I have to give Madeline a million thank yous for finding my dresser for me. I swear she spent all of her waking hours browsing KSL classifieds.
A couple weeks ago, I got a phone call from her saying that she’d found the perfect dresser. It had just been posted like 5 minutes prior & I needed to call the guy on it. I was currently at the bank, so I rushed home, looked up the listing & made a panicked phone call to see if it was still available. Much to my surprise, it was!! These things go in a matter of seconds. Seriously. He wasn’t going to hold it for me for very long, so I packed the kiddos back in the car & headed to meet the dresser of my dreams.
Granted, it’s not the long & low style that I was hoping to find, but I love it anyway. It’ll fit perfectly in our bedroom with enough space to spare for a full-length mirror (in the off chance I ever find one I like). It definitely needs some TLC, but it’s solid wood with dovetailed joints. The guy listed it for $75 and sold it to me for $65. YEAH, he went down even though he got a million calls on the dresser from the time I called to the time I showed up (15 minutes!). SWEET. Maybe he heard my Penelope whining in the back of the car & took pity on me. Bartering with babies works, folks.
I’m thrilled to have it! The plan is to strip it & stain it yellow. YELLOW! I’m so excited. It’s going to match my rocking chair. I am worried, however that it might be too much yellow, so I’ve been thinking of painting the drawers bright white. What do you think? Should I paint white accents somewhere on this dresser? If so, where?
The shape really is beautiful. So glad you snapped it up!
Congrats on the find! That’s awesome!
I’m pretty boring and ultra conservative and I would go with white but that’s just me. Is the room it would be in pretty small? Would it be too matchy with the rocker? (which is a fun color) I’ve seen other people’s yellow dressers in pictures and they look great but I don’t think I’d do it. (I know, I’m a chicken).
On a semi related note, I’m sure we got out of a speeding ticket b/c Ansley was screaming the whole time we were pulled over. That’s the happiest I’ve ever been at her screaming. We were going 30 in a 25 in a teeny town and her crying distracted us both from seeing the speed limit sign.
That dresser is gorgeous and quite possibly a steal! I totally understand the fear of yellow. I did simple design on a flower pot and painted it yellow and I was uneasy about it the whole time. I say go for it. It can always be fixed!
Great dresser!! I have a veryyy similar dresser that I got off CL as well, but for $100 – you got a great deal!! I love mine – see it here at http://whatthevita.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/craigs-list-yes-again/
And – stain it yellow? Not paint it yellow? I have no idea what staining it yellow is but it sounds good!
oh i definitely say go with the yellow, but instead of the stark contrast of completely white drawers, I would keep it all yellow but put some of your beautiful caligraphy in thick white on the draw fronts to give it a nice accent.
Oooohh I have a feeling this is going to look great afterwards! I think you should try the yellow with white. Yellow handles and feet maybe?
Awesome! It looks very similar to my childhood bedroom furniture which my mom bought in the late 60’s and called the style “Danish Modern”
What about white with some of the funky but old style yellow door knobs. I have always liked the colour with a white pattern – like a flower or fern or something – it makes it a feature but always tones down the bright colour. Or yellow on those handle-y looking things.
We are dresser twins. I have that exact same one that I got from KSL too. Except I don’t think my guy knew what he had because he sold it AND delivered it to me for $30. I’ve had it a year and still haven’t done anything with it though. We are redoing our bedroom and that is a project on the list! Excited to see yours!
Yes to painting the drawers white! I think that would be just enough contrast. I also recently saw someone who decoupaged some patterned fabric to a dresser similar to this one and that was adorable! With the yellow, that might be a nice option, too.
Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
LOVE this. Seriously. I’m such a sucker for “furniture with character”.
I am incredibly jealous of you right now! I am putting together my sons nursery and have been on a hunt for a similar dresser. I actually stumbled upon one for $75 as well, but the man sold it before I was able to get to it. Enjoy your lovely find!!
i adore vintage dressers! good find! i am not usually a fan of two tone furniture so I would just go with yellow but I am sure whatever you do, you will make the dresser look fantastic.
So glad to hear you found just what you were looking for. Where I live (the south) I see these pretty often. I have a matching bedroom suite this style: chest of drawers, dresser+mirror and full bed walnut and in mint condition for $300
And I can hardly wait for your after pictures of your peice Im sure it will be awesome. your daughters room is just fabulous!
I love that dresser. you got yourself a might fine friend there :)
I vote just solid color.. BUT if I saw a pic of it with accent colors .. i mean who wouldn’t love that too !
i may have to change my opinion about two tone furniture. i just saw this, granted it is more that two tones but i love it: http://pinterest.com/pin/12564666/
gorgeous find!
don’t do two tone! all yellow!
yay!! I’m so glad you found a dresser!!! Goodbye closet piles! ;)
Love the idea of yellow – maybe add some fun white vinyl flourishes or something to the drawer fronts? Can’t wait to see it when it’s all done
I love that dresser!! You are so lucky to have found it and that is a great price. I think you should do it white with yellow accents, a little yellow goes a long way. But I am really loving yellow lately, so if you think you will love it DO IT!
I love making over dressers! My husband and I are pros at it now.
I can’t believe you picked this bad boy up on Craigslist for $25. STEAL! Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
-C
First time on your blog, love it! I have a bed and a dresser that I am getting ready to paint for my daughter and I was looking at all of your painted furniture, it looks so perfect. Could tell me what your process is and what type of paint you use?? Thanks :)
To answer your question, April,
if you want to paint it, my favorite way is to clean the surface, lightly sand it (if applicable) & paint with killz 2 primer. then spray paint it (if you can find the right color in a spray paint). go for high quality paint. don’t skimp on it. if you’re having a tough time finding the right color, get regular paint mixed & then spray paint a clear coat finish once you’re done painting. it reduces the paint streaks.
i’ve also stained furniture a color, with great results. this takes quite a bit more preparation. you need to strip & sand everything down to the natural wood, then paint (using a sponge) the wood with pigmented water-based paint stain. i use minwax. it’s great.
[…] (and our house, really): orange, yellow & black. A while back I was debating on staining my new dresser yellow (to go with everything else), but was afraid it’d be too matchy matchy with my yellow […]
How did this turn out? I’d love to see the after photos
[…] finished the dresser. It’s been nearly a year and a half since I bought it with the intention of revamping it. I knew if I wanted to get it done, I had to do it before the […]