A dresser makeover idea for converting a dresser into a shoe cabinet with doors. DIY farmhouse dresser cabinet with shelves and shoe rack storage.

Repurposing furniture can be fun or sometimes challenging. This is one of those projects for me!

Enjoy my creative makeover idea!

I found this antique bedroom dresser in a shed with decades of dirt and grime on it. It was built with solid wood but the top was damaged and warped. The age of the dresser is guessed between 60-70 years old.

Let’s get started on this repurposed dresser design challenge!

The dresser has beautiful craftsmanship despite the rough condition.

From this angle, you can see the warping on the top of the dresser from years of heavy items being stacked on it. The stain color difference on the back shows evidence of once having a dresser mirror attached.

The dresser makeover before and after pictures on this do-it-yourself project is going to be amazing!

REMOVE DRESSER DRAWERS

I decided to remove the wooden drawer slides and cut off the drawer fronts.

The dresser and drawer fronts are brought outside to be sprayed down with the water hose to remove the dirt first. I washed every inch of this with a mild dish soap. Once scrubbed, I rinsed everything with clean water and left the dresser in the hot summer sun to dry all day.

SANDING DRESSER

After a week of sitting in the shop to completely dry, the dresser was sanded down with 100 grit and 120 grit sandpaper using my palm sander. The wood top was removed but the warping was an issue. I cut out the best part of the top to fit into the existing dresser frame opening to create a unique surface. Yes! Farmhouse style!

The top was sanded with 100 grit, 120 grit, and lastly 150 grit.

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Looking for other DIY dressers? Check out my dresser projects: DIY Dresser Makeover and Repurposed Vanity Dresser

PAINTING DRESSER

The repurposed dresser cabinet was painted with two coats of primer and three coats of simple white paint. If you noticed, a center rail was added for the doors to close to.

DRESSER HARDWARE

The drawer fronts are turned vertical to make doors. Love my DIY idea!

I purchased bolts to fill the holes and pull knobs to match. I already had old door magnets and hinges. The bolts, hinges, and the original door lock hardware are sprayed with a bronze paint color to match the knobs. The lock hardware pieces are put back in their original places.

An easy repurposed dresser design idea for hardware!

The top surface was stained and varnished to bring out the beauty of the wood grain. The natural distressed look is amazing!

I just love how antique furniture has style on the backside too.

DIY DESIGN INSIDE THE DRESSER SHOE CABINET

The inside shelf is built with pine boards leftover from a different project. They are stained and varnished.

I found some old metal baskets and used the grinder to cut off the back part to fit into the dresser bottom. My shoe storage cabinet has air flow!

The DIY dresser makeover is repurposed into a farmhouse shoe cabinet.

My repurposed project really did turn out amazing! The before and after pictures of this dresser makeover shows it can be done!

Get inspired to tackle your next challenging do-it-yourself repurposing project!

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