Dupe Your Dream Anthropologie Dresser With A Stunning & Budget-Friendly DIY

Anthropologie is one of our favorite fashion and home decor retailers. When it comes to exquisite furniture, they're at the top of the list — but also at the top end of the furniture price range. If you've been coveting Anthropologie's uber popular carved Ornithology six-drawer dresser, but its $2,998 price tag doesn't quite fit your budget, we have a DIY hack that gives you a similar look for under $100, give or take.

Whether you want the Anthropologie look but you're on a budget or you just feel like flexing your creativity, DIY projects are a fun and rewarding experience no matter the reason. It's all about finding something that inspires you and transforming it into exactly how you want it to look. The great thing about this Anthropologie DIY project is that you can use your existing dresser and give it a totally new aesthetic and a high-end look. Even if you have never done a DIY project before, this is entry-level friendly. Follow along as we walk you through the steps for designing your own slice of heaven and turning your dresser into an Anthropologie Ornithology chest dupe.

Regardless of the color you want your dresser to ultimately become, you need to do some prep work ahead of it, like sanding off the old finish. Depending on how you choose to do that, either with a heavy-duty sander or a palm or orbital sander, it can take several hours to complete this step. If you're planning to paint your old dresser, then you likely don't need to take off as much of the finish since you're painting over it anyway. However, you want to make sure it has a smooth and clean base before painting. This is especially important if you want to stain — not paint — your dresser, like the original Anthropologie piece which uses a light stain.

After you've removed the old finish, experts recommend using medium grit sandpaper (100 and 150) to smooth it out and remove any rough spots left over on the wood. For this step, we prefer block sanders like the SACKORANGE sanders from Amazon because they give you more control over their direction and how deep they get. This will also help the paint or stain adhere to the wood better. Use finer grit sandpaper (180 to 220) for in-between coats.

Once your dresser is prepped, add a layer of primer. You have the option of adding the carved overlay before you paint or, when you want your overlay to be a different color from the dresser, you can wait until the end.

Getting the right mold to make the carvings is important. For the overlays, we recommend the Redesign with Prima molds from Amazon. You can also find bird-shaped molds from Prima on Amazon that come with branches, too. You'll likely need a few different molds to make the tree branch. We used this brand for our own dresser DIY and found it's easy to work with and the results were perfect. Fondant molds like the MINFEIDMS silicone molds from Amazon work great also, but check their measurements since most are on the smaller side. 

When it comes to making the carved overlays, there are a couple of ways you can do it. Our preferred method is using casting resin because the liquid can get into every nook and cranny of the mold. Try the Alumilite Amazing Casting Resin from Amazon, which works quickly (in under 15 minutes). Or, if time is not of the essence, try the Epoxy Resin Crystal Clear Kit which sets within 12 hours. The second option is to use molding clay (like Creative Paperclay's modeling clay). After the overlays have had time to set, use wood glue to stick them onto the dresser. The last step is to use a sealer or a combination sealer-paint or sealer-stain to finish your dresser.

If you want to match your new DIY dresser with more bedroom furniture, try DIYing an Anthropologie nightstand or making your own dupe for an Anthropologie rattan pendant light.