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A basic Pine chest of drawers was upcycled into a unique rattan-fronted feature piece.
The project
I absolutely adore the whole rattan furniture vibe but couldn't find exactly what I wanted in the shops to fit my measly budget.
I bought a new, basic untreated Pine set of drawers and decided to work my magic!
First I modified the base so that the plinth was removed, then I primed and painted the entire unit before putting it together.
I found some raw rattan rolls in a local store for $10 each. I cut the rattan to size, spray-painted it white and glued it onto the fronts of the drawers.
I bought some mouldings, which I also primed and painted, then I mitred and glued them to the perimeters of the drawers to hide the rattan edge and to improve the aesthetics.
I ran around the house looking for something heavy to use while the mouldings were drying, because at this stage I had run out of clamps. Guess what I used?
I bought some hairpin legs from Bunnings and sprayed them gold (White Knight Squirts gold spray paint is the best shade of gold if anyone is interested – I have tried them all!).
Once everything was dry, I caulked, sanded and re-painted the perimeters of the drawers. I then attached the new legs and some new handles that I'd bought online and – voila! – the transformation was complete!
How to upcycle furniture
Resident D.I.Y. expert MitchellMc has put together this simple step-by-step guide to updating a bedside cabinet with paint and varnish.
More upcycling project inspiration
Bunnings Workshop member Oddchair22 used striking stencil paintwork to pair an upcycled chest of drawers and mirror.
Workshop member marisamoloney upcycled and an old coffee table and and an old hutch as part of her stunning mud room makeover.
There are also plenty more great ideas in our collections of Upcycled buffets and Upcycled bedside drawers and tables.
Let us know if you need a hand with your own upcycling project – we're here to help.
