Asked on May 21, 2014
Curb side find! What would you do?
+215
I found this in the curb this morning on my way to work. Needless to say I'm late :) does anyone know anything about this piece? What would you do with it? Paint? Restore/Refinish? Thanks!
Love the hardware!
Beveled mirror sites on top, in excellent shape!
Restore
All depends what you could use or what you are willing to do. One woman is making one into an apothecary cabinet and using it in the bathroom for the vanity. Gorgeous. You could remake it for your bathroom if you can use it. You could make it into a really nice bench with drawers under it at the entryway for shoes. Or baskets instead of drawers. You could make it as a buffet for the dining room, or entryway. Really so much you can do, just depends if you can use it or want to sell it. If selling, I say go for entry way type piece or the bathroom vanity and refinish luxuriously. Just my opinion. Please post finished pics!! Good luck
This looks like blond, mid-century modern! What is finish like? If in good shape, or CAREFULLY refinished, could be worth big bucks. I have sm night stand I'm gonna redo, and its worth $100, easily!
This is a beautiful mid century piece.
Refurbish to its natural style. Just by looking at the knobs, it's late 50's. Nice fine.....
Wow...lucky you!! I would paint it with chalk paint and lightly distress...simple but beautiful. Love the hardware! I would just clean it up.
Mid-Century Modern, which is really popular now. If you paint it, you will immediately lose any value, as with any antique piece. I recommend restoration/cleaning only, as necessary - the less you change, the greater the value. I do see damage to the top, which might require some research, depending on what it was originally. Of course, if the top was/is linoleum, it will be hard to replace, but there are some great sites online.... I have a Drexel Heritage mcm hutch, found on CL, bargained it down to $300, it is worth over a grand only because it is original finish. Please, please please don't paint it! If you hate it as is, clean and restore it and sell it to a mcm aficionado - almost-free money! Good luck!
if u care about the value leave it as is...just clean it up. ...but is that the look u want to live with? ...or do something with it that you will love to look at everyday and not worry about its value down the line.
I woould definitely chalk paint it. Have you seen where they do each drawer a different color? I would do that on the bottom part and distress all of it of course. LOVE THIS!!!!!!
I agree...I m loving chalk paint! BTW, the homemade recipe using Plaster of Paris works great! ....so cheap and u can do any color...not limited to certain colors.
I miss my curb finds. Not having my own space or car any longer...I am not able to turn ***Trash into Treasures***...I miss it soooo much!!! Enjoy & Have Fun...
Chalk paint it and use as a Kitchin Island. I would change knobs and put a piece of granite or butcher block on top!
I love this piece!! Good find! I've redone some of my finds! Check them out here :)
I hope these inspire you!! Can't wait to see what you do!
I come from the same era.....1950s ...and am impressed at how well this dresser has held up. When I got old enough to realize that, someday, that cheap, ugly,blonde, veneer furniture would be "antique", I thought, "No way!" Of course, very few pieces survived so it is now considered quite valuable and artistic. I'd suggest restoring it to retain it's value even though I would love to see it painted in a bold color.
I'm no expert but I love wood and therefore would restore and refinish it to its original glory. Nice find!
What I great find and worth being late. I would paint it and change the handles and this is a hot piece it could pass as a console or buffet apothecary, ditch the mirror. Here's a picture of what I was explaining
I would restore since its already stripped it looks like. I would do it in deep cherry. It will lose it value as a mid-century piece if you paint it.
Your curbside find is a piece of furniture, in the dated style called blonde wood, that was hugely popular the mid-1950's. The upper handles on the dresser are consistent with the designs that also appeared on other domestic items, such as fridges, during this time. As the bottom knobs have since been replace, this detracts from the vintage value of the piece.
Leave. The color as or restra
Well, it looks either mid-century modern or early 1970s, which is sort of a take-off on the design styles of mid-century mod. I LOVE that hardware. Have you checked inside of all the drawers and on the back (if it's not a finished back but only has pressboard backing on it) to see if there is a manufacturer name stamped somewhere - check on drawer bottoms underneath as well. Look for clues as to whether it is solid wood, a wood veneer, or a later brand manufactured "wood" product (like plywood, etc. - in which case it might not be mid-century modern or early 1970s). Are there dovetail joints, for instance? Are there metal runners for the drawers (expensive furniture), or wood slats with plastic slides to run on (cheap furniture)? The drawer tops on the top level have a slight arch to them - very cool and a great design detail. I'm no expert at all, but to my eye at least this indicates a higher design level than cheapo furniture.
I would clean it all up first and then re-evaluate. I am not a fan of painting furniture although I have seen some beautiful pieces featured online over the years. If it's a good solid wood dresser I would be totally against painting it. I would sand it, prep it and restain it to highlight the beauty of the wood. Hard to tell from the photo, but overall it looks to be in good shape.
Great find!
The hardware is the bomb. Choose an approach that plays it up,
love the bottom piece... I would make that into a seating bench with a long cushion on top and gorgeous throw pillows to pop room colors.