Duct tape. Or use them in a closet, where it won't matter how they look, and get other ones that you like better.

They have great looking duct tape now, we used duck tape brand squares from the craft store for our daughter's vanity table and it's held up fine.

Something really neat that we did with her dresser was to decoupage it. You could get a high gloss finish and use some metalic papers. There are many helpful directions and hints for decoupage. It's fun and comes out really great, the best part is you get to choose a finish that matches the look you're going for.

We found great wrapping paper and did drawers in different colors, you could also find large scrapbook paper and use that.

For pulls you could repurpose faucet knobs and give it a machine look.

Also, if decoupage doesn't work you could always use sheet metal and screw/nail it in piece by piece to the front of each drawer.

Please post whatever you do, love to see the before and afters!

How about tell the landlord he is supposed to deliver an empty apt. and to deal with them himself??

Sand, use BIN Zinsser primer, and then paint what ever color you want.

I've always wanted to cover something in metal contact paper, and it looks like they would be the perfect candidate:

http://www.amazon.com/Metal-Stainless-Steel-Contact-Paper/dp/B001V98IRQ

There are different versions of it (and thicknesses), but mostly it is used for covering appliances, so you can search for that.

If you can use them, I think I would paint them a medium grey with wisps of darker grey, use a paint brush, around the edges * then get some big metal hobby drawer pulls & line with a fun print! Otherwise, if you can't use them tell your landlord he/she needs to remove them...he/she can always donate them to a Good Will or such. Best of luck:)

Contact paper! any color or design will work great, and then just swap out the handles... I'd recommend doing white around the outside, and walnut for the front of the drawers... some modern handles and you have yourself something to be proud of... i just did this with an old filing cabinet matches my MCM desk perfectly!

Use diluted white glue (or modpodge) to cover them with maps, sheet music, wallpaper wrapping paper, foreign language newspapers, posters, copyright free, old-timey black and white graphics off the internet, old postcards, family pictures, pages from kids books, vintage sewing pattern covers or knitting patterns, menus from favorite restaurants, wine labels, or photocopies of the above (or anything else). You'd probably want to prime it white before doing some of these - ask at your paint store for the right materials.

Fabric works well with white glue or mod podge, too.

I like DULCIBELLA idea...

I second the metal contact paper suggestion, and perhaps changing the knobs to something more industrial, like cast iron.

The one you show looks like it's in great condition so if you don't totally hate the wood look, just changing the knobs out might be a relatively cheap idea to do.

I love these white porcelain insulators... http://www.etsy.com/listing/88671506/vintage-porcelain-fence-insulators ...take them with you to the hardware store to find the right screws and nuts. Check ebay, too. Might be able to find a big lot...

And I don't know if these would be your style or not but spigot handles make interesting knobs, too. I've sold a few for that purpose myself. Here's an Etsy shop (not me!!) with a lot of black ones of different shapes (since you have ebony stained pieces). Again, not sure if that's too over the top for your taste... http://www.etsy.com/shop/anythinggoeshere ...but an idea! Have fun!

Contact paper is a great idea but a bear to work with sometimes. Gr. ;)

google "ikea rast hack" there's many ideas on what you can do with a simple chest of drawers.

so many amazing ideas.

i did complete this tutorial, it was easy and i love my new nightstands....

http://aubreyandlindsay.blogspot.com/2009/09/side-table-project.html

My vote is to go with painting it, but that's because I live in a flood plain and the contact paper or duct tape options are just NOT an option with the roaches around here. Most laminate painting tutorials recommend Zinsser.

(If roaches are a possibility in your unit, always avoid sticky and papery solutions).

Call him or email him and tell him that you moved them down to the basement/sidewalk/street/wherever is plausible so you could give them a thorough cleaning and when you went inside to get the cleanser, someone stole these valuable, precious items right out from under your nose, more's the pity, and you sorely miss their beauty but, after all, these things happen in the big city and you will be brave and struggle on somehow.

I've used contact paper on things like this before. Turned out great. You can change out the hardware and add trim pieces to spiff it up even more. Have fun. They're free and ya can't mess up free.

Spray paint with the all-surface, medium gloss paint that covers plastic. Go for an automotive color, like cadmium yellow, midnight blue, coal black, blood red. Change out the handles for something not intended for that use: boat cleats, for instance. They are beautiful and sculptural and not so expensive.

I had one of those ugly melamine bookcases. got the spray paint that'll stick to anything and turned it a lovely cobalt blue. held up pretty well.

Second the IKEA hack idea! The white drawer front with wood frame is tres chic right now. However, you may want to paint or cover the top as well - dead give away that it is melamine not wood.

Dispose of the damn things! Why put a load of effort into something thats cheaply made and will fall apart with a few months of use?

Talking about Ikea.... A cheaper, super easy hack is http://onlinecatalog.ikea-usa.com/US/en/IKEA_Catalog/?page_no=14-15&ref they just cover it with fabric, which for a cheap cheast might be the easiest, cheapest option.

Are you allowed to do anything with them, or does the landlord want them to remain in the same condition so that he can use them as a "selling point" later? I would check with him first before revamping them. And if he says no, you can't change them, tell him you do not want them and it's his responsibility to get rid of them. Hasn't he ever heard of Goodwill?

Everyone's given really awesome suggestions, so this is a just-in-case one: I'd sell 'em and use the money to get something more interesting from a thrift store, but I don't know what your current storage situation is. For example, around here I figure I could sell them for $15/each, and because there's a giant university plus some smaller universities here, I can find vintage 5-drawer vertical filing cabinets (albeit, rarely) for $20/each. Sell all 3 for $45, buy 2 filing cabinets for $40, and have $5 to pay for the gas/whatever. Vintage metal vertical filing cabinet in sea foam green or mustard? Pretty industrial and indestructible.

Best of luck!

I'm torn between 'try something wild' and 'why keep them'? It's not hard to get real wood used chests for cheap ... that's a lot of effort to put into something that isn't good quality. I'd freecycle them.

@CARA100 - clearly, the person who posted this question WANTS to use them.

I second the idea of modge podge and fabric, newsprint or even patterned wrapping paper (you'd be surprised at the really cool array of paper sheets available at nicer stationery stores.) I think a gentle sanding that doesn't go too deep into the MDF/Particle board/whatever they are made from will give it enough "tooth" to hold the paper. I would be slightly less optimistic about paint, though, which will likely peel off shortly after you made the attempt.

It's a lot of work to redo even a small piece of furniture like this. Is it really worth it?

@romneymarsh
Because ppl yell at you when you paint or do anything more than stain decent wood pieces. :p

I vote you sell them on CL (assuming you can) and use the funds to buy something better. If you wait, it will come! (He didn't actually require you to keep them, did he? I assume it's more like "well the previous tenant left these so you can make use of them", not "I don't have anywhere else to store them so sucks to be you"?)

@ lgs (et al) Hmm...it's not a lot of work if one finds it fun. OR if it's do-able on basically a zero budget. OR if one needs a practice piece on which to try a creative idea before moving on to a sturdier, more costly piece. I challenge any of you to beat the price of FREE.

On topic: "...DIY suggestions on how I could revive these to give them an industrial vibe"

Industrial vibe you say... here's what I'd do. (Fyi, Rustoleum makes an spray paint/primer all-in-one. Forget what it's called). Anyhoo, remove the drawers.. Paint the cab in a vibrant color that will complement/contrast your decor (nothing matchy-matchy). Look around...Do you have a treasured piece, say a vase perhaps, that doesn't really work in the room but which you adore? THAT'S the color to choose. Up the hue, drastically increase the intensity & paint the cab/base this color. (think tomato red, cobalt blue, chartreuse, hot pink or a shocking yellow or hello orange).

Measure your drawer fronts PRECISELY. Head to the big box store & grab a roll of metal flashing. Ask them to cut it to your specs. (most bb stores say they don't cut this stuff but they'll do it if you get the right person & appear desperate;) Adhere the flashing to the drawer fronts & drill holes for your pulls. Some good suggestions above...pick something UNexpected for the most impact. Cleats would be great, or round faucet knobs. or...or...use your imagination. Leave the pulls/knobs as-is or paint them the color of the base cab...whichever suits your fancy.

Personally, if I had three of these, I experiment with a combination of the suggestions above. Some great ideas there. What fun!

Sorry, but it seems like this is just darned lazy land lording.

Cheap chests are no bargain. Good antique ones are everywhere and cost very little, and have beautiful wood and lines.

One of my life lessons has been to not take melamine furniture into my life. :)

Ok, so if you must keep them... take the tops off. Have one long top cut to turn these into a unit. Maybe a base, too... So you can add legs. Put this on a long wall as a credenza.

Good primer lets you paint anything.

paint the sides shiny red enamel and put diamond plate on the drawer fronts

Butted together they could be good seasonal storage & find a fabric you like and cover them. Add a lamp, etc, could be a LR credenza or in the kitchen if you need kitchen/pantry storage. Doubt if I'd spend the time/$ to fix them up. If they're truly yours & you don't want/need them, get rid of them.

Grab a sheet of thin galvanized metal, measure for the top of the chest plus the thickness of the top board and 1/2 inch so you can fold it under to keep the edges smooth, cut squares from the corners, then nail the edges down. Paint the bottom with a vibrant color on just one side and the rest black. IF you really want a distressed look, you can lightly smack it around with a bike chain. Be careful though, not sure how much of a beating this thing can take! Sand a few spots and edges and fill it in with a rust colored paint glaze. Think old beat up file cabinet! But if these are just not a very good quality item, put them on freecycle or give them to a charity. Someone could be needing a dresser!

DRAGYNPHYR nailed it.

DULCIBELLA is definitely right on, every one of those ideas sounds amazing, the only comment I would have is that you're not doing these up for resale, let alone mass production, so you don't need to make sure the images are uncopywritten :)

Check out this great DIY tutorial from the HUNTED INTERIOR:
http://thehuntedinterior.blogspot.com/2011/09/ikea-dresser-turned-campaign-inspired.html

Basically she took an Ikea dresser made of MDF/laminate and spray painted the drawer fronts and added some metal embellishments. It looks like it could really turn out great!

I once took an IKEA chest of drawers (the cheapest melamine one they had at the time) and sanded, added trim to the drawer fronts, added an MDF top with a proper overhang, primed, painted, and added new hardware. It looks great and it's been in use for at least four years straight now. The top was coated with a water-soluble topcoat, but otherwise it's just the paint. No peeling, no cracking, no problems. I should probably blog about it, but I'm lazy.

One's copyright is the right to control who can make copies of an original work. The moment an original work is created, the creator owns the copyright. In order to protect ownership, a wise creator immediately registers his or her copyright -- the best way to do that is to go to the Library of Congress website and follow their directions.
It is not a copywrite, nor does a work get copywritten. It is a copyright, evidence of which is registered.
Whether one registers evidence of the creation of an original work or not, one always has the right to put the small c-with-a-circle mark with owner's name and the year after it on every representation of the work, which is considered legal notification of the owner's intent to protect his/her copyright. Unauthorized use of anything with a copyright mark (or even the phrase "copyright AT 2012") is punishable by law and copious fines.

IF you don't need them, they should be gone. No need to junk up your apartment with other folk's stuff. Let your landlord know that you will put them in the hallway or other public place on your floor with a note that the chests are available...free. Landlord will either move them or someone who needs will take one or more. Simple.

I have painted that type of surface before and it never looked quite right. I would get rid of them unless you really need them.

I would lightly sand and fill any holes, coat with primer for adhesion and finish with aluminium/silver paint. Use a roller or aerosol spray gives a good finish.