Refreshing Nightstand Dressers with Chic New Hardware

Sometimes, the smallest change can have the greatest impact. That is absolutely the case when I refreshed our nightstand dressers with a chic new hardware update.

The nightstands do not even look like the same furniture, all with this one simple change. Now they look like a coveted pair of high-end designer nightstands. All it took was to change out the pulls they came with for classic unlacquered brass ball knobs.

If your nightstand dresser is in need of a refresh, or if you love a great before and after, this post is for you!

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A Recap of Our Nightstand Makeover Part One

It wasn't all that long ago when I wrote all about how I found the perfect nightstands at a local HomeGoods. They were painted a sad mint green color that I did a stunning nightstand makeover on with just a coat of white paint. To be fair, it wasn't just any white paint, but White Dove (OC-17) from the eponymous Benjamin Moore paint company.

You could call this nightstand makeover part two.

My inspiration was a pair of designer nightstands I had my eye on for a few years. Even on sale I could not bring myself to buy them. They came with beautiful brass ball knob hardware, two knobs per drawer, that looked charming and sophisticated at the same time.

Seeing as how our nightstands that I made over were so similar, I decided I could easily change out the hardware to get the look I really wanted.

Shop the photo: For the Love of White: The White and Neutral Home book | Gilles & Bossier book (goes in and out of stock) | Knot decor (similar looking) | Rattan seagrass decorative box (alternative)

Why Update Old Furniture

While not all "old" furniture is high quality and made of solid wood, most older furniture you find on places like Facebook Marketplace, thrift stores, and antique shops are great quality.

(As a side note, I penned the My New KitchenAid Stand Mixer Story detailing how I made the Marketplace find of the century: the limited edition misty blue KitchenAid 100th anniversary mixer. It's proof you absolutely can find gems.)

In fact, a new nightstand dresser made of mdf and veneer, no solid wood anywhere in the piece, may cost around $300 per, while a solid wood nightstand is usually into the thousands.

By updating the hardware or painting/re-staining a piece you already have, or a used solid wood piece you find for a song, you may actually save money. You are also giving a potentially higher quality piece of furniture new life for many years to come.

brass ball knobs on white nightstand dresser

Shop the photo: Alpaca plaid throw blanket (similar) | The Beauty of Home book | Area rug in Natural/Blue, 8'6" x 12'

Ways to Update an Old Nightstand Dresser

There are many different ways to modernize and update an old nightstand dresser, including:

Refinish a wood dresser with a fresh coat of stain
Paint the dresser a color you've always loved
Change out the hardware in a tone and style that fits your design
Add detailed trim pieces
Stencil a design you like

Whatever you decide, make the dresser into a style all your own.

unlacquered brass ball knobs on white nightstand dresser

I suggest gathering inspiration first. This post may even be your inspiration, which makes me elated that you came here to gather inspo!

Google the style of nightstands or dresser that you are drawn to and take note of whether you like stained wood or painted furniture, intricate detailing or restrained, and the tone as well as style of hardware.

After painting our nightstands, I knew I eventually wanted to swap out the strange pull handle hardware that came with our nightstands for these timeless unlacquered brass ball cabinet knobs.

Nightstands Before and After Photos:

I refer to the previous hardware as strange because I had never seen hardware like it. It wasn't pretty hardware and the pulls did nothing for the look of the nightstands.

Tip:

When choosing dresser hardware, decide what finish you want. For instance, unlacquered brass is a "living" finish, which means it will patina over time with use. The patina is not for everyone, so choose a finish that goes with your style and one that you can live with

Honestly, the before and after is striking. Against the BM White Dove paint the brass looks classic and timeless.

How to Change Out Dresser Hardware

After you have decided what style and tone of hardware you want, measure for success. That is, you need to determine the best size hardware based on the drawer size.

For instance, I knew I wanted two ball knobs per drawer. According to a few different searches I conducted, the ideal guide is if the drawer is under 24" long, use one knob/pull, but anything over that requires two knobs/pulls or one extra long pull. With repetitive use, a drawer that has insufficient hardware can become warped or damaged over time, which is why wider drawers require two knobs/pulls or one extra long pull.

The drawers on our nightstands are 26 ½ inches wide, which was perfectly balanced for two ball cabinet knobs.

A quick step-by-step to change out dresser hardware is as follows:

Remove the old hardware (pull handles in the case of our nightstands)
Fill and paint the hole(s) left behind
Measure for the ball knob placement, which comes with the interior design rule of thirds - It is popular to place the knobs between ⅙ to ⅓ of the width of the drawer from the outside edge, centered vertically

Honestly, that's all it takes. Aside from filling the old holes and painting or staining if you need to, this is a very easy DIY project. It only took a few hours, since I waited about an hour between coats of paint.