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Hall Table Repurposed Dresser

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I have a new repurposed furniture project to share with you today. It’s a hall table (sofa table) made out of a dresser. Do you remember last month when Mindi shared her blue dresser made into a bench? We were actually working on the same kind of project without even knowing it.

You know I love cutting up furniture. Although this one wasn’t really too hard, it was a little harder than I expected.

Here’s how it all started . . .

repurposed furniture turn a dresser into a hall tableI picked up this $10 dresser at a yard sale last Fall. I didn’t really have a clue what I was going to do with it. Then last month I had an idea.

 

repurposed-dresserI felt like it wanted to be a table, but I didn’t want to build a base for it. I started by removing some of the drawers.

 

*This post contains affiliate links*

repurposed-dresser-demolitionI LOVE what I do! There’s something about furniture demolition that is really fun!

 

 

jigsaw-dresser-repurposeI used my jigsaw to cut out each end of the dresser. Not the best execution of a design…. but it’s all good!

 

 

cut-up-dresserThese were the pieces that fell to the ground as I was cutting.

 

jigsaw-furniture-cuttingTo do this, I drew a line right on the edge of the support pieces, then drilled a hole in order to allow my blade to start the cut.

 

dresser-reconfiguredThis is what I was left with.

dresser-hall-table-shelfI used a scrap piece of plywood to create a bottoms shelf.

repurposed-dresser-side-viewThere were definitely some veneer issues.

diy-chalky-paint-primerI mixed up some DIY chalky paint primer using some blue oops paint from Home Depot.

 

 

blue-oops-paintThis was the strangest oops paint I have ever used. When I opened the can, the color (see the lid) did NOT resemble the fingerprint on the lid. This can was very full, and I had a difficult time stirring it. You’ll see the messy can in the picture below.

EDITED TO ADD:  On the top of the can, it says the name of this color is Dark Denim.

 

 

messy blue paintI had to stir, and stir, and stir to get the pigments to blend to make the correct color. Oops!  I made a huge mess!  But I finally got rid of the really bright blue paint, and got the prettiest blue ever!

 

 

finish-max-paint-sprayer-repurposed-dresserI gave everything a light sanding and prepared to paint the piece with my Homeright Finish Max.

 

paint-dresser-parts-blueUsing the Plaster of Paint mixture as a primer, I did two light coats of blue.  I also did a primer coat of blue on a cabinet door that I was making into a But First. Coffee sign.

 

patched-up-dresserI prefer to patch my pieces after the primer coat, so I can see exactly what is really showing up.  I did two coats of spackle, sanding in between.

 

 

blue-dresser-topcoatThen we had a couple of snow storms and this project was waiting patiently to be finished. Over the weekend, we had some pretty weather, and in between working on the DIY picket fence arbor, I was able to put two coats of paint on the dresser hall table.

I prefer to paint the underneath side of my pieces—for a more finished look.

 

 

painted-dresser-top

TIP: to get the best coverage on the top of a dresser or table, lay the piece down so you’re spraying vertically instead of horizontally.

 

 

after-two-coats-primerThis is after 2 coats of the chalky paint primer.

I was considering these great handles, but they were too big. for the small sections.

I know the drawers are in wrong here, but this is the way they fit best.

brown-paper-sandingTo get a nice smooth surface, I like to use some brown craft paper to sand the surface before spraying the top coat of paint.

 

DIY Like a Boss

Pretty Handy Girl loves this project!

blue-sofa-table-repurposed-dresserI added some pulls I purchased from my friends at D. Lawless Hardware .

repurposed furniture ideas turn a dresser into a hall table MyRepurposedLife.com

I would love it if you would PIN this!

blue hall table from a dresser MyRepurposedLife.comAfter seeing how Mindi painted the outside of her drawers, I decided to try it with this project. I typically don’t like to do this because the drawers tend to stick. I only did one light coat of the chalky paint on the sides of each drawer.

repurposed furniture ideas turn a dresser into a hall table, sofa table MyRepurposedLife.com

What do you think? I’ve made a lot of dresser projects, and I currently have one more “dresser in waiting”.

 

dana's dresser

This dresser is in the queue for projects, what would you like to see me do to it?

 

gail

Sharing here:  Refresh Restyle Inspiration Monday

Here are  more repurposed dresser ideas.

 

 

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Sharing here: Elizabeth & Co. Be Inspired  DIY Like a BOSS

 

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ABOUT GAIL WILSON - A teacher at heart, Gail Wilson relishes the chance not to show off her projects, but to help others find their inner handywoman, step-by-step. Her blog, MyRepurposedLife.com, chronicles her scrap-saving adventures and has been featured on countless DIY magazines and websites, including Women’s Day, Design*Sponge and Apartment Therapy. She is a longtime influencer for both Homeright and Gorrilla Glue. With a tribe of more than 450,000 followers, Gail is inspiring a new generation of DIYers to pick up some tools and get to work.

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Comments

  2. I love the “blue”…………I’m more of a cottage white or black, but this is a refreshing change. My question or comment is: I assume you like your Homeright paint sprayer………..I ordered on, but it did not spray as I had thought, I found it difficult to use and also kind of messy. I’m sure I didn’t know what I was doing because SO MANY are using it, do you have any helpful suggestions?……………also I have been repurposing furniture for many years……….but I still love all the NEW ideas, …….especially the way you “take apart furniture”……..LOVE IT
    Thank you for always sharing
    Mary

    Reply

    • Ohhh Mary! I wish I could visit you and give you a personal lesson. You are so right, I love, love, love my Finish Max. Can you expand what you mean by difficult and messy?

      In a nutshell:

      Strain paint
      Fill cup about 1/3 – 1/2 full
      Dilute with a little water (for latex paint)
      Attach paint cup to sprayer
      Turn thumb screw all the way open (sprays more paint that way)
      Plug in and Spray!

      If you can be more specific, I’d be very happy to help you work through it.

      glad you liked the blue!
      gail

      Reply

  3. I love this! I have been looking and trying to decide what kind of entry table I wanted, well this is it!
    Hope to be able to get close to what you have done. Thank you so much.

    Reply

  4. Love the step by step on this transformation and the end result is beautiful. The oops paint was a great color and looks beautiful in the finished pic against your wall which brings me to my question. What is the name of the paint color on your wall? We are in the stages of picking a new paint color for the walls in our home and I’m having the hardest time making a decision.
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Jenny,

      Thanks for stopping by to check out my hall table made from a dresser! The gray on the wall is an oops color (mistint) at the store. I’m sorry, I can’t give you a name or more information. The trick with grays is looking at the neighboring colors on the paint chip samples. I prefer grays that are with blacks. Some grays actually have a lavender hue to them, which I found how the hard way when I painted my kitchen island.

      I hope this helps!

      gail

      Reply

  7. I love this!!! I have an old desk that I picked up for free…. solid wood, that I wanted to do something different with because I do NOT like fixing drawers. I think I may see if I can do something like this with it.

    Reply

  8. I’ve said it before, you have an amazing eye for seeing what something can be! Another great project. Featured at Be Inspired this morning. Thanks for sharing Gail!

    Reply

  9. This is my dresser! It was purchased for me with the complete bedroom suite when I was 10 years old (1974)! it was quality stuff in those days and I am amazed at how you transformed it! Currently my son is using my dresser. I wish I had you talent & vision, you did a beautiful job!

    Reply

    • How special! I’m so sentimental, that I would never do these type of things to “family” furniture. 🙂

      I had my moms antique dresser, and briefly thought about painting it-but my daughter asked me not to, so I refinished it.

      gail

      Reply

  12. That is very cool with the bottom drawers taken out. I love the colour, too! I would be too nervous (chicken?) to cut out the sides like you did, but it really turned out beautifully.
    P.S. A jigsaw cuts neater on the back side, but I’m not sure you could have gotten in there anyway. Another solution for stopping the tearing that occurs with plywood is to put masking tape, pressed on firmly, over the cut line and cut through the tape.

    Reply

    • Julie,

      Yeah, I know both of those things about the jigsaw. I couldn’t have done it from the inside, and when I’ve used tape, it didn’t work so well. So I just went with it.

      Thanks for the input for those who try this at home. 🙂

      gail

      Reply

  15. I love, love, love this piece, and that color is so gorgeous. Do you think you could ever replicate that color again, because I’m sure you are going to want to use it again. I love the way you cut the sides out instead of building legs and a base. I have often wondered if that could be done. Beautiful job.

    Reply

  17. What a GREAT idea!
    It looks FABulous!
    -What is this “snow delay” you speak of?
    We got 6.5″ yesterday and looks like we’ll finish at 6 more today. : p
    h a t e i t…..(oh my aching back!)
    Catherine

    Reply

  18. Best makeover ever. I was doubtful at the beginning, but glad it turned out so well. Love the color, too. Well done! Pinned.

    Reply

  19. Love this! I will remember this idea the next time I find a dresser in distress!
    Idea for your next dresser in waiting… a coffee station, or a wine rack/bar/cabinet.
    Thank you for sharing your projects with us!
    Will pin this one!

    Reply

  20. Hi Gail! I am so happy to have found your site! You always have the most original ideas and excellent taste in finishing things. I’m a new bee to the DIY world and I’m always jazzed to see what’s trending . You and your fellow DIY bloggers are an inspiration and very helpful with instructions on how tos’ . Keep up the good work!!!! Sincerely Gail S.

    Reply

  21. awesome sauce gail, what would i like to see you do with that other dresser …. turn it into a 3 bedrom 2 bath house i know you can do it ha ha xx

    Reply

  23. Wow, what a creative idea, and amazing transformation! You’ve definitely inspired me to look at my dressers differently (I can already hear the ‘uh-oh’ from my husband…) 😉
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  24. Very clever and a nice blue. The only critique I have is that I would have taken off the bottom apron (is that what you call it?). It doesn’t quite seem to match the clean straight lines of the rest of the piece, especially with the more modern drawer pulls.

    Reply

    • Kate,

      I don’t disagree with you.

      I actually did it this way to KEEP that apron or skirt or whatever we should call it. But at the time, I didn’t have a clue what kind of hardware I would be using.

      thank you for your honest and sincere input. I truly appreciate it. 🙂

      gail

      Reply

      • I disagree with this comment. Both on the skirt & hadles. I find both
        Aesthetically pleasing. Very creative!

        Reply

        • I appreciate Kate’s POV, but I’m voting with Diane here, Take off that skirt and it’s just another plain table. Without distinction. Anyway, not many people will stand back and look right at the front from a distance and, more important, they won;t judge it. It would be a great piece to keep, but if you sell it, I hope you let us know how long it takes and if any lookers have a problem with it as it is……..interesting market research and useful……

          Reply

      • I assumed you would need that piece to add to the stability of the table. As I was reading and looking at the pictures, I wondered about the new legs and how sturdy they would be. Don’t most dressers rely on the drawer supports to keep them from beginning to lean one way or the other? Did you consider adding cross braces in the back before painting, or am I completely off base with my concerns?

        Reply

        • Wendy,

          When you say “new legs” do you mean the existing legs, but are new because I did the cut outs? The dresser is very sturdy, and no it never occurred to me to do a cross brace.
          I had the piece up on it’s end several times as I was cutting it, as well as rolling it around on a furniture dolly without any sense of it not being sturdy. I believe a friend is buying it, so I’ll be keeping an eye on it and will update the post if there is a problem in the future. 🙂

          I appreciate your input, and concern. That’s why I love reading comments–y’all think of things that I don’t!

          gail

          Reply

          • Yes, that’s what I meant about the legs. I believe you when you say it was sturdy. Not that I have that much experience (or any really 🙂 ) with projects like this one, but the legs seemed thin for the potential weight of the drawers. That may be more a statement about my hoarding than your craftsmanship. For what it’s worth, I think cross braces would have looked good. I think the piece is beautiful! Something I would proudly display and use in my home.

  29. Yay!! I have been waiting for this makeover!! Gail it is amazing!! I love that you kept the original dresser for the legs and notched out the sides, so clever!! And of course I love the blue, so pretty! You know I was looking at the dresser into bench that I made and was thinking the other day that I could have kept the legs longer and turned it into a soft table, I would have really like it that way… ha ha! Great minds… 🙂

    Reply

    • I am so happy that you are finding things to inspire you here on My Repurposed Life! It’s why I do what I do. The handles sort of chose themselves because of thos small little sections on the drawer fronts. It really limited me to what handles I could use. I’ve seen those vintage handles on a lot of pieces, but not quite that tiny!
      Thanks for your sweet comment Melissa!

      gail

      Reply
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me! I read and appreciate every word!

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