I got this old dresser off of Craig’s List who had tried working on it but ran out of motivation, energy, and money to do something significant with it. He had already to done a bit with it to make it more sturdy but the finish needed a lot of help.

I tried to strip the finish off the top before realizing that it was basically plastic and there was nothing I could do with it. So, I took it off and came up with a different solution.

I made a new top from some reclaimed wood I got from a ranch in Tabernash, Colo. I planed, glued together, sanded, stained, and finished several pieces. I did the same thing with the bottom of the inside of the dresser. I used the same wood for the shelves inside.

For the back of the inside of the dresser, I covered a piece of particle board with a trail map of Denver from 1976. And then used Liquid Nails and the nails to attach it to the back.

I painted the inside and outside with paint I had on hand. The dresser seemed a little short so I add eight-inch Mid Mod legs it and then painted them the same color as the outside of the dresser. I can picture this being a liquor cabinet, bookshelf, or display cabinet — anything you could imagine.