The common MALM dresser has been given a fresh (and more expensive) look from reader Laura:
Hello, I just wanted to share a little redesign I did this morning. Thought it was a quick and pretty inexpensive way to spruce up an IKEA classic — the MALM dresser. The handles are from Anthropologie clearance. Thanks! Laura...

before...

after...

closeup
Looks great, thanks for sharing, Laura!
Comments (24)
So cute! Great idea.
wow - awesome!
Very nice,
A world of difference.
This is wonderful! Love the wall behind the dresser too!
Great idea!
Furniture jewelry! Good choices!
Definitely much better. I love it!!
Wow - Those are great handles -
- Good job!
SherryBin is exactly right. The new hardware is jewelry, which changes the ordinary little dress(er) into an elegant, understated outfit.
such a simple little addition went a long way... too cute!
that is very cute and cool!
I am very impressed. I have this same dresser, hmm...
Great idea-but what I really love is the wall behind the dresser! Care to share info about where you got the tiles, how much and how you hung them?
Great idea! Thanks for sharing!
great tiny lamp! where did that come from?
What a great idea to dress up a plain dresser; the hardware gives it a classy look. I like it.....
hey! glad everyone likes it!
the tiny lamp is called "KNUBBIG" - from IKEA.
the wallpaper I got online - searched and searched for some reasonable priced grass coverings. I found them at www.wallpaperdiscount.com - and I did that whole wall for about $55. My loving husband pasted and hung - and then our room smelled like a wet farm for about 2 days. Didn't see that one coming! They aren't tiles - just strips of wallpaper. :)
Hey, neat idea! I have a Malm too (four-drawer, black-brown), and it's definitely... plain.
Lovely! Such a small change has completely transformed the piece. Great work!
What I'd like to know is how to keep the white IKEA furniture from looking like dingy crap within a year. Seems if you look at it the wrong way, it dings, and then the look is ruined with the bit of fiberboard showing. Drawers seem especially prone to this.
After three years, even in good shape, it just ends up looking dull and pasty. Has it gotten any better? It always looks so good in the catalog, but I've steered away from it.
This dresser is completely awesome. See the lamp reflection off the top of the dresser? Shiny! Pretty! I hope it stays that way, because those pulls are lovely.
Chester, I have several pieces of white IKEA furniture (including the dresser in the post) that I've owned for 5 years, and I've never noticed the finish turning dull or "pasty". I also haven't had any problems with chips or dings.
Do you dust regularly, and with a soft cloth? It might sound ridiculous, but dust and dirt can cause a good deal of scuffing on any shiny surface over time. I use a microfiber cloth on all of my furniture weekly. I also stay away from cleansers whenever possible, since they can contain chemicals or abrasives that can etch the surface and create a "hazy" look.
i bought these same pulls from anthro a couple years ago! i put them on an antique dresser i have with claw feet, that i had painted black (black is back) and it looks awesome!!! i also bought the coordinating knobs for two other matching cabs that i own. i lusted for this hardware for months, before i caved and paid full price online from anthro, as all the area stores had sold out of them, as i was waiting for them to go on sale. well worth the investment!
It suddenly looks like a Jonathon Adler credenza! Much more dressed up! One question though- how did you attach the handles? Did you drill through the drawers?
oh where is that lovely chair from? The vibe from your corner is great.