Moroccan Dresser with International Flair

A furniture piece with international flair like this Moroccan dresser adds worldly charm to any space.  Even if you’ve never been to Morocco (neither have I), it adds that colorful pop of texture and pattern that every room needs.

I got this very sturdy solid wood dresser off Facebook Marketplace for $25.  I originally wanted to use a Moroccan tile decoupage paper, but when I realized I didn’t have it on hand I went to Plan B, a stencil.

Before I jump into all the details, here are the supplies I used to create this Moroccan dresser look.

Resource List:

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• Dresser (thrifted)
• White Lightning
• Rustic Red
• Collard Greens
• No Pain Gel Stain Colonial Black
• Morocco mylar stencil
• Hand painted stencil: Cobalt Blue, Silk Salt Water, Terracotta, Pure Ocean, Colonel Mustard
• Copper Bronze Glaze
• Clear Coat Flat
• Gemstone mousse Amber

If you want tons of information on Dixie Belle paint and products, you can check out these posts: Comprehensive Guide and Comprehensive Guide for Kitchen Cabinets, and download them free here by clicking each picture:

Paint the Base of the Moroccan Dresser with Rustic Red and Collard Greens

Doesn’t this finish look authentically aged?  With an old-world look like this, you don’t want it to look freshly painted.  It’s so simple to do too!

First, paint 2 coats of the base color, Rustic Red.  Then, dry brush the edges with Collard Greens.  Dry brushing means you dip your brush in paint, wipe off most of the paint on a paper towel, and lightly brush onto your furniture.

Morocco Stencil

For the stencil you see on the top 2 drawers, I wanted it to look like colorful tiles.  I chose a variety of bright Mediterranean colors and used small artist brushes to paint each section.  Once I established a color pattern, I tried to keep it consistent all the way across.  

I demonstrated this technique on this video.  Don’t be dense like me and place your stencil vertical when it obviously fits better horizontally!  A few viewers of the video were kind enough to set me straight before I got too far.

Once it was thoroughly dry, I added 2 coats of Copper Bronze glaze to just those top drawers. It adds a subtle sheen and sparkle with the light.

Colonial Black Gel Stain

For the top, I went right over the existing brown stain with No Pain Gel Stain in Colonial Black.  I apply it thinly with the applicator pad, so it comes out looking very dark brown versus black.

Plus it has some streaking similar to wood grain.  I almost always seal my tops with Clear Coat satin.  I hadn’t done that yet in this picture, but I will do it before it’s sold.

Amber Gemstone Mousse

Don’t let the “amber” name fool you, this is a beautiful shiny copper.  Also, if you haven’t tried the mousse, you totally need to. I love this stuff!  It’s easy to use, water-based (not stinky), and so bright and brilliant.  It makes my heart happy.

I not only painted the hardware with the Amber, but I also accented the corners of the drawers.  It pulled the piece together and tied the bottom drawers in with the top drawers.  Sometimes those little choices make all the difference.

Lastly, I sealed the frame and bottom 2 drawers with Clear Coat flat.  

Here’s one last look at the before and after of this Moroccan dresser.  Please Pin!

If you enjoyed this project, be sure to grab your supplies, and give it a try yourself.  If you need more inspiration, check out these other colorful projects.