Faux burl and aluminum IKEA Rast hack

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Materials: RAST chest of drawers

My inspiration for this piece is a combination if IKEA and West Elm, on a budget!

First, I sanded and primed the side panels both on the outside, edges, and bottom 1/3 of the inside. Then I sprayed them with rustoleum silver metallic paint in several light coats, and let it dry overnight.

In the meantime, I covered the drawer fronts and the top panel with faux burl vinyl, available from several internet sources. It’s self stick, and largely intended for car interiors!  It’s relatively easy to apply. First you peel and stick, then use the provided squeegee to smooth out bubbles. I used a hairdryer on high heat/low speed in lieu of the recommended heat gun to apply over corners or edges.

Next I installed drawer top pulls purchased from Amazon.com for 4 dollars, but it turns out IKEA sells a similar one in the store! I was hoping for a minimal look.

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When I assembled the dresser I left off the toe kick to have a visually clear space underneath. I used wood glue for extra stability. I may put on metrik drawer pulls as feet if I want to emphasize the empty space below.

Overall, I spent 35 dollars on vinyl, about 10 on spray paint, and 24 on drawer pulls in addition to the 35 dollar Rasts!