Mid Century Modern Dressers

Tall Dresser After

Tall Dresser Before

Sometimes I have no words for the furniture that comes to us. This is one of those times. This was a Kroehler dresser set, a classic mid-century modern set that at its creation was probably very beautiful. Somewhere along the line the original hardware was lost (who knows) and replaced with completely different (not matching) hardware in a different finish. 

The original drawer pulls were the ones on the bottom two drawers, The center drawers had “scoopy” handles which were not at all correct for this period and the top large drawer had four knobs, also not matching. To say the least, this dresser had a bunch of mismatched pulls that simply didn’t work.

Long Dresser After

Long Dresser Before

Our customer wanted these dressers refinished and stained, however we realized that once we started stripping it wasn’t stained originally, but painted with a glaze treatment. Plus, there were broken veneered corners that wouldn’t have looked good if filled in and stained, so we suggested paint, which turned out to be the best option for these pieces. 

As much as we prefer exposing the beautiful wood hidden beneath layers of paint, sometimes it’s not possible because when we get painted pieces, it’s usually for a reason. But occasionally we get painted pieces that have gorgeous wood beneath and it takes on a completely different look once stripped and stained.

For these dressers, once the holes created by all the handles were filled in, sanded and smoothed out, painting covered them and they once again had a classic, clean line look common to the mid-century modern furniture people gravitate to. It had gotten an upgrade that worked great for these pieces. We also worked on two nightstands (not pictured) that were a part of this set but we didn’t get the “after” pictures of them. Then our customers decided to get a headboard painted to match the rest of the furniture so now they have a complete set that all matches. This one turned out great!

Early 1800’s Historical Filing Cabinet

Filing Cabinet Before

Filing Cabinet After

Working on antiques is one of the most rewarding aspects of our business. There’s a certain thrill to work on something that has been through a century or more and wonder what stories it could tell.

This filing cabinet was purchased in Virginia from an auction and paperwork stated it had once belonged to the son of Robert E. Lee. Since he has three sons and four daughters, we do not know which son it belonged to, of one of them had owned it. That’s so interesting! Knowing that a historical figure had once used this oak filing cabinet is a pretty cool piece of knowledge.

This cabinet was actually comprised of five modular sections, each setting on top of the other, fitting securely with specially fitted center boards that kept each section from moving while in use. The top section had many smaller drawers that were likely used for time cards which were likely stacked so they could be easily accessed.

The next three levels each had three drawers with uniquely positioned handles that were installed vertically, compared to modern file cabinets’ horizontally mounted handles. These handles were pitted steel and our customer had wanted to keep the entire unit as original as possible, so we left them un-polished, but cleaned them up.

For the wood, we used boiled linseed oil to rejuvenate and freshen it up. This also adds moisture that aging removes, preserving the wood for years to come. We adjusted and repaired a few broken areas, but all in all this cabinet system was in pretty great shape considering it was used in the early 1800’s. The bottom row had four smaller drawers with “scoop” handles, made of brass. Once everything was tightened, cleaned and put back together, the cabinet was still original but functional and sturdy. It will likely last another 175 years.

Antique Vanity Makeover

Vanity Before

Vanity After

This vanity had been in my customer's  in-law's family for a few generations. Neglect and time took its toll on this lovely vanity as the scratched surface attested to. However, I assured my customer I would make it shine and indeed, I did. The first step was to remove the hardware then get it ready for sanding and stripping, which was immensely tedious because the sides have a fluted rounded edge which required a metal brush to remove all the previous finishes, all part of the stripping process. 

1970's Cabinet Makeover

1970's Cabinet Before

Cabinet After Renovation

It's amazing how a bit of creative vision can transpire an ugly, outdated piece of furniture such as this 1970's era atrocity. This may have been popular back in 1972, but by today's standards, it was painfully outdated. Still, it had potential and would prove to be useful once again after a bit of renovation a lot of creativity, or perhaps equal parts of both. It had a black top, that looked suspiciously like a piece of laminate, which made the piece quite durable. However, the cabinet doors simply had to go.

Antique Dry Sink

Antique Dry Sink After

Antique Dry Sink Before

Last summer in 2012, we found this antique dry sink at a yard sale just down the street. My husband had seen it on his way back from the store and told me about it. Shortly after hearing about it, I went to the yard sale and brought it home.

It had belonged to the owner's grandmother and at some point, was converted from a dry sink. A high-quality Koehler sink had been installed which was in excellent condition. There were holes were the original faucet was, but it had been removed. I saw the potential and immediately envisioned a dark stain to replace the faded golden oak. We upgraded the tarnished brass handles with nickel hardware and bought a new nickel faucet.