Once upon a time (really about 5 years ago), Dan and I went on a field trip to IKEA and came home with a RED 3-Drawer Hemnes chest of drawers. It was for storage in the living room. At that time it matched my inherited-from-the-previous-owner living room decor that included two horizontal red stripes that were painted around the top of all four walls in the room. It was dreadful. Color-coordinated, but dreadful. The red stripes and wall colors were dreadful. Not the chest of drawers. Just red. Very red. Take a look:
The living room walls no longer have the red stripes (it has since been painted), so the red chest (with the bottom piece installed wrong side out – you noticed that didn’t you?) went up in my bedroom. My orange bedroom. Yes, a red chest in my orange bedroom. Lovely, huh? Until now. Meet my IKEA Hack!
Quite a difference, right???
Here are the steps I took to hack my IKEA chest of drawers:
- After removing the drawers, removing the knobs and taping up the ends of the drawer sliders, I gave it three or four coats of white latex primer
- Then I distressed the edges with a sanding sponge. I wanted the white primer, red stain and bare wood to be exposed in different areas of the chest
- I mixed up a batch of homemade chalkpaint (dissolve baking soda with warm water and stir in the paint) using the leftover Benjamin Moore Jamaican Aqua. That quart of paint has gone a long way. I used it here, here, here and here! I think I got my money’s worth from that can of paint!
- After a couple of coats of the chalkpaint, I gave it a light sanding to smooth out the finish and expose the distressed areas
- Finished up with a light coat of wax and a good buffing.
I almost forgot about the drawer knobs. I used the same ones. I just gave them a quick coat of white spray paint and roughed them up a bit with a sanding sponge.
Here’s the best part about painting this chest. I am now embracing the orange walls in my bedroom. I never thought I’d say that! Once I saw how the aqua looks against the orange walls, I fell in love with it! I immediately (no, really, immediately) headed over to Pinterest and searched “orange and aqua bedrooms”! Look at what I found:
It’s funny because from the moment I saw the orange bedroom when I first looked at this house before I bought it, I thought: “what were they thinking?” I thought surely it must have been an “oops”! I have had “painting the master bedroom” on my to-do list since I bought the house. I’m so glad now that it was at the bottom of that list! I am embracing the orange! I’m sure there will be lots of posts around decorating my bedroom.
One more photo ; )
How about you, do you like orange in home decor? I asked this on my Facebook page earlier and was pleasantly surprised by how many do like orange!
I found the tulip picture on this website http://tobifairley.com/portfolio/energy-house/
Thanks Sara! I’ll update the post and give credit.
People are linking the orange drapes pics from Betterh Homes and Gardens http://www.bhg.com/rooms/bedroom/makeovers/a-charming-bedroom-makeover/#page=3
I found the peaches on this website: http://www.dreamwallsglass.com/2012/07/getaway-color-ways-nc-farm-fresh-festivals/
It’s bad that people are tagging only from pinterest and not giving original credit.
Love what you’ve done with the chest. Would you mind if I ask a question? How much baking soda do you add to make your version of chalk paint?
Judi in the UK
Thank you! I added approximately 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda to about 1/2 cup of warm water.
I love what you did with this. Back to IKEA….
Thank you so much! I need to go back, too! I wish there was one closer…sigh, but maybe it’s a good thing that it’s not too convenient!
This is so pretty. You did a good job on this dresser.
Ellya
Thanks Ellya! I was really happy with how it turned out and even more thrilled that I don’t have to reprint the bedroom!
Hey Jeanie, LOVE LOVE LOVE this! What a great job! Thanks so much for linking up with OPC and Remodelaholic to support Habitat. Featuring you on the blog tomorrow and will be sharing on FB too. 🙂
After I originally commented I appear to havee clicked the -Nottify me whhen new comments are added- checkbox
and from now on every time a comment is added I get 4 emails with the same comment.
Perhaps there is a means you are able to remove me from that service?
Appreciate it!
Does your website have a contact page? I’m having problems locating itt but, I’d
like to soot you ann e-mail. I’ve got some creative ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing.
Either way, great site and I lopok forward to seeing it develop over time.
I love, love, love color in a home but never thought of using orange. I have to say I love it! Currently I have yellow in my dining room, family room and living room. Cream and a light leaf green with flamingo pink trim in the kitchen, two tone brown in one bath and two tone gray in another with a dark kind of pine-y green in the master bedroom with a pale sage green sponge painted over it. Yes, I do like color. Trying to figure out where to use the orange ’cause I do love it.
This looks great, though I’m not sure painting something constitutes a “hack.” 😉
love love love this and have the dresser in gray. hopefully changing it soon!