I’ve always admired Marilyn Monroe’s timeless style and wanted to try decoupage on furniture. When a friend passed on this vintage‑style dresser—worn, with peeling veneers and dated colours—it was the perfect candidate for a makeover. As part of this month’s International Bloggers Club(IBC) Painted” Furniflips” challenge, I’ve refreshed it with sleek black and copper paint and added Marilyn‑themed decoupage, giving it a modern look that’s ready to sell.

Our International Bloggers Club (IBC) is a global circle of DIY bloggers who, each month—on the third Monday—tackle a shared theme. Scroll down to see links to my friends’ inspiring makeovers.

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Marilyn Monroe Decoupage Dresser Makeover 

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Materials Needed

• Pre‑owned wooden dresser (with at least three salvageable drawers)
• Orbital sander and discs (120‑grit, 240‑grit)
• Primer (white)
• Black acrylic paint
• Dulux metallic copper spray paint
• Low‑tack painter’s tape and plastic sheeting
• Mod Podge (water‑based decoupage medium)
• Marilyn Monroe paper napkins and eBay poster prints
• Clear water‑based polyurethane (2 coats)
• Rust‑Oleum Clear Gloss spray topcoat (optional)
• Diamond‑style doorknobs
• Plywood (for shelves and mirror backing)
• Wood glue and a nail gun
• Soft cloths, sponge scourer, hot, wet cloth

Finding the Perfect Dresser

I started with a dresser that, at first glance, looked sturdy, but a closer look revealed its flaws. Two centre drawers were missing, the drawers were warped and falling apart, and several fronts were cracked in half. The mirror’s frame was chipped and worn, giving the whole piece an outdated feel. Rather than focus on restoration—I’ve covered that in past posts—I jumped straight into repairs and refinishing so I could showcase a true decoupage transformation.

Preparing and Painting the Dresser

Repair & Sand: I replaced missing drawer bottoms, glued broken drawer fronts and gave the entire surface a thorough sand (120‑grit to smooth major flaws, then 240‑grit for final prep).

One coat of white, water‑based primer blocked the old wood grain and sealed repairs.

Next, I painted every side of the dresser—except the top—with two coats of black acrylic paint, leaving the top free for my feature colour.

I’d pictured the top in metallic copper but couldn’t find the right shade in a can of pot paint. After some hunting, I settled on Dulux’s metallic copper spray paint, which gave me the perfect finish.

I draped plastic over the black base and secured it with low‑tack tape to catch overspray. High‑tack tape pulled off some paint when removed, but quick touch‑ups covered those spots.

I applied three light coats of copper, letting each dry fully before the next. After the final coat cured for 24 hours, I sealed it with two coats of Rust‑Oleum Clear Gloss spray paint for extra durability, even though the hardware store said it wasn’t strictly necessary.

Restoring the hardware

Even rusty, paint‑covered hardware can be reused—just follow the cleaning method I demonstrated in this project to strip away old paint and corrosion, then reinstall it like new.

Decoupaging the Drawers

Only three drawers survived structurally. To decoupage them:

After repairing the damaged fronts, I applied a thick, even layer of Mod Podge and carefully laid the Marilyn Monroe paper napkins on top, smoothing out any bubbles.

Once the glue dried, I noticed the brown wood grain still peeked through and spoiled the look. So I cleaned off the surface and started again.

With a clean surface, I re‑primed each drawer front in white primer to block any remaining brown tint. After the primer dried, I spread another even coat of Mod Podge, positioned fresh napkins, and smoothed them into place. Once the decoupage cured, I sealed everything with two coats of clear, water‑based polyurethane, giving the drawers a durable, glossy finish.

Decoupaging the Doors

I used inexpensive eBay Marilyn Monroe posters on the two doors, following the same Mod Podge method. Next time, I’ll blend edges for a seamless look, but two coats of polyurethane still give solid protection and a glossy finish.

Adding Shelves and Replacing the Mirror

I cut and fitted plywood shelves into the right-hand section, securing them with wood glue and a nail gun for a rock‑solid hold. I then stained the shelves and the compartment interior, which ended up clashing slightly with the rest of the finish. They’re so firmly fixed that I couldn’t remove them for a redo.

To finish off the look, I added “Diamond” doorknobs, because diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

For the mirror, I cut plywood to size, swapped out the battered glass for a new moddern one I repurpose from salvage furniture. and re‑stained the back for a polished result.

I reused the old hardware to attach the mirror back onto the dresser.

Completed Marilyn Monroe decoupage dresser

This Marilyn Monroe dresser went to a huge fan who loved her. I must apologise for the photo quality, my home is too full to take photos of large furniture inside, and my garden died due to the drought. So my tree and washing line were the best I had. Haha

More dresser makeovers you may like

Would you believe the dressers below ended up as good as new? You can see the outcomes in the links above each image?

Tips for restoring an Antique Dresser 

Dresser gets a geometric makeover

More about IBC

If you follow my blog, you will know I am part of the IBC (International Bloggers Club), which is a group of talented bloggers from around the world. We have members from Spain, South Africa, Australia, the United States, and Canada. Each month, we come together and create a project with a common theme.

If you missed last month’s “Sweater Challenge ” theme, here is the link to my Steampunk gnome doorstop.  The contributions from my fellow bloggers for this month’s challenge are listed below. Please feel free to jump over and give them some love.

Projects

1. Meegan Makes| Ikea Marius Stool Makeover
2. A Crafty Mix|Melamine Faux Distressed Metal
3. Interior Frugalista|Mid Century Modern Nursery Bookcase Makeover
4. Me
5. Birdz of a feather |Painting Vinyl Fabric

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