If you love blue painted furniture and are looking for some inspiration for your next project, then you have come to the right place! We’ll be sharing all the details on how we transformed a plain old dresser into a beautiful painted light blue dresser.

This project is perfect for those looking to add a pop of color and personality to their home decor. This light blue dresser is sure to catch your eye!

When it comes to decorating your home, furniture plays a huge role in setting the tone and style of a room. One way to add some interest and personality to your furniture is by giving it a fresh coat of paint.

So why choose light blue for your painted furniture? This color not only adds a touch of elegance and charm, but it also has a calming effect that can bring balance to any space.

Plus, the soft pastel tones of light blue make it a versatile option that can pair well with both modern and traditional decor styles.

So let’s dive in and see how we brought this dresser to life!

Table of Contents

Supplies Used for Painting Dresser Light Blue

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Electric Screwdriver
Krud Kutter
220 Grit Sandpaper
Clear Shellac
Painters Tape
Pre-Taped Plastic
Latex Paint
Paint Sprayer
Waterbased Polyurethane
White Glaze from Country Chic Paint
Dark Roast Paint from Country Chic Paint
Cheap Paintbrush
Baby Wipes
Dark Walnut Stain
New Hardware

Adding Legs and Removing Hardware

We started by adding legs to the bottom of the dresser. After flipping it upside down, we cut off the skirting and added new legs. This step was necessary to give the dresser a more modern look. For more information on this process, check out our tutorial on adding legs to a dresser.

photo of adding plates and new legs to furniture

Using an electric screwdriver, we then removed the old hardware and filled in the holes so we could replace it with new hardware. Changing hardware on a dresser not only updates the look but also gives you the opportunity to choose hardware that better fits your style.

Cleaning, Sanding, and Priming Dresser

Next, we thoroughly cleaned the dresser with Krud Kutter to remove any dirt or grime that may have built up over time. Cleaning furniture before painting is important for a smooth and clean surface for the paint to adhere to.

We grabbed some 220 grit sandpaper and gave the whole dresser a light sanding to get it ready for painting. Sanding before painting furniture also helps paint stick better and results in a more professional finish.

We sanded the top of the dresser all the way down to bare wood since we wanted to stain it later on.

We skipped priming the dresser, thinking it would save us time. However, after painting and topcoating, we experienced bleed through. So lesson learned: never skip priming! Use clear shellac to prime your dresser and allow it to dry overnight.

Painting Dresser Light Blue

After prepping dresser for painting, we were ready to start painting. We taped off the top of the dresser with pre-taped plastic and painter’s tape. This prevented any paint from getting on it while we painted the rest of the dresser.

We wanted a soft and creamy light blue color, so we mixed a custom latex paint color into homemade chalk paint.

The specific color code for this color is shown below.

photo of mixed custom latex paint color into homemade chalk paint

This is a great option for those who have more control over the color they use and want to save money. Here’s our homemade chalk paint dresser makeover where you can see this chalk paint recipe in action.

After mixing, we sprayed the dresser with 3 coats of chalk paint, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next. We highly recommend using a paint sprayer – here are your options for the best HVLP paint sprayers for furniture. Our top recommendation is the FLEXiO 595 sprayer!

Sealing Light Blue Dresser

Once the dresser was painted, we sealed it with a coat of clear water-based polyurethane. Using a topcoat for painting furniture not only keeps the paint from chipping or wearing off but also makes the light blue color pop. It also helps with the next step.

After sealing the dresser, we let it dry for at least 24 hours. This is important to make sure the polyurethane fully dries and hardens before the next step on this piece.

But this is where we experienced bleedthrough on our first coat, so we had to fix it. Our post on how to stop stains from coming through paint covers tips on fixing bleedthrough if you’ve also already sealed the paint with poly.

Glazing Painted Dresser

Once the dresser was sealed, we moved to glazing! For this step, we used white glaze and brown glaze, which is clear glaze tinted with dark roast paint, both from Country Chic Paint. We also had some blue chalk paint mixed with clear glaze on hand to layer with the other glazes.

For applying the glaze, we started with a layer of brown glaze using a cheap paintbrush. Then we lightly and randomly dry brushed the blue and white glazes. We wiped off any excess glaze with baby wipes.

photo of applying glaze and wiping it off with baby wipes

For the crevices, we left them with brown glaze. For more detailed instructions, here’s our post on how to glaze over chalk paint.

Staining Painted Dresser Top

We decided to stain the top with a dark walnut wood stain. This adds contrast and depth to the dresser while also giving it a more classic look. If you’re not sure how to stain wood furniture or want to see how we did it, our tutorial will guide you through the process.

After letting the stain dry for 48 hours, we applied waterbased poly to protect and seal the wood.

pouring waterbased polyurethane into sprayer container with filter

And to protect the paint and stain, we sprayed 3 coats of waterbased polyurethane on the whole dresser. This adds an extra layer of protection and durability to the dresser.

Finally, we attached our newly chosen hardware to complete the look. And voila, our light blue painted dresser was complete!

Transforming a plain wooden dresser into a beautiful light blue piece can be easily done with the right tools and techniques.

Whether you’re looking to update an old piece or create a unique statement piece, this light blue painted dresser is a fun and easy project that anyone can do!

Get more tips and tricks on how to paint a dresser here. And if you want a unique design for your dresser check out our list of two tone dresser ideas for more inspiration!

close up view of glaze over chalk paint with new hardware

full view photo of dresser after the makeover

More Before And After Makeovers

Click any of these “before” photos below to view the “after” of that makeover.