A few of you noticed this from last week’s make your own art project, but YES! The pink dresser is in fact a DIY! I’ve always wanted a colorful dresser and somehow was able to convince Ryan to let me go pink when discussing our bedroom makeover…thank god we’re getting married! Since our budget is tight (that wedding is not going to pay for itself), instead of splurging on a designer dresser, I decided to give a classic Ikea one a makeover. Here’s how: 
Ikea Tarva Dresser Makeover Materials
– Ikea Tarva dresser
– Valspar furniture paint (color: Camille Pink)
– Sandpaper
– Polyurathane sealer
– Roller + brush
– Tarp
– Hardware
How to Paint the Ikea Tarva Dresser
Unlike other Ikea pieces that tend to be made of particle board, The Tarva dresser is an untreated solid wood surface, making the painting process super easy since the surface is already prepped!
Step 1
Prep your dresser. Remove the drawers and hardware before painting. If you haven’t assembled your dresser yet, lay your pieces on a flat, but elevated surface to paint. You may need to give it a light sanding first depending on how rough the wood feels after you assemble it (I did!).
Step 2
Paint! I recently discovered Valspar’s furniture paint and am HERE for it! It applies so smooth and perfectly, plus it’s just the right amount of paint (I’m not trying to carry gallons of paint on the subway). I have a little leftover that will be great for touchups later on. This isn’t sponsored, I’m just excited about how well it worked for this! If you use a different paint, you’ll want to apply a coat of primer first.
I ended up giving the dresser two coats of paint and it really doesn’t take too long to dry in between coats. All in all it only took me a few hours one afternoon. Once your paint is completely dry, give it about 24-72 hours to dry.
Step 3
I recommend sealing with polyurethane. This is especially important if you plan on having items on top of the dresser. It’ll make it easier to clean, easier to care for, and prevent scratches at the same time.
And that’s really all there is to it!
The brass pulls were a bit of an investment, but we actually waited for them to go on sale before taking the plunge. Anthro tends to have sales on their hardware, so always be on the lookout for a good deal before committing!
So that’s the chest of drawers, what do you think?! I may go back and change up the legs at some point, but for now I think it’s perfect for the space and I can’t wait to show you the rest of the room!
