I vote for a bright color...especially because the want the handles are you don't have much of an option for hardware. I would say pick your favorite of the bright color in the lights, take it to get it matched and start sanding/painting. It'll be great! I hope we get to see the after no matter which way you decide to go!

I have the long low version of this. I painted it white and then used contact paper in a white and beige chevron pattern on the top and inside the drawer pulls. It was going to be a solution until I could afford something better but after I painted it, it has become my favorite piece of furniture.

It would look great brightly colored! and by the way, because it is more or less unfinished as is, you just need to do a simple sanding and then a primer. It was the easiest painting project I have done.

paint it all white except for the top surface, keep that wood. I think having some wood gives a room some texture and makes it homey.

I kind of like the drawer fronts as is with the natural wood grain and color... I think it would look great if you kept the drawer fronts as is (or stained slightly darker) and then painted the top and sides with a white gloss. Then add pops of color with decor on the top. please post after pics!

I would definitely paint it, it will bring out the minimal handles beautifully. Choose a very pale shade of your dominant color for the body and a slightly bolder shade for the top.

I would paint it a bright color and paint the insides of the pulls another complimentary bright color. I would then put pulls on top of the existing pulls. (Something like this maybe?) I think it's the pulls that make the dresser look cheap, so do what you can to work around them.

You have many options:
-painting (even a 2 tone paint job might be fun. Paint the inside of the handles a different color)
-restaining -wall paper -scrap book paper -stenciling instead of painting
I'd like to see the finished product on AT once you are done. Have fun.

I am envisioning painting a clear color (primed then painted chartreuse, maybe, to go with the bedding shown) and then gold leaf inside the handles. Or possibly a color wood stain, like green or blue, if you want some wood grain to show.

@SherryBinnh I don't understand. What is a "clear color" isn't that an oxymoron? Is that a type of paint? I'm a n00b!

Callimac suggested exactly what I wanted to recommend. I have a tall dresser that I painted the body white and stained just the drawer fronts, see it here. It's really versatile this way and can fit in your decor for a long time.

@ALittlePaint WOW! Your dresser looks gorgeous.

When my sister & I were kids, we had this dresser & the rest of the pieces in the set. The workmanship on the furniture pieces from this company (sorry, can't remember the name of company) are very heavy, solid & tough. Once it was time to get rid of the set, we never looked back. Now, that I see your dresser & the makeover suggestions for it, I wish I still had it. Oh & for the record, the white chevron pattern idea, WINNING!

I would stain it grey or a greenish grey. Something neutral but stylish.

pain just the top and drawer faces a super glossy white.

I would go with a super matte dark green or a super glossy lime shade like you bedding. Or go crazy and paint everything but the top in the same blue as that little lantern at the top of the picture on the right wall, and then do the top and handle insets in lime.

Call me crazy but I kind of like it as is. Although, I would probably stain it a less orange-y color. It seems like a shame to paint over a nice solid wood dresser.

I really like the look that A LITTLE PAINT posted - I think you should use putty to actually fill the old drawer pulls then sand it flush and paint, then add new drawer pulls - I think the existing pulls are really the part of the dresser that makes is look more old fashioned.

I like the pulls! Don't do anything with them. Paint the dresser frame white and stain the drawers Jacobean to reduce the high contrast of the current wood grain. Paint the opening of the pulls white to match the dresser frame.

Like this: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-after-di-154516

I guess I should have read @alittlepaint before I posted. :)

I would paint it white or light gray (or both) and add some color (yellow, citrus like the ones you already have in the room) inside the pulls.
Please show us how it looks after you finish!

Good luck

Ana

That is a This End Up piece. They still make that dresser I'm sure. You should check out their website, it might have information about the finish.

@SALLYIGTG Thanks for pointing that out. It's definitely the pine version.

I think you should do overlays on it. If you don't know what they are you can just type "overlay" into the search engine on this website and you can see makeovers of dressers done with them.

lena corwin, in Printed By Hand, has the most awesome contac-paper stencil method, and pattern, for a "Dressed-Up Dresser". she is a genius.

http://www.amazon.com/Printing-Hand-Handmade-Stencils-Screens/dp/1584796723#reader_1584796723

pops of color on the inside, so you only see it when you pull the drawers out.

I think the question is really strange... you bought it and thought it was cool because it is all wood and a great deal for $20, but you think it looks hideous with it's all-wood grain?

So paint it white and put some bright accessories on the top like a lime lamp or a pink bowl.

@UrbanCricket: I (and I'm the question asker) don't think it's a weird question. I needed a dresser and I found on on CL. It was a good deal ($20!) and good quality (wood). The bones are good, but the finish is fug and I want to change that. Seems like a typical question to me.

Distress it! Easy-peasy. Sand it, prime it, paint it green, then paint it white...then sand off to show wear...thn go nuts with a chain! Here are lots of easy distressing ideas online - check hem out!

Distress it! Easy-peasy. Sand it, prime it, paint it green, then paint it white...then sand off to show wear...then go nuts with a chain! There are lots of easy distressing ideas online - check them out!

I think this is gorgeous as is. I'm surprised I didn't see more comments on how nice it looks already. oh well.

Wasn't there a post last week on a takeoff of Anthropologie's Ordinal dresser?
Here's the dresser from the Anthropologie site:
http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-furniture/960069.jsp
And here's the post from last week:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-after-anthropologie-inspired-dresser-craftaholics-anonymous-170471

I wouldn't paint this sucker glossy white. Too booooooring, no matter how many lime green and orange thingies and gewgaws you put on top.

At $20 I think you could have a lot of fun with this and try lots of different things. You could try woodburning designs into. You could try wallpapering the drawers and panels. You could stencil it.

I would suggest staining the piece gray or some other color that will emphasize the wood grain. Or maybe an overall dark color like in those anthropologie ordinal dressers. Add feet to it to raise it off the ground. Enjoy and if you don't like it start over and try again.

I second the leave it as is. This End Up makes rock solid furniture that will hold up to the wear and tear of kids. My son has bunk beds/dressers/and shelves by this company in his room. If you wanted to embellish it a bit and make it a bit more interesting, maybe just sand and apply a new coat of mat poly to freshen them up. I think part of the appeal is the reclaimed shipping crate look with these. Please don't paint it. I you don't like it, you can definitely get more than $20 if you market it as This End Up on Craigslist. I'd say at least $75.

The wood is nice a slightly darker walnut stain or more ash would be nice like someone commented less red. Then a nice white ceramic vase or white ceramic piece on top.

Here are two comapnies that have the wood stain that I am speaking of

Ohio Design-
http://ohiodesign.com/product/olia-bench/

Look at Mash Studio's LAX series see the wood with less red, it would instantly make it more modern.
http://www.laxseries.com/sleep_and_lounge/storage_platform.html

This dresser has all the hallmarks of an IKEA RAST dresser - plain, waiting to be transformed into something new. I recommend an image search (choose your preferred search engine) for "IKEA Rast hack" and glean some ideas from there.

I agree it has an appealing wood pallet look and I definitely wouldn't paint the whole thing gloss white - it's incongruous to the style. Gray stain like the Anthropologie dresser is my vote.

I wouldn't paint it because I'm also in the camp of appreciating the wood grain. But why not try a stain similar to this.

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/baynote/063231.jsp

Add some metal hardware in the pull area and you could wind up with something that you need to work with your decor.

Paint the frame white and then paint the drawers in similar shades of green, with the darkest shade at the bottom.

Chaurtruse all the way. (don't have spell check, so don't hate on me!)

STOP! ****WOOD POLICE****
This is made from wood which is such an incredibly beautiful medium.
It would be a crime to paint it, save that for some piece of junk furniture, instead use the minwax colored stains and stain each drawer a different color you'll have the best of both worlds then. Gorgeous organic looking grain and fun bright multi color.

The grain on that particular piece is beautiful. I would keep some of it, at least!

Yes, the wood is nicer than any paint color will look. It is the light color you do not love. So stain it darker...the pine grain will look good, but be a bit less obvious in a darker stain. Keep any color for the inside.

As to the handles, they are functional. If you like the feel of opening the drawers with them as they are, then keep them. If you prefer a knob or handle that is not inset (as I do), then I like the idea of adding handles over the holes...you need just the right style to pull this off. But don't fill in the holes...that won't work.

I never liked the flat front look of ikea malm dressers, til I saw them displayed at a store with handles like the ones an earlier poster linked to....then I realized I liked them fine with handles.

@MISSCYNTHIABELL, sorry, just saw your question. What I mean by a "clear color" is one that has no gray, black or white mixed in. An intense, bright, un-muted color. Fuschia is pretty clear, magenta is similar but has some black in it to darken and mute it a bit. You could call them "hues" as well, but I also wanted to imply bright and light-filled kinds of colors, and not all hues fit that description.

Just one maybe two drawers in a rad color, Make it rude.

I'd try staining it first, if you hate it still then you can always paint but i can see this in a darker richer finish and looking lovely. good luck!