showing the back side of it. The slightly offensive army green was its previous paint job. Imagine that mixed with metallic silver details and you’ll know where we started (and why this piece was hiding in the basement).

Not so pretty. But the soft lines and the size of this 1940’s dresser made it a winner for the nursery. And after everything was said and done, it was the perfect piece.

New hardware and a new paint job was all that was needed to transform this dresser, taking it from an outdated relic to a functional piece in just a couple of days. And the neutral colors and modern design will grow with him over the years.

I love the neutral of the grey mixed with a detail of inky blue and how these colors will work with almost any color palette they decide to use later on.

But just because it’s a bold statement piece doesn’t mean we didn’t also add a little touch of sweet to it by lining the drawers with a paper that’s every bit as sweet as the bundle who is residing in here. It was only fitting. And when the time comes, the paper can be changed to something more age appropriate.

If you have a piece of furniture and would like to try the same look, the paints we used were “Salty Dog” by Sherwin Williams and “Flannel Grey” by Behr. And the adorable Scandinavian paper was wrapping paper from Ikea. We already had a dresser on hand, but these old pieces can be found easily at thrift stores for around $50.

Painting the dresser took a weekend to complete but was a simple formula of sanding the original finish and applying two coats of primer, two coats of paint, then two coats of poly with a foam roller. Each coat received a light sanding with 220 grit paper to smooth out the surface, except for the last coat of poly which was left untouched. The task will take the better part of a weekend; however, the savings is totally worth it to create a piece that’s truly one-of-a-kind.

After four daughters and four granddaughters, we welcomed the first grandson into the family this week. He’s a precious little bundle, and we’ve all got serious perma heart eyes for this little guy. And decorating his room was every bit as much fun as welcoming him into the world. If you enjoyed this project, I invite you to sign up to my blog at {Home-ology} modern vintage to follow along as I show more DIY’s from this nursery makeover including this really fun Baby Name String Art.