Pride and Joy

Last summer my husband and I bought our first house which necessitated us buying a large dresser. As I started searching for the right one, I was shocked by how expensive they were. I looked at dressers from IKEA, Crate & Barrel, West Elm, CB2, Target and a number of other stores, but I was priced out of the size I was searching for. As I've often done in the past, I turned to my favorite local thrift stores. That is how I found this treasure...

It was scratched up. The two small drawers were missing their hardware and one no longer had its track. The hardware was also broken on the second drawer from the bottom on the left. There were superfluous wooden accents on both sides near the top. In short, this massive dresser had been abandoned.

But, it was the perfect size, it was high-quality (dove-tail joints!), and the price was right: $55 + $10 for delivery. It's my proudest rescue.

Over five of the hottest days in August 2011, I knocked off the wooden accents with a mallet; I removed the cabinet doors; I sanded  for hours upon hours; I removed the hardware and spray-painted the drawers; I replaced the missing drawer track; I replaced the hardware; I hand-painted the newly exposed cubbies; and I stained the whole unit.

This project took me less than a week and cost $85 (not including the electric hand sander I invested in)  and now it's my third most prized possession (#1 = childhood stuffed panda; #2 = engagement ring). Plus, I truly loved doing it. I got so much joy from taking something someone had given up and transforming it into something beautiful and and meaningful again. And refurbishing this old dresser was so much more satisfying than paying hundred of dollars for something brand new. It's also what inspired me to start redoing furniture for others.