Looking for a simple way to turn a basic piece of furniture into something uniquely your own? You’re in for a treat! Today’s guest creator, LeeAnn from Creative Moments, is showing how she transformed an IKEA chest of drawers using Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint and a touch of Gilding Wax. With just a few products and a little creativity, she took a plain, store-bought piece and turned it into a fresh, custom look. If you love easy makeovers with big impact, you’ll love this transformation!

(The following is an excerpt from Creative Moments. Read the full article here) 

This well worn pine dresser was given a fresh new update warm white look paired with updating the original pulls to a soft gold with gold accents around the drawer edges for just a bit of sparkle.Before photo of an unfinished IKEA pine dresser with multiple drawers, shown prior to being painted for a DIY furniture makeover.
I was gifted this dresser from a neighbor. I have a thing for trying to save the unwanted. Cats had used this dresser as a scratching post and window ladder, stickers had found a home on drawer fronts, and there were a few chipped wood areas missing. The dresser is the pine IKEA leksvik model from years ago. It really needed some TLC.

Step 1: Clean with White Lightning

The first step is to always give the piece a good scrub. I use White Lightning cleaner mixed with Dawn dish soap in a warm bucket of water with a scrub brush. I give it a cleanflush of warm water to rinse the cleaners off. This is an important step not only to remove all the past grime but also to be sure that coming from a pet friendly home it is all clean.
Dresser drawers removed and being cleaned in a garage during prep for a DIY furniture makeover, with cleaning supplies on the floor. Wood dresser being scrubbed clean with soap and water during prep for a furniture makeover, with a scrub brush and cleaning supplies visible.

Step 2: Apply Bonding BOSS

Now to apply a primer sealer coat called Dixie Belle Bonding Boss – white as pine is notorious for bleed thru. This is the first coat going on all the sanded surfaces.
Dresser drawers laid out and primed white during a furniture makeover, with paint and a brush on the work surface. Wooden dresser body painted with a first coat of white chalk paint during a furniture makeover.
See the yellowish hue showing after the first coat on one of the drawer fronts? This is why it is important to do this Bonding Boss sealer step.
Close-up of dresser drawer fronts after the first coat of white chalk paint, showing brush stroke texture.
Two coats are applied within 2 hour window then left to dry well for 24 hours. A light sand with a 3M sanding sponges was done after each coat was dry to keep the surface smooth.
After setting the drawers in the place, I saw how far I needed to paint the inner edges of the dresser with the primer. I used an Artist Brush for this step.
Painting the edges of a wooden dresser with white Bonding BOSS using a small brush for detailed coverage.

Step 3: Paint

The newly released magnolia – a soft warm white from Dixie Belle Paint arrived. I used my favorite 2″ mini synthetic brush to apply it smoothly on the entire dresser.
Magnolia Chalk Mineral Paint applied to the bottom of a dresser during a DIY furniture makeover, with the paint jar nearby. White Chalk Mineral Paint applied to the side of a dresser during a DIY furniture makeover, with the paint jar nearby.
Below left is one coat on and right is 2 coats on.
Dresser fully painted in white Chalk Mineral Paint, drawers reinstalled and ready for hardware in a workshop setting. Dresser fully painted in white Chalk Mineral Paint, drawers reinstalled and ready for hardware in a workshop setting.
If you wonder how much paint it takes to paint a dresser of this size, this is what is left from an 8 oz tub of paint.
Hand holding a jar of Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint and a paintbrush in front of a partially painted white dresser.

Step 4: Apply Gilding Wax

Dixie Belle just released this new Gilding Wax color called antique gold. I applied it with an Artist Brush on the cleaned original pulls.
Open containers of Antique Gold Gilding Wax with a Dixie Belle paintbrush on a newspaper-covered workspace. Drawer pulls coated in Antique Gold Gilding Wax drying on newspaper beside a Dixie Belle paintbrush and wax container.
The next day all the painted surfaces were lightly sanded with a sanding sponge. This leaves the surface super smooth.
White painted dresser with a Dixie Belle Sanding Sponge placed on top, ready for finishing work.
This paint can be left unsealed but seeing the top of a dresser gets higher traffic I brushed on 2 coats of flat clear coat.
Applying Dixie Belle Easy Peasy Wax to a white painted dresser using a brush.

Step 4: Use Gold Marker

In the new releases Dixie Belle also released a  gold marker. I used this chisel pointed pen to outline the drawer edges to give a bit of sparkle.
Hand holding a Belles and Whistles Gold Marker in its packaging, chisel tip style. Hand using a Belles and Whistles Gold Marker to outline dresser drawer details.
It is easy to use and leaves a pretty gold design where placed.
Hand holding a Belles and Whistles Gold Marker in front of a painted dresser drawer. Hand holding a Belles and Whistles Gold Marker in front of a painted dresser drawer.
The gold marker is a bright gold that I did not think paired as well with the antique gold (R) so I did one pull over in regular gold (left).
Hand holding two gold-painted drawer pulls in front of a white dresser with gold accents.
I preferred this gold so redid all the pulls.
Gold Gilding Wax and brush on a countertop surrounded by freshly gilded drawer pulls.

Step 5: Clean brushes

My favorite brush cleaner is Scrubby Soap. And this soap even cleans oil based products like the Gilding Wax. That is amazing to not have to use chemical cleaners.
Scrubby Soap and Gilding Wax by a sink with a paintbrush ready to be cleaned.
and it is so easy to use (better with 2 hands 🙂
White IKEA chest of drawers painted with Chalk Mineral Paint and gold hardware accents, styled with candles and an angel statue. White IKEA chest of drawers painted with Chalk Mineral Paint and gold hardware accents, styled with candles and an angel statue. White IKEA chest of drawers painted with Chalk Mineral Paint and gold hardware accents, styled with candles and an angel statue.

What a stunning result from such a simple process! With Chalk Mineral Paint and Gilding Wax, LeeAnn gave this basic IKEA piece a completely new personality, proving that any piece—no matter how simple—can shine with the right products. Whether you’re refreshing a thrift find or customizing a piece you already own, Dixie Belle’s Chalk Mineral Paint makes it easy to clean, paint, and enjoy a brand-new look.

Feeling inspired? Grab your favorite Dixie Belle products and start creating your own makeover—then don’t forget to tag us so we can celebrate your project, too! Happy painting!

For another beautiful and easy project by Creative Moments, check out our blog, How to Give an Ornate Dresser a Fresh, Artistic Finish.

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Furniture Makeovers, Guest Author, How To