Upcycled Goodwill Dresser Repurposed into Nursery Changing Table

If you've been around my blog for very long, you'll know I love a good furniture makeover.  You'll find everything from dressers to tables in my home that have been upcycled and given a new life.

 

I've upcyled garage sale pieces....

 

....thrift shop pieces....

 

....and yes, even curb alert pieces!

 

This particular piece used in Charlotte's room was a Craigslist find.



I knew I was going to upcycle a dresser for the nursery and use it as a changing station.  I found myself searching FB garage sale sites for weeks.  I was wanting something specific and wasn't having much luck.

In the past, when I would look for a furniture project to complete a certain room, I would search online daily and scout out my local Goodwill's several times a week on my way home from work.  I'd often leave Goodwill empty-handed, but if I was patient enough, the right piece of furniture would stand out to me as if it was saying, "BUY ME!  I'm here just for you!"

Now that I'm a SAHM to twin toddlers, there was no way I dragging them to Goodwill several times a week.  My goodness, getting them in and out of the van is a task all in itself, let alone doing all of that work just to spend less than five minutes in thrift store!

I finally found something on Craigslist that I thought could work.  With only a couple months before the baby was due, I arrange to pick it up as soon as I realized it met all of my requirements:  perfect size, solid wood, plenty of storage, $50 or less and could fit in the back of my van.

The only thing I wasn't sure about was the fact that it had a cabinet door on it.  It ended up being my favorite part when I finished with it.  Once I decided to take off the door and display baskets for both cloth and disposable diapers, I was in love!

As soon as I found someone to help Matt carry it upstairs, I began the process of giving this beauty a facelift!  I refinished this piece the way I refinish most pieces, with no sanding required……

1)    I started by cleaning the dresser with TSP cleaner. It can be found at most hardware stores.  I buy mine in a powder and mix it in a spray bottle. 

2)    Using a foam roller I primed the dresser with Zinsser Cover Stain primer.  It took two coats to fully cover this piece of furniture.  I keep this paint on hand for when I find furniture to refinish.

3)    I chose the color "Jaipur pink" from Sherwin Williams.  I've used Sherwin Williams paint on several pieces.  I like that I can buy a sample of paint for a decent price, and it gives me more than enough paint for two coats on a piece of furniture.

4)    I updated the hardware by spray-painting it white.  Sometimes I replace the hardware, but for this dresser I liked the look of the original hardware and painting it white contrasted nicely with the pink.

5)    Tip:  Always take out the drawers when painting and let paint dry completely before applying a new coat.  The primer and the sponge roller are key to getting a streak-free finish without needing to sand, so don't skip those steps.  

6)   Note:  This method is only recommended for solid wood pieces.  The paint will peel on laminate pieces.

I'm very happy with how this piece turned out!  By adding a lamp, some baskets (found at Hobby Lobby), a changing pad (cover found on Amazon) and a few accessories, I had a beautiful dresser/changing table for a baby girl's nursery!  An original piece, upcycled with love, I prefer this to an expensive bedroom set from a big-box store.