Instead of buying new, try a DIY drawer knob makeover to save some money and reduce your renovation waste a little bit.
Whether you’re refinishing an entire dresser or just updating its look, new drawer knobs are a great way to make an old piece look new.
New drawer knobs are also a great way to inject a little personality into the most sedate furnishing.
But of course, when I say “new,” I don’t mean NEW new–I NEVER want to buy anything new (or throw away anything old…)! Instead, I’m talking about remaking the drawer knobs that you already own or, at the most, upcycling something into a drawer knob.
If you’re in the market for a drawer knob makeover, check out the tutes below. Some are dead easy and some are more complicated, but they’ll all give that dresser of yours a totally new look.
20 DIY Drawer Knob Makeover Ideas
1. champagne corks. Like you needed another excuse to drink champagne!
2. crocheted knob covers. This site isn’t in English, but the crochet pattern isn’t hard to translate.
3. decoupaged knobs. Decoupage knobs with tissue paper or patterned paper napkins–this is a nice way to use party napkins saved from a special event.
4. fabric-covered knobs. If you don’t want to paint but you DO have fabric, then you still have a world of options.
5. faceted wood. The trick here is to NOT use a saw.
6. faucet handles. These can be thrifted quite cheaply.
7. Hot Wheels. My girls would FREAK out if I did this to their Hot Wheels, but maybe you wouldn’t get in trouble for doing this to yours.
8. leather. You could upcycle a leather belt for these drawer pulls.
9. napkin rings and costume jewelry. The bulk of this tutorial teaches you how to cut the ring band off so that you can use the front as a drawer pull.
10. wooden spool. This is one of the easiest drawer knobs to make, since you don’t have to drill through the spool.
11. old fuses. Have you ever noticed how colorful they are?
12. paintbrushes. These old paintbrushes make cute drawer handles.
13. plaster of Paris molds. You can replace a single missing drawer knob by molding a matching knob from plaster of Paris.
14. rocks. Large round river rocks let you add some natural components to your decor.
15. rope. Rope can replace drawer pulls in this clever project.
16. shells. Get out your grandma’s shell collection and find the perfect pieces to turn into drawer knobs.
17. silk flowers. I like this tute, because you can use your current drawer knobs as-is, without even repainting them, and yet the look is totally different.
18. twine-wrapped knobs. If you’ve got a ball of twine in your junk drawer (and you totally do!), then you can easily cover your existing knobs.
19. wood branches. This tutorial calls for sealing them, but I think they’d also work fine without being sealed.
20. fabric scrap pulls. Maybe you don’t want to redo your drawer’s hardware at all. Maybe you just want to add a pretty fabric scrap pull!