TikTok Shares 8 Stunning DIY Ways To Flip The IKEA RAST Dresser
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Despite everything feeling impossibly expensive right now, IKEA has managed to keep the prices of their best-selling pieces relatively affordable. The fan favorite RAST 3 drawer dresser costs about $60, which is a great price for a compact piece with spacious drawers that can hold all of your clothes or storage. But every great deal comes with a catch, and the main problem with the RAST dresser is that it's very boring. The material is a lovely pine but it is completely untreated. The result is a pale wood that clearly shows every knot and cut. It doesn't look uniform or put together.
The good news is that because of the low price tag you have some extra money to put into materials to customize the dresser. You can paint and stain the wood to fit your own personal style and match the surrounding decor. But some creative TikTok creators went a step further and did a full DIY flip on the RAST dresser to turn it into a beautiful one of a kind piece. Whether you have a modern home, a farmhouse chic vibe, or are putting together a nursery, here are 8 ways to turn the boring RAST dresser into a stunning piece of decor.
Turn it into a sleek black side table
Black and gold is a timeless color combination that creates a dramatic, moody feeling that is perfect for anchoring a room. @mariahnye uses this idea to turn her dresser into a sleek side table that looks way more expensive than it is. She styles the final product with a wicker basket and vibrant green plant on top, which truly pops against the black paint. In the comments section of the video, she reveals that she used Sherwin William SW 6991 Black Magic. This is a great paint choice because of the subtle warm undertone of the black which helps it feel rich and dimensional.
She also swapped out the wooden knobs for gold knobs. This allows them to pop against the black color and be easily grabbed, whereas if she painted the wooden knobs black they might blend in too much with the dresser. This piece would be perfect for an entryway or hallway because the dark color makes it feel more like an accent table than a dresser. It still has great storage for all those odds and ends you never quite know what to do with but still want to keep. If you put it by your front door, adding a dish on top to store your key will not only provide a nice accent but also ensure that you never lose them again.
Add some texture to make it modern
Upon first look you might think that there is no way this dresser can look modern, but @cristaliight proves that statement wrong. By painting the dresser white and adding some texture, she transforms it into a clean looking nightstand that would feel right at home in a more modern space. The trick here is adding some texture by using fluted trim on the front of the drawers. You can buy fluted trim on Amazon or at most hardware stores. Some are self-adhesive with a peel and stick design which will make securing them to the drawer extra easy, but if you find a non-adhesive version you love you can simply use any type of strong hold glue.
You might be wondering how you will put in the knobs if the pre-drilled holes are covered up by the trim, but the video creator used the solution of swapping out the knobs for a drawer pull like this Richelieu one from Lowe's. This helps create the contemporary look since this is not a traditional design style and is often only seen in newer homes. She also chose to omit the bottom panel that fills in the gap between the bottom of the final drawer and the floor. This makes the piece look lighter and more airy, another key attribute of achieving a modern design.
Burlap fabric will add a farmhouse flair
Burlap is everyone's favorite shabby chic material that will look right at home in your garden or in your dazzling decor. Using this fabric to add texture to the RAST dresser, @1otsofdots makes the piece look completely unrecognizable. After painting it a soft beige she gets to work cutting the trim. One helpful tool she features is a trim cutter. While these do cost about $30 on Amazon, they are adjustable to any angle you want. This will help keep the 45 degree angle sharp so that all your pieces will fit together and look professionally cut. If you do a lot of DIY work this tool would be a worthy investment.
It's sometimes difficult to be precise when cutting burlap because the edges tend to fray, but because you are going to cover up the ends with the trim it is much easier to just cut the fabric to the approximate size without needing to be perfect. This piece is so versatile because it can work as a dresser, a bedside table, or an entryway piece. The beauty of this piece and the combination of textures will draw the eye, making it a great focal point for any room. You can place any art, pictures, or books on top that you want to show off.
Make it into a kid-friendly decor piece
If you have a little one running around the home, you know the joy of designing a playroom or nursery for them. An alphabet dresser is not only whimsical but also educational for kids learning their letters. The problem is dressers like this sell online for over $1000. For a more affordable alternative that is just as beautiful, @dalylama created a DIY solution. First, you will need two RAST dressers, which is more expensive than one but naturally offers double the storage space which is always helpful with a kiddo.
She chose to paint the dresser and letters a soft blush color perfect for a baby girl, but you can customize the color based on the room's decor and gender of the child. You can also create a contrast using a different color for the dresser and the letters, or use a simple wood stain. Each drawer is about 5 inches tall, so you will want to choose letters that are about 4 inches tall, like this option from Amazon. Attach with wood glue or another type of strong bond adhesive. You'll want to add pull tab handles to the top since the letters will cover up the pre-drilled knob holes. It's important to remember to always secure furniture around children and use the included hardware to attach the dresser to the wall to prevent any accidents.
Omit the third drawer for extra shelf space
If you are using the RAST as a side table, you might not need all the drawers and instead want a place for books or other items that would just fit better on a shelf. @kinandkasa proves that you can make this dresser look light and airy with the omission of the bottom drawer and some added legs. This transformation is dramatic, to say the least, and while it does require more steps than some DIYs on this list, the results speak for themselves.
Like some other DIY flips show, adding trim and some texture to the front of the drawers can have a massive impact in making the piece look expensive and classy. Pair that with the dramatic dark blue (which is Sherwin Williams SW 7625 Mount Etna) and the effect is a versatile piece that will be the highlight of any room. Once you remove that bottom drawer the styling options are endless. She chose to go for a shallow wicker basket to tie in some natural elements, but using it to display your favorite book series or stash an extra throw pillow will also work. If you're worried about any pre-drilled holes in the shelf area making it look unfinished, you can easily fill them in with some caulk to create a seamless final product.
Even simple trim can elevate the look
If you want maximum impact for minimal effort, adding some trim to the drawers before painting can add an extra bit of visual dimension and make the dresser look more traditional. You can buy the trim online and cut it yourself if you have a saw or a trim cutter, but if you haven't yet invested in tools your local Home Depot will often have a station in the lumbar department where they will cut it down to size for you. Getting a crisp 45-degree angle is the key to having the trim fit perfectly together and create a seamless look.
@charleezy3 demonstrates just how elegant the dresser can look if you add a bit of trim and paint. She also chooses to add some trim to the bottom panel but if you want to save time and money you can omit this part or just not use that bottom panel all together. She chooses a relatively simple trim, which makes this piece versatile for any room or style of house, but there are hundreds of options for you to choose from based on your style. If the dresser is going to be in an area where you see the sides, you could also add some trim to those panels for some extra visual interest and to keep the look cohesive from any angle.
Cut the drawer fronts to create an apothecary cabinet look
If you've been on Pinterest lately then you know how popular the apothecary cabinet look is. It has a whimsical, antique vibe that is the star of any space. But actual vintage apothecary cabinets are hard to find, and when you do track one down they are pricey. But @makingmycasita turned the RAST dresser into a beautifully convincing apothecary-inspired dresser. She used the Varathane stain in Early American from Home Depot and added some antique label frame knobs like these from Amazon to create a vintage look on this brand-new dresser.
The most important, and also trickiest, part of this furniture flip is cutting the fronts of the drawers to make it look like they are narrower than they actually are. You don't want to cut the drawer fronts entirely in half, which would make it nearly impossible to assemble. Instead, cut a notch down the center of the drawer front a few millimeters deep and about a centimeter wide. This will create the illusion that there are many narrow drawers while still giving you the benefits of having the nice, deep drawers of the RAST.
Get boho chic vibes with some green paint
Green is one of the most popular colors right now in home design. From green tile to green kitchens, everyone seems to be incorporating this color into their house. But it's hard to call green a trend since it is so inspired by nature, which is always timeless. Despite their username, @just.paint.it.white shows viewers a brilliant way of taking the RAST dresser from boring plain wood to a green masterpiece. This is one of the easiest flips on the list but it still has such a big impact. To create this organic, modern dresser all you need is some green paint and matte black knobs.
This flip is all about color choice. Farrow and Ball's No. 47 Green Smoke would be an amazing option for the dresser. It is inspired by the popular smokey blue-green colors of the late 19th century and evokes a sense of calm in the home. If you want something a little more affordable, Glidden's shade Guacamole available at Home Depot has a natural calmness to it. It is very pigmented without being overly vibrant, which is perfect for those wanting a pop of color that won't distract from the rest of the room. Use the pre-drilled holes to pop on some modern, matte black knobs like Brainerd ones from Lowe's and you've got yourself a boho chic dresser!