I needed a dresser for Don’s room and have been searching local thrift store and antique shops for awhile. I couldn’t find what I wanted (or really much of anything) and I was getting a little frustrated! I needed a place for his little socks and pajamas, dang it! 😉 

Then I discovered the miracle that is the Ikea Rast dresser. Guys, its a $40 dresser that is as plain as possible which means that you can dress it up while still being budget friendly! We made a special visit to Ikea for it and I was excited to get to work.

ikea rast dresser hack

supplies

• Ikea Rast Dresser
• 24″x24″ square of Wallpaper– I choose the smooth water activated option. If I were to do this again, I’d spend $5 extra and go with the peel and stick option
• Driftwood Chalk Paint
• Clear Coat
• 6 Drawer Pulls (on clearance from Hobby Lobby)
• 4 Dresser Legs
• 4 Heavy Duty Top Plates

step 1- paint the dresser

Assemble the dresser. Next, paint the outside of it your color of choice. You’ll want to paint the edges of your dresser too. I skipped this and it will add a more finished look! You’ll want to do two coats of the chalk paint and then a coat of the clear coat.

step 2- cut out your wallpaper

For the second step, you’ll want to trace the front of your drawers on the back of your wallpaper. Trace the drawers three times. Make sure to start at the top left of the wallpaper and work your way down so that the pattern is continuous. Once the drawer fronts are traced, cut the wallpaper on the lines.

step 3- apply your wallpaper

To activate the paste on the back of the wallpaper, use a paint roller soaked in water and roll it on the back of the wallpaper. Book your wallpaper (by sticking it onto itself as shown) and let it sit like that for 3-5 minutes. Once its sat, apply the wallpaper to the front of the dresser.

step 4- add on the legs

To add on legs (which is totally a personal choice- I wanted to dress up the dresser), start by painting the wood legs. Next, turn the dresser upside down. You’re going to add two pieces of wood to the bottom of the dresser with screws. Screw on steel plates- these will stabilize the legs.

Finally, just screw on the painted legs. Finish by flipping your dresser upside down and screwing on the drawer knobs.

after

And there it is!!! I am so, so happy with how this little dresser turned out! I think the pattern is so fun- its definitely a statement piece!

I accessorized the dresser with a vintage fan and chair I found at antique shops. The prints are from here on Etsy.

I really like that the dresser coordinates with the nightstand while standing on its own. Would you ever add wallpaper to a dresser? For getting a custom piece, this was a pretty easy project- definitely beginner DIYer level!

When I posted a photo of this dresser on Instagram, I had a lot of requests for my favorite boy wallpapers. It can be hard to find something cute for boys rooms! So here are my favorites-

1. gingham / 2. orange and navy ocean / 3. blue animals / 4. grey and mint cars / 5. mountains / 6. grey map / 7. constellations / 8. safari / 9. sharks

I think any of these wallpapers would be cute on a wall in a boy room. Plus, they’d also be perfect on this project too. I like that they’re whimsical and fun. And there are a few gender neutral options too!

Thank you to apartment therapy for featuring this dresser! You can see the post here.

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