21 IKEA Rast Hacks That Will Take Your Dresser From Drab to Fab
When it comes to home decor, there’s nothing more satisfying than an IKEA hack. Amongst the many hackable pieces on offer, the 3-drawer Rast dresser is one of the most popular.
Not only is it very budget-friendly, it’s also made of pine with no finish, meaning it’s ready to be transformed right out of the box.
Whether you choose to bring out the power tools or go for a simple paint job, there are so many ways to makeover the Rast.
Read on for lots of ideas to transform the humble Rast into a strikingly unique piece of furniture.
Modern Fluting Design
@jnn.liu.liu / Instagram
When you want designer looks on a tiny budget, this is the Rast hack to go for.
With some new legs, angular fluting, and brass detailing, Jenn from Jenn Liu transformed this second-hand Rast chest into a chic nightstand with open and closed storage.
Mobile Bar Cart
Make entertaining a breeze with this bar cart hack. Bre from Average but Inspired re-imagined the Rast dresser as a bar cart.
After painting it a deep blue, she added some castors and brass trimmings for both functionality and aesthetic appeal.
Blue Campaign Dresser
@itsnicolefoster / Instagram
Add some stylish storage to any room in your home with this hack by Niky from DIY by Niky Foster.
Her secret to the ultra-smooth, professional paint finish? Using a paint sprayer instead of a brush.
It may not look it but this campaign-style dresser makeover is very easy to pull off making it ideal for beginner DIY’ers.
Faux Marble Top
@pretty_distressed / Instagram
Sometimes it’s worth going the extra mile if you want a dresser that looks like it stepped out of a designer boutique.
Christina from Pretty Distressed not only went for a dark wood fluted dresser but she finished it with a faux marble top made from an epoxy marbling kit.
It's hard to believe this dresser started life as the humble Rast.
Simple Wood Stain
Not every hack needs hours of work as Alleigh from Hand Gathered Home shows us.
She opted for a simple but stylish upgrade of the Rast by staining it in a mid-toned wood stain and spraying the drawer pulls black.
The result is a piece that matches her decor without much DIY effort.
Vintage Suitcase Decor
It’s not easy finding vintage suitcases even if you’re a thrifting pro. Instead, get the look with this hack by Jen from Girl In The Garage.
With some paint and carefully chosen hardware and accessories, this Rast looks like it was made from original old suitcases.
Danish Mid-Century Modern Style
Maggie from Midwestern girl wanted to keep costs and effort as low as possible and she found just the way.
Instead of using wood stain which can be messy and tricky to apply evenly, she opted for fabric dye to stain the drawers.
By painting the frame white and adding some angled legs, she completed the Danish midcentury-inspired look.
Rustic Desk Storage
Wanting a rustic vibe for her workspace, Krista from The Happy Housie simply stained the Rast drawers to match the desk she had.
She added sisal rope handles to complete the rustic look of the dresser.
Honeycomb Pastel Pattern
Anika from Anika's DIY Life engraved a honeycomb pattern onto the dresser which she then painted in pretty pastel shades.
You can be sure no one else will have this exact piece.
One Dresser, Two Nightstands
Nicole from Madness and Method took one Rast dresser and turned it into two nightstands.
She opted to keep the look minimal with the natural pine and black metal legs. But you could easily stain or paint both pieces if the pine look doesn’t fit your decor.
Glossy Wood Grain
If you love wood grain but can’t resist color either, this is the hack to try.
Carly from Beautysauce combined two Rast dressers and sprayed them in a glossy dark blue color.
By stopping at two coats, the wood grain is still very visible despite the rich color.
Modern Apothecary Table
@furniturefablesbyandy / Instagram
The Rast can take on any look or style you can think of. Here Andy from Furniture Fables by Andy has turned it into a modern version of a traditional apothecary table.
She completed the look with apothecary style label drawer pulls and aged bronze castors.
Faux Oak Dressers
Black Sheep House / YouTube
Love natural oak? Shannon from Black Sheep House got the look by mixing satin paint with a clear topcoat.
She thrifted these old painted and damaged dressers and turned them into faux oak pieces without spending hours sanding them back to the original wood.
It’s hard to believe that these dressers aren’t actually made of oak.
Modern Farmhouse Hack
Sometimes the simplest hacks can be the most transformative. This modern farmhouse-style hack is one example.
Ashlee from The Sassy Barn simply added some trim, stain and new hardware to completely change the look of the Rast.
Antique Hardware
Brittany from My Daily Randomness knew she wanted an antique style dresser and when she couldn’t find one, she hacked the Rast.
She painted the frames in an almost black color and used a dark wood stain for the drawers. Then she added some antique hardware to finish the piece.
Modern Minimal Design
@beglorifiedhome / Instagram
Who says you need to compromise if your budget is limited? Inspired by a high-end piece that was expensive and always out of stock, Kara from beglorifiedhome created the look with a Rast dresser for less than half the price.
Modern White Mobile Dresser
Jill from Sew a Fine Seam wanted a pared back look for her Rast dresser. She painted it white and added aged brass hardware.
It’s the addition of the caster wheels that really elevate this piece.
Extra Closet Storage
Adding some extra storage in a small closet is always a good idea. Brooke from Cribbs Style combined two Rast dressers for plenty of drawer storage and placed them on a platform for even more shoe storage under the dressers.
Farmhouse Style Dresser
With some wood stain, bun legs and ceramic drawer pulls, Karen from Decorhint turned the Rast into a farmhouse style piece.
But it wasn’t just about good looks, it was equally about functionality. By adding a larger piece of wood on top of the dresser, Karen created more space for all the things she wanted to display.
From Dresser to Hutch
With the addition of a plywood sheet and some MDF, Ashley from At Home with Ashley added an arched hutch to the Rast chest. She then painted it and added some finishing details.
This may not be the quickest or easiest hack but the finished piece is stylish and offers lots of storage for things you want to hideaway as well as display.
Basket Reeding
Letitia Kiu / YouTube
Using cane to hack an IKEA dresser isn’t new but using basket-making cane is. YouTuber Letitia Kiu used basket reeding to create a continuous pattern across all the drawer fronts.
This hack requires time and patience, but you will end up with a dresser that's completely unique.
Read Next: IKEA's New Nytillverkad Collection Is Bringing Back the '60s and '70s
Read the original article on The Spruce.
