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| Waterfall Dresser Before |
One of my favorite furniture styles is from the 1940 era, such as this gorgeous waterfall style dresser. It's named waterfall because the top edge is curved, gently sloping downward in a graceful, flowing style unique to that era.
Many types of furniture featured the waterfall style; cedar chests, tall and low dressers, vanities and footboards. This dresser was one of two dressers in the second bedroom set I had restored. The tall dresser has five drawers, but identical handles, which were still in perfect condition.
But the same thing I love about this style makes it the most
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| Waterfall Dresser After |
challenging to refinish because stripping and sanding that sloping curve so that you are able to expose the bare wood evenly takes patience, time and dedication. This is not something that can be rushed. It has to be done slow to do it right. It also has to be done by hand. It takes longer, but it's worth it as the finished results speak for themselves.
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| Tall Dresser Before |
The tall dresser had a decorative top panel which was attached to the back. We removed this piece so it too could be stripped and refinished separately from the dresser.
The five drawers each had their own personality and
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| Tall Dresser After |
looked different from one another because of the way the veneer was put on the front of the drawers. They were also tricky to put in the correct drawer slots, likely custom fit at the time the dresser was made.
Once the stripping and sanding was complete, we used golden pecan stain, which brought the natural beauty out for these lovely vintage dressers, adding a rich, deep tone in the wood that was hidden beneath years of oxidation and dust. Now these dresser can live on to be used for the next generation for many years to come.
