Before & After: Josh’s Thrift to Mid-Century Style Dresser

Josh found this dresser, solid and in good condition, but not quite his style, at a Dallas thrift shop. With a few basic updates, he turned lots of laminate into a mid-century style showpiece:

From Josh:

I found this dresser for $60 at a local thrift shop here in Dallas, Texas. It’s made entirely of laminate particle board, barely used, and very solid. I knew it had great lines and good bones, but lacked any personality. To better fit my style, I wanted to give it a retro, mid-century modern look — as cheaply as possible. First, I painted the drawer fronts a glossy white that really breaks up all of the laminate and makes a great backdrop for the new chrome hardware. The dresser needed some height, so I added some tapered legs stained to match the laminate wood to really complete the retro look.

All of the materials were purchased from Lowe’s Home Improvement store:
Rustoleum Gloss White (applied with a foam roller)
4 5.5″ Round Taper Legs
4 angled top plates for the legs to screw into
Chrome drawer pulls

Thanks, Josh!

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(Images: Josh McClendon)