How to Make a Mid-century Modern-style Dresser

Olive paint, walnut stain, and brass knobs give a flat-pack dresser mid-century modern flair in our One Piece, Five Ways series

Skill

Easy

Cost

About $123, including dresser

Estimated Time

2 hours, plus drying time

Gleaming brass knobs in a sleek cone shape recall the days of Mad Men and Sputniks. To match the look, we warmed up the dresser’s frame with a walnut stain—a mid-century classic—and added tapered legs. Olive-hued paint on the drawers creates an eye-catching contrast.

Shown
Rast chest, about $35; IKEA
Deltana cone cabinet knobs in brass, $6 each; build.com.
6-inch white pine legs, $9.95 each; tablelegs.com.
Paint: Dutch Boy’s Submarine; Minwax Dark Walnut stain, $8.97; The Home Depot

Tools