How to Turn a Vintage Dresser into a Home Office

I love vintage furniture. I also live in a small space. If you live in a small space and find that you need to have your home office in your bedroom this dresser redo project is a great way to incorporate your home office into your bedroom. All you have to do is simply shut the door and no one will know your office is in your bedroom!

To Make a Home Office Out of a Vintage Dresser You Will Need:

1 Wood Dresser
Jig Saw
2X4’s
Desk slider hardware
Tape measure
Primer
Paint
Cork board sheeting
Scissor
Spray adhesive
Paint rollers and Brushes
Sander or Sand Paper
Piano Hinge
Magnetic door clip
Sheet if Birch or Pine Plywood (cut to size)

A tall vintage dresser will work best for this craft project. Tall and narrow, instead of short and wide. Look for a dresser that is at least four feet tall.

Now, the first step is to remove the drawers.

Now, use your jig saw to cut the entire front piece of wood inside the main frame of the dresser. These are the wood slats that the drawers slide into.

Now, use your sand paper to sand down any rough edges.

Now, you need to remove you drawer fronts form the main box of the drawers. You can again use your jug saw to do this. This will be unique to each dress, but some dresser may be assembling so that you can simple pull the front panel of the drawer.

Sand down the back of the front drawer panel until it is flat and smooth.

Now, measure the main opening on the body of the dresser.

Cut you birch or pine plywood to about one inch longer and wider than this opening.

Now, attach each of the drawer fronts from the vintage dresser to the front of this birch plywood. You can simply predrill a hole through the plywood and into the back of the drawer front. Screw them in place.

Now, you need to attach the new front of the dresser with the piano hanger. Like to la the dresser on its back, flat on the ground.

Attach the hinges to the front left of the wood on the dresser. Now, have a friend help you hold the new “door” in place. Hold the hinge up to the new front where it will attach. Use a marker to mark through the hole where you need to pre drill holed. Predrill small holes partially thought aback of the front panel. Now, use small screws to attach the hinge to he back of the panel.

Go ahead and close the front panel of your vintage dresser. Decide where you want to install your magnetic clip that will hold the front door of your vintage dresser TV cabinet shut. Install this simply buy install one Side of the magnet to the dresser and the other piece to the matching space on the back of the door. You can find these magnetic door hardware clips at any hardware or home improvement store in the door cabinet door hardware aisle.

Now, You will need to buy desk sliding hardware that fits into this space. Ikea and office depot both sell the metal track system that also you to slide a piece of desk out. It looks like those sliding systems that allow you to slide out your keyboard on a computer desk, only larger.

I like to measure the inside of the dresser. Cut on piece of birch plywood out that fits exactly. Install this piece into the dresser at desk height.

Now, cut out a second piece of birch plywood that fits in to your sliding desk hardware.

Install this under the first piece of birch wood. This wills double your desk space. Instead of just having a lap top in this home office, you might be able to fit a computer monitor and column.

Now, predrill some one inch holes in the back of the dresser. This will allow the cords form your computer to go out the back and plug into ht wall.

Now, you can sand the entire vintage dresser and prime it out. Now, paint it in milk paint, house paint, or any finish you choose. It is important to paint the entire piece to make it look cohesive.

Tip:

If you want some bulletin board space you can install a sheet for cork board that covers the entire inside back of your dresser on the inside. This way you will have a cork board behind your computer. Do this after you paint so you do not ruin the cork board painting.

You could also install this cork board onto the door of the vintage dresser. Simply cut the sheet of cork to size. Spray some adhesive one and pres it in place.

Don’t be afraid to add a shelf at the top of there is room. You could also ad a magnetic board and some pen cups easily as well. If you are going to have a lap top in the dresser then you may have some open space that will allow for some organization.

Your computer printer can sit on the bottom of the dresser.