The Easiest Way to Paint a Stylish Ombre Dresser

Transform your traditional piece of furniture into a modern masterpiece with this stunning ombre dresser.

Ombre dressers offer a unique way for you to add a pop of personality and style to any room. If you're looking to liven up your home's decor, an ombre finish can be a great way to accomplish this. With a distinct range of different colors and shapes, you can create a gorgeous ombre look on your very own.

Not only will ombre colors make a beautiful and unique addition to your home, but it's also a great way to show off your creativity! We'll provide tips on how to make your own ombre effect by choosing the right color and shape for your old dresser. Let's dive into the world of ombre finishes and see how to create the perfect look for your home!

While most people are familiar with the currently trending ombre hairstyles, ombre styled furniture is growing just as much in popularity! This inspired my refinished French lingerie chest that I transformed using this fun new color trend. Let's take a look at this DIY.

Supplies You Will Need

• Drop cloth
• Sander
• Putty knife and scraper
• Paint
• Paint samples
• Painter's tape
• Paint brush or paint sprayer
• Primer
• Finish clear coat or glaze
• Paint stripper, if needed
• Original or new hardware

DIY Painted Ombre Dresser

Pick Your Piece

Transform any old dresser or even a tall nightstand you have into an ombre masterpiece. This works best with wood furniture. You can also find furniture at a thrift store, garage sale or grandma's attic. Take a look here for more tips on finding that perfect piece.

Remove Hardware

The first step after acquiring your piece is to take it apart. Remove any hardware or drawer pulls so it will be easier to refinish. You will also want to take out individual drawers so painting the drawer front is easier.

Sand Your Furniture

When you are sanding a dresser that is this large, I highly suggest using an electric sander. Smaller pieces can use a sanding block or sandpaper. This lingerie dresser had previously been painted with a plethora of paint. It took me about four hours of sanding to reach the wood surface.

Keep in mind that if you have any deep gouges in your wood you may also need to use wood filler and sand that down too. If you don't have too much paint already on your dresser, you can wipe everything down with a damp cloth and proceed to painting.

Strip Paint from Ombre Dresser

This DIY project required a little more extensive work. After finally discovering the wood, I decided to apply a paint stripper as well. I do not always do this, but the previous coat of paint was scratching and flaking off. This can cause the new paint job to do the same.

Here are a few more tips for using paint stripper. I used paint stripper when I redid our front door. Be careful to use safety equipment and protect your skin from the paint stripper.

Use Primer

When your dresser has been sanded and stripped, if needed, it is time to paint! First you will use a primer over your entire dresser. This will help the paint to adhere to the wood. A primer like Kilz is a great option. Wait for your primer to dry before applying paint.

Time to Paint

My girls' room had bright paint colors emphasized in their bedding and gallery wall decor, so I wanted this chest to fit in without being too wild. Ombre is the perfect solution for adding color at a minimal rate without being too eccentric. Having multiple drawers makes this piece the perfect candidate for ombre painting.

Instead of buying a whole container of paint in several colors, you can purchase sample pints for smaller portions. A little paint goes a long way! To get the different shades for my ombre look I bought six sample pints from Clark and Kensington to use one for each drawer. They run anywhere from $4-6 a pint.

I used these paint colors for the drawer faces, starting at the bottom drawer with the darkest shade and moving upward to lighter color. The color blends will be much more gradual this way. Pick colors that you love!

• Country Breeze
• Lemon Grass
• Goldendale
• My Pleasure
• Huntley Country
• Medina

Use a paint brush and long brush strokes to get a smooth finish. You do not want drip marks on your drawer fronts. I also used Benjamin Moore's White Dove for the main color of the dresser.

Use a Final Coat

It is always worth the extra cost to apply a finishing coat to your painted furniture. This can be a clear top coat, a glaze or a dark wax. A protective coat will ensure the longevity of your piece.

I used a dark brown glaze to bring the details out on this dresser. Character like this need to be accented!

Update Hardware

Updating hardware can make all the difference when it comes to refinishing a vintage piece. I love the original hardware, but it needed a little bit of white paint to help update. To refinish the old handles I used Rustoleum's Metallic White in the gloss finish.

And here is the finished product on display in my daughters' room. This stylish ombre dresser turned out beautifully!

And here are some more ideas for decorative accents on top of your dresser.

If you are searching for a fun way to bring in color to your furniture, try out the ombre look! This look can be done with any color as long as you progress the shades correctly.

Overall, the ombre dresser is a unique way to bring a bold and creative design to any room. Whether it’s an antique piece given a new life with this innovative paint job, or a newly-bought dresser, the techniques for applying this look are easy enough for anyone to replicate.

With the right paint and a steady hand, this DIY project will enable you to turn something drab to fab. For those who prefer to leave the creative finishing touches to the professionals, there are plenty of brilliantly designed ombre dressers available to buy. With all of the options out there, the possibilities are truly endless. Leave the door open for creativity and enjoy the ombre dresser trend!

Looking for more refinishing ideas? Try out this tutorial on how to refinish a table top.

Or you can try these instructions on how to get a budget friendly vintage dresser makeover.

Happy Refinishing!

Brooke

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