furniture flip Archives - A Dabbled Dwelling

Goodwill Bookshelf Flip: Turning a Small Find into a Stylish Gem

February 28, 2025 by kelsey.mackall

While browsing Goodwill, I stumbled upon a small bookshelf for just $14. It wasn’t much to look at. Scuffed, outdated, and in need of some serious love, but I saw its potential. With a little creativity and a few simple upgrades, I knew I could give it new life and turn it into a stylish, functional piece for my home. Sometimes, all it takes is a little vision (and a good deal!) to transform something old into something beautiful.

Bookshelf Flip

To give my Goodwill bookshelf a charming makeover, I decided to add adorable scalloped edging for a whimsical touch and embellish it with cute little flowers for extra personality. Using Loctite Power Grab, I securely attached the scalloped trim along the edges, instantly elevating the piece with a delicate, custom look. Then, I carefully placed decorative floral appliqués, making sure they were firmly adhered for a seamless finish.

For the perfect finishing touch on my Goodwill bookshelf flip, I chose a warm gold paint to bring out its charming details. The rich, inviting hue added a touch of elegance while complementing the scalloped edges and delicate flower accents beautifully. It gave the piece a vintage-yet-modern feel, making it look like a high-end boutique find rather than a thrift store rescue. The warm gold not only highlighted the texture and depth of the design but also made the bookshelf a true statement piece, adding a cozy, sophisticated glow to my space.

Goodwill Find Turned to Gold

My Goodwill bookshelf flip turned out even better than I imagined! With a little creativity, Loctite Power Grab for secure detailing, and a warm gold finish, I transformed a simple thrift find into a stunning, one-of-a-kind piece. The scalloped edges and floral accents added the perfect touch of charm, making it look far more expensive than its $14 price tag. This project was a great reminder that with a little vision and the right materials, you can breathe new life into almost anything. Now, my once-forgotten bookshelf has a new home and a whole new story to tell!

Jeffrey Court Renovation Challenge- Week 3

October 20, 2021 by kelsey.mackall

Week 3 of the Jeffrey Court Renovation challenge has been a pivotal week in our remodel. Perhaps the most exciting… the tile came! Delivered on a giant heavy pallet, I ripped open boxes as quickly as I could to touch and feel the tiles I had selected online. Can you tell I’m excited? I chose 3 different tiles for this space. The Balancing Act Mosaic for the floor, the Morning Mist Blue glass subway tile for behind the sink, and the Subarbs White Picket Marble for the shower. Can 3 totally different tiles come together seamlessly? I sure hope so!

Posting with all my Jeffrey Court tile for the renovation challenge!

Tiling

We got started tiling the floor right away. I figured this might be the hardest/biggest area to tile and we had never done a floor before. It was our hope to have at least one finished surface to continue the renovation on. Laying the full tiles went very quickly, however, making all the cuts was the most time consuming. The detailed cuts lasted into the next day… or two. I was fortunate to have my husband helping and we often call him the “Tetris King”. I’ve said in the past that tiling is a lot more about attention to detail than it is skill!

Check out the last time I tiled here!

The Vanity

Needing a tile break, I decided to start working on the vanity. As you saw during demo we removed the existing vanity and needed to replace it with something. Because this bathroom design is so tile-heavy, I thought an old dresser would give it a softer touch. We came across this bright yellow piece on Facebook Marketplace and knew it would be perfect. It felt feminine and vintage enough to compliment the geometric patterns in the floor tile.

I chose an emerald green color called “Trellis Vine” my Behr. This will give my mainly white bathroom design a pop of boldness and fun. Wagner Spray Tech was kind enough to send challenge participants a Flexio 3500 paint sprayer which was the perfect tool to use on this vanity. The sprayer was simple to set up, use, and clean. Of course it was raining the day I set out to paint so I had to lay paper all around my garage. I was impressed that the Flexio 3500 had minimal overspray which allowed me to do this!

Finally, I decided to keep the original dresser hardware and spray paint them gold. Typically I replace this sort of thing for something more modern but I thought they were so unique and charming. However, once the vanity was in the bathroom I felt the ornate hardware was competing with the geometric floor tile- Giving me major “Wizard of Oz” vibes. Ultimately I decided to order some simpler/modern style pulls.

original dresser vanity in bright yellow

Wagner paint sprayer with freshly painted green dresser vanity

overhead view of finished vanity with the original hardware

green vanity with gold hardware fitting snuggly in bathroom with geometric floor tile

With the Jeffrey Court Renovation Challenge now being halfway over, its feeling like we still have a long way to go. I vacillate between worrying we aren’t going to finish by the deadline and being excited at what’s to come. Decorative items like a faucets, rugs, and a shower curtain were delivered this week which gives me a bit of energy to see design elements coming together. One way or another we WILL make it happen even though there is a LONG to do list to get through in the next few weeks of the challenge.

Dresser Turned Miter Saw Stand

September 20, 2021 by kelsey.mackall

As a frequent DIYer I use and abuse my miter saw. It takes up a big chunk of my garage work bench and delivers a constant snow of sawdust all over the area. When working on my bedroom makeover, fellow DIYer, Cara, told me there was a better way and made me promise to keep my old dresser as a future project. Inspired by her original Miter Saw Dresser Tutorial, I finally tackled it and my DIY life is forever changed! Thank you Cara! Read along for all the details on how this dresser turned miter saw stand!

HOW The Dresser Turned Miter Saw Stand

First, I had my husband help me flip this baby upside-down to add 3″ casters. I wanted to be able to roll this dresser towards the front of the garage for better sawdust ventilation. My husband joked that it was going to go flying down the driveway into a neighbors car so I made sure the wheels were able to lock.

Here, you can see WHY a miter saw stand is necessary. When cutting a large piece of wood, it doesn’t sit level on the saw’s surface. Typically I have to stack scraps under one end. The solution is to build up the surface of the dresser to create a level work top. I measured the height of my Ryobi sliding miter saw and subtracted the 1/2′ MDF I planned on using for my new surface. This gave me a measurement of 3″ and 1/8 to cut my supports.

After cutting some scrap 2x4s at 3″ and 1/8, I screwed them onto the top of the dresser. Then, I set my 1/2″ MDF on top, glued, and screwed down into the supports. Now I had a level work surface with my saw! You can see in the above images how my saw sits on the original dresser top. I decided to box it all in, knowing that leaving it open would just collect dust. I was in luck that a 1×5 board fit perfectly so I nailed that around the outsides. Then, ripped the same board down for the shorter/inside pieces that sit next to my saw.

Finally, I painted the dresser “Waterscape” by Sherwin Williams with my paint sprayer and added some fun little accessories! The pencil holders are PVC pipe that I sprayed gold. The sheets of paper are my project planning printables (FREE for blog subscribers). I have also linked my favorite safety glasses and dresser knobs below. This dresser turned miter saw stand has been so convenient and I love using something “pretty” to create more pretty things!