There’s nothing more rewarding than upcycling once-loved pieces of furniture – especially when you’re creating something beautiful for your baby. All it takes is a little paint and imagination.

You will need

• Sandpaper 120-grit
• Resene testpots – we used colours: Resene Kandinsky (green), Resene Glorious (pink) and Resene Half Kumutoto (blue), Resene Magma (metallic)
• Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane varnish in satin
• Snap off screws – 4 x 50mm and 4mm hex nuts to match
• Leather strip – we used 38mm x 1300mm Natural Russet Belt Strip from lapco.co.nz
• Drill
• Leather punch
• Craft knife
• Large erasers (ours came from mightyape.co.nz)
• Wood working tools (try emporiums and $2 shops)
• Paint brushes
• Round sponge stampers (ours came from Spotlight and are for face paint)
• Clear contact (for covering books)
• Pen
• Metal ruler

To make

1. Sand the sides and top of the chest drawers as well as the drawer fronts to remove old paint/polyurethane. Fill holes if needed (i.e. handle holes). Use a damp cloth to remove dust before painting.

For the bunting

Stamping technique

1. Use a small plate or bowl and place half on the top of the drawer. Draw around with chalk to create a scalloped effect.

2. Cut rubbers/erasers into triangles with craft knife or sharp kitchen scissors. Use the wood working tools to create spots in one by twisting the tool around in a small circle; push the tool across the triangle to create stripes in the other.

3. Use a paintbrush to add Resene paint to your stamp and stamp on the drawer fronts following your chalk lines.

4. When dry, paint a metallic line across the tops of the bunting triangles with a fine paintbrush and Resene testpot.

Xs and Os

Painting technique

1. Use chalk to mark out a grid on the drawer front. Paint an X inside the chalk squares in two different coordinating colours, by using a wide brush on its narrow side. Then paint the Os with Resene metallic paint.

2. When dry, use a damp cloth to remove the chalk marks.

For the spots

Stamping technique

1. Use small bowls and trace around half of a bowl to create a wavy line through the middle of the drawer.

2. Dip the end of the large sponge stamp in the paint, then stamp onto a piece of newspaper to distribute evenly and remove a little of the paint. Stamp onto the drawers, following the chalk line and leaving space to alternate with the small stamp. Repeat with the small stamp.

3. When dry, stamp over an occasional spot with Resene metallic paint, following the same technique.

Scalloped metallic edge

Roller technique

1. Cut a piece of contact long enough to ft across the width of the drawer. Place a couple of bowls on the paper side of the contact and draw around half of each bowl, moving along the contact until you have a scalloped pattern. Cut out with scissors and stick onto the drawer front at the top of the drawer.

2. Use a roller to roll a coat of Resene metallic paint over the drawer. Once dry, remove the contact.

Leather handles

1. Use chalk to mark 12cm lengths of leather and cut the lengths using a craft knife and a metal ruler.

2. Find the middle of one end and use a leather punch to cut out a hole, then fold over leather so both ends meet evenly. Mark where to make the next hole in the other end; cut out with punch.

3. Using a speed brush, apply several coats of polyurethane, following instructions on the tin and allowing time to dry in between coats.

4. Drill holes for the handles if needed, push snap off screw through leather handle and hold in place, screwing nut on the inside of the drawer. Use a crescent spanner or pair of pliers to hold firmly.

Testpot Tips

1. Why not turn your drawer fronts into a playing space? Coat with Resene Magnetic Magic and either your favourite Resene colour or Resene Blackboard Paint. You can then stick magnets on the drawers or decorate them with chalk.

2. If you’re feeling artistic and are going for a themed bedroom look, continue your theme onto your furniture. Perhaps your chest of drawers could become the castle in a princess scene or a cave in a dinosaur scene.

3. For those less artistically inspired, try using contrasting colours. Pick a palette of three colours and then paint knobs and drawers in alternate shades. Each drawer will have a different coloured knob that contrasts against the main drawer. You’ll be surprised at how well this works and how easy it is to do. Best of all, it means you can indulge three favourite colours, not just one!

4. When you’re painting the working part of the drawers – e.g. where the drawer meets the main furniture, make sure you use a waterborne enamel, such as Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss. Normal acrylic paints can stick together when they meet. Waterborne enamels are designed to be block resistant so can be used on working surfaces.

5. If you want a more muted look, opt for a wood stain finish, such as Resene Colorwood Whitewash – perfect for a Scandi look – or opt for a lower sheen finish, like Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen, which will give you a chalk-style effect.

6. If you want to use bright colours, use a high gloss waterborne enamel, such as Resene Enamacryl gloss. This will really make those bright colours pop. And, as an added bonus, the higher sheen level finish is easier to wipe clean.

Accessories: Kitten print from Wild by Marsha Smith.

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