Gail found this dresser by the side of the road, obviously already the victim of a failed DIY effort. The top had been removed and two drawers were missing (though the drawer fronts remained). Despite its sad condition, Gail brought it home, certain she could make something great from this curbside find.

Gail removed the interior supports for the upper two drawers, and used the drawer fronts to form the back of the bench. She added trim and moulding, and used plywood to create the base for an upholstered seat. This once abandoned dresser now has a new lease on life as a bench at the end of an elderly couple's bed.
Projects like this that save a solid piece of furniture from a landfill are a great reminder to look over any piece for the creative possibilities before giving up on it. For more pictures of Gail's dresser makeover, check out My Repurposed Life: Old Dresser into Bench.
Images: Gail of My Repurposed Life.


White Enamel Flatwa...
Very cute! But the upholstery makes it look like a teeny tiny daybed?
:OOOOOO
Love this sooooooo much! ! !
I kinda like the teeny tiny day-bed look: like a teeny tiny person sleeps there.
you guys are sooooo clever...
hmmm -- would it be sturdy enough to sit/lean back in??
Thanks for featuring my dresser into bench. This was one of the VERY first items I ever repurposed, but one of the most popular searches landing on my blog. :)
It is a pillow case in the picture. I honestly can't remember how I recovered the cushion before I sold it.
I've been wanting to make another one for a long time. The next one will be oh so much cuter!
gail
That's so pretty! What a good idea.
Thanks for commenting, Gail. I like your bench. Did you reinforce the back, or was it already sturdy enough to lean back on? That's the only thing that would keep me from copying your awesome bench!
If it isn't sturdy enough for a person, it might make a super doggie bed!
Because I used the drawer fronts on the back, it made it very sturdy and strong.
gail
Wow. Maybe the most creative repurposing I've seen. Ingenious AND beautifully done. Kudos.
You sold it- I love that!
What a great dog bed idea!
Impressive, I'd have sworn the before was overdue for the dump.
Twin headboards and footboards make spectacular benches. I have one sitting on my front porch that is now falling apart, but has been out there for almost 15 years. Indoors they last forever.
Font WAY too small!
This is the coolest 'save' I have ever seen. Well done!
wow!
gail, using the drawer fronts on the back to make the bench sturdier -- fab idea! Makes this repurposing even more ingenious. Impressed.
This would make the cutest little reading spot in a kids room!
Brilliant - congrats on both your creativity and your vision. I've been looking for a storage-type bench solution to form a banquet behind a table I just salvaged, and this could be just the ticket. Thanks!
beautiful... I saw one a bench similiar to yours on the front porch of a near by home. It really added a nice welcoming touch... Enjoy yours as well :)
Awesome! Very impressive!!
"I love that bed. I would like to sleep in that bed" -Emma, my 4.5 yr old.
what a cute little bench !!
BRILLANT BUT I WOULD HAVE KEPT IT WHITE. EITHER WAY, GREAT JOB.