Eastlake Dresser Makeover

1900's Eastlake Dresser

This lovely Eastlake mahogany dresser dates back to the early 1900's. While it's nearly impossible to trace its origins, it's not too hard to figure out that this piece is made of high quality mahogany with beautiful raised panels of rosewood which complements the reddish tone of the mahogany. (Unfortunately, I can't find the "before" photo for this dresser, or I would have put it in this blog post. )

We purchased this dresser at Materials Unlimited, in Ypsilanti. It was down in the basement in the farthest corner, behind some tall old boards. We almost overlooked it with all the clutter in front of it.

It was a miracle that this dresser hadn't fallen completely apart, considering the extent of damage it had withstood over a century. I can assure you, it didn't look like this when Jim pulled it away from the basement wall. It had broken sides, drawers and a cracked back. It required a lot of restructuring and elbow grease before it could be refinished, but it was well worth it.

It is easy for a trained eye to spot quality furniture, but with these five easy guidelines, anyone can do it. Here a few pointers to look for when deciding whether or not to have an item of furniture restored and reasons why restoration is a good choice.

1. How are the bones? A good "bone" structure with minor damage is worth refinishing. If the piece is damaged to the point where there is more replacement wood than original wood, while still usable, it may not as valuable. Check for major cracks or deep scratches on the larger sections of a piece of furniture, as these may affect the amount of work required to bring it back to life.