How to Create Your Own Art Deco Furniture

Remove all drawer pulls and take the drawers out of a low, 3-drawer dresser. Clean and sand the piece lightly to provide a good surface for new paint to grip. Cover the exterior of the dresser and the drawer facings with at least two coats of enamel paint, sanding lightly after each coat once it is dry. Licorice-black is a good color for an Art Deco piece, but clear lipstick red will work well, as will dove gray or pale green.

Clear-coat all paint to protect the finish and give the piece even more shine. Use two coats of lacquer, sanding between coats for a smooth, reflective finish.

Glue a rectangular beveled mirror on the top center of the chest and surround it with small, rectangular mirrored tiles. Use a strong adhesive and follow manufacturer's instructions to let the glue thoroughly dry. Bags of small mirror tiles come in several shapes and colors. Use a color that contrasts with the paint color for a decorative mirror border, or stick to plain silver.

Replace old hardware with mirror drawer pulls and put the drawers back in the dresser. Position the transformed dresser as a sideboard in a dining room or as an entryway cabinet in a foyer. Hang an Art Deco-style mirror over it -- a frameless mirror in the stepped shape of the Chrysler Building would be ideal, but any geometric mirror will work.

Set a colorful Murano glass bowl on the mirrored surface to hold keys in an entry or fruit in a dining room.