Why yes, that is indeed a dresser in my kitchen. And no, I do not get dressed in my kitchen…well most of the time. We are currently renting a 100 year old cottage style home. It is chock-full of character, but unfortunately not chock-full of storage. This move is temporary, so I decided to compromise on space/storage for location and character. There are some days that I curse character, but most I try to embrace it. The kitchen was a big source of frustration. There was just not enough storage, so on a trip to IKEA this pretty little dresser was purchased. It was painted, new knobs added and then dressed up. Isn’t she lovely? Looking on-line at the measurements, I noticed that it was narrower than a standard dresser. This was perfect! And it was affordable AND it can move with us!
Here is what the IKEA Tarva looks like in the store…
And by the way, I want my next job to be working for IKEA naming pieces of furniture! Okay, back to the dresser. Of course, IKEA furniture is affordable, but at the expense of your husband’s free time. On a Saturday afternoon, he patiently assembled this bad boy with the help of two four year olds. What should probably take a couple of hours turned into a six hour project.
And here it is almost ready to paint…
The wood was pretty smooth (and I’m pretty impatient), so I just skipped the sanding stage and headed to get my paint brush. I used the Zinsser 1-2-3 primer. I prefer this over Kilz. It goes on smooth and doesn’t smell too bad. I also prefer to use a brush instead of a roller.
Once the primer has cured (big word, but just look on the can to see how long you need to wait before re-coating), I then went on to the real paint. I painted two layers of the Behr Ultra Paint + Primer Satin finish. Let that cure and then apply your clear topcoat. I used the MinWax Polycrylic Satin finish to make the surface washable and durable. For the top of the dresser, I applied three coats of the Polycrylic. I was a tad lazy and only applied two coats to the drawers and sides. Follow the instructions on the can and you will be good to go.
Project Sources:
Dresser – IKEA Tarva 6-drawer chest
Yellow Knobs – Hobby Lobby
Primer – Zinsser 1-2-3
Paint – Sherwin Williams Dover White (color matched Behr Ultra Satin Finish)
Top Coat Sealer – MinWax Polycrylic Satin Finish
Side Note: I have declared Behr Ultra Paint + Primer to be my favorite paint. So much so, that I drove 40 minutes to pick up a can of paint. Some may call this crazy, I call it normal.
Feel free to send me a note if you have any questions.
It looks so good! I knew it looked good in person, but it is even more exciting to see how well your pictures turned out!
Oh, I LOVE this idea!! It came out beautifully!! Thanks for sharing!! ^_^
Hi! I love what you did with this dresser! I’m thinking about getting one, and I wondered whether you’d be able to tell me whether it measures 61″ wide on the top or from side to side? I’ve got to squeeze it into a small space, so every inch counts, and I just can’t figure out where the 61″ measurement is taken from. I really appreciate it, thanks!
The top of the dresser is the widest part and measures exactly 61″. Hope that helps! It is also not as deep as your average dresser – only 15 1/2″ deep – so it is great for smaller spaces. Let me know if you have any other measurement questions.
Thank you so much!
That dresser fits perfectly in that space! I’ve never seen that particular dresser at Ikea before but I am going to keep my eye out for it now! So many possibilities.
It doesn’t look so impressive in the store, but really comes to life with a coat of paint.
Like most men, I keep a toolbag at arms length, have many woodworking and handyman magazines under my belt, but I must say… you’ve impressed me! You have a gift and keep working it. Now I just have to figure out how to fit a dresser in my kitchen! You’re inspiring!
John V
First- the dresser looks great! I love the knobs.
I’m considering the chest version of this dresser for our bedroom. I noticed the depth is 15 3/8″- about 2.5″ less than our current dresser. I know that you’re using this for kitchen storage, but in your opinion, would the shorter depth be a problem re: clothing storage? It seems like we always have an extra 3 inches in the front or back of the drawers anyhow.
Thanks! I think it would work great in a bedroom. Fitting clothes should not be a problem and it takes up less space…if that is a concern. I say go for it! We have 5 year old twin boys and they have put the dresser to the test, so it seems pretty durable. Good luck!