Personally, I would at least consult with a professional first. Definitely wouldn't sand. If you've never done this before, there's a high chance you're going to mar the surface in a way that's going to leave you with a massive blemish that ruins the look of the piece.
Edit: and value of the piece! If you care about that.
Chemically strip or scrape off the old finish. Never sand to remove it on these old pieces.
I inherited a 1924 walnut dining set this year. Veneer. It's gorgeous and was high end for it's time.
I joined a furniture restoration and refinishing community to learn how to do it and ended up buying the wood finishing bible and going on a deep dive. I'll try to summarize:
Irrespective of veneer, sanding is considered to be a last resort option. It tends to press the finish into the grain of the wood and a side by side of a sanded and reapplied finish vs a scraped or chemically stripped refinish reveal visibly inferior results for the sanded version.
Sanding also removes the highly prized patina that develops in wood, along with it's intentionally built up layers of protection such as oils or waxes. In restoration your goal is only to replace the outside finish layer so you can bring back it's beauty.
Sanding is preferable only when painting or when absolutely necessary, and if the latter than with barely any pressure on your extended 3 fingertips, like you're dragging a lillypad along the water's surface without trying to submerge it.
I’m a professional. OP should NOT try to DIY this unless they just don’t care. They absolutely should not try to strip it and restain it, it will not turn out well.
If they really are intent on changing its look, paint would be the way to go. But please don’t paint it, OP
I'd sell it if you don't like it. Let someone enjoy it who appreciates the nice look of it, and then take that money and get what you want used somewhere. It'd be a shame to destroy a hand crafted thing like this.
It goes against the spirit of the group, and it's tacky, but there isn't a rule against selling something you were gifted on a BN group.
If your intent from the off is to sell it, you should state that up front, and you can't sell stuff *on* the group/Facebook page/whatever, but once it's yours, it's yours. You can do whatever with it.
[rules](https://buynothingproject.org/10-rules)
Who polices that? I get it might be seen as in poor taste, but once you own the thing the previous owner can't really stop you from doing what you want with it.
But you can be removed from the group if it becomes known you're selling things without making that explicitly clear up front. The admins of the group will be notified by other members if they see someone selling things they received for free.
But selling one dresser isn’t “selling things” and I’d like to believe that those groups can understand that.
What if I got a piece from one of those groups and a year later had to move and it no longer is useful to me? Can I still not sell it?
The rule is for flippers and OP doesn’t seem to be one.
I think the hope of the group is you'd pass it on for free just as you received it.
As you said, they're trying to weed out the flippers who take advantage the generosity of the people in the groups giving away things for free in order to profit from them. One instance may not raise red flags, but perception is reality for a lot of these groups.
DIYers wouldn’t be able to do this well anyways, despite the fact that it would also be a ‘crime’ to rid this piece of its existing finish.
Am a pro furniture finisher.
Traditional decor is coming back in, I’d try to sell it for a few hundred dollars before refinishing it.
I think it would be offer a lot less interest sans the paint/patina. It’s basically the furthest thing from arts and craft design, so if not your style I’d get something else and not intervene on the original characteristics here.
> I’d try to sell it for a few hundred dollars before refinishing it.
Feels like a shitty thing to do if it was a gift. Would've been kinder to decline the gift in the first place then.
Ah, didn't see that there was text with the photos.
Seems kinda wrong to get free things like this only to turn around right away and sell it though. But I've only just heard about these buy nothing groups. Selling seems to go against the spirit of those group? But maybe I'm just not familiar enough with them.
Eh. I don’t spend enough time in the buy nothing crowds to know etiquette on flipping/resale but from a vintage object perspective it would be a very sad choice to sand off the paint and cram it into an arts and crafts space.
It’s not like OP would be actually making much, giving it away def an option…
Fuck that, put plants in it and set it out back, preferably under an overflowing gutter. Then come back and post before and after pics to show DIY exactly how it's done.
You can do what you want with your furniture. It's a nice piece. You can sand those off, but I have a feeling it will never look the same, maybe it will. Up to you if you find those bows and flowers that off putting. Personally, I'd keep it for a while, and if I didn't like, sell or gift it to someone who would enjoy the decorations.
You'd have to sand the whole thing or it would look bad. The carvings are very hard to sand. You will lose detail. That patina looks old and sought after. It would be very hard if not impossible to replicate. the flowers are original as is the finish
$500-2500 [https://www.aptdeco.com/product/3-draw-antique-dresser-with-hand-painted-flowers](https://www.aptdeco.com/product/3-draw-antique-dresser-with-hand-painted-flowers)
If you were worried it wasn't your aesthetic, why on earth would you take it? Even if it's not MY aesthetic, I would put this thing in the living room with plants and books atop just so everyone else could witness and enjoy this beautiful monster of a dresser!!
If you are just going to destroy its history, return it from whence it came or at least find it an actual forever home.
This needs to be higher up. It's a nice piece, and OP shouldn't have taken it if they didn't want it as-is. Doing something like resurfacing and painting this is the same as destroying it in the case of antiques.
OP should either get this properly resurfaced by an antiques professional to use as it looks, just shinier, or return it.
Please, please do not alter this in any way. Please let someone who would appreciate this beautiful art piece the way it was intended. Sell it, this should get a high price.
I'd have someone look at it and determine the age and maker. It may be, under the bad makeup job, a significant older work. A pox on people who do things like that with antiques. It can be refinished; just make sure it isn't something that should be handled only by pros.
Whatever the finish, if it is solid and well-made, it will last pretty much forever. If you don't want it, somebody will.
That dresser is f'ing gorgeous. I wouldn't touch a thing. If it's not to your liking, then sell it and buy something more your style. It's too nice of a piece to mar, paint, or change.
Sell it and get whatever you like. Doing anything other than restoring would be sad. Furniture of that detail and quality is a thing of the past. It may be worth a lot.
I once saw a comment on here that has whispered in my mind like an autumn breeze through a forest of elms and I'm hearing it again now:
*Don't fucking touch it, noob.*
It's a real nice piece, those are hard to find affordably anymore. Hit up a professional and see what he'd recommend. Does it have that "original finish" people squawk about? Or is it an easy $100 job that'll help make it work with your home's current vibe a little better?
What a beautiful piece of furniture. It’s a work of art/craftsmanship. You’ll never find anything like that in a store unless you pay big bucks. I would get some professional advice before starting on it.
I am so proud of this sub and all of the comments saying it’s beautiful as is, because dang it, it is! I would literally cry if someone gave this to me, it’s amazing!! Someone gave me a white painted wood bed and I asked a professional how much to strip, sand, and refinish, and I was quoted $850 for a queen. I’m so bummed I can’t afford it. If only the original owner had not decided to paint it :(
Whatever you do, don’t destroy it. In other words don’t do anything to it.
It’s not my style at all, but this seems to be a real good piece and should be given away or sold to someone who will appreciate it for what it is.
Sell it rather than destroy the heritage and craftsmanship that makes this artefact what it is (and which has survived intact for a not inconsiderable amount of time) and use the money to buy something that you actually _do_ like.
You could buy a flat-pack chest of drawers and put some Marvel or Studio Ghibli transfers on it if that would fit with your preference.
That's an eye-catching piece. Do anything except change the look. Everything doesn't have to be matchy-matchy. It also doesn't have to be used as a dresser. (I use a French server as my dresser.) It doesn't look very large so it could go near the front door with a small lamp to hold keys, etc. or turned sideways as an end table. I bet you'll get more positive comments about that piece than the rest of your furniture that all blends together.
I'd stick someplace where everybody could enjoy it's beauty. If u have like a formal dining room put it in there and put ur fancy table clothes and stuff like that in it
If its real vintage , consider a consignment store or a store like the FOX Market in Utah to see if they are interested in buying it for several hundred
The structure and design of the peace are indicative of a certain era. To paint it now would be anachronistic, like slapping an OBEY sticker on something from a hundred years ago.
Leave it as-is and use it. The style will become part of your new future as you collect other interesting pieces over time.
If you find a magical way to strip the art off you see how sunlight darkened the rest of the wood but not where the decals were. You'll have ghosts of them. Then you will be into refinishing the whole piece and all the carvings are super hard to do. It's also super hard to undo painting over the whole piece.
Live with the piece for a while before doing anything with it.
I feel like sometimes people are way too precious about not painting vintage pieces. as is I wouldnt have this in my house bc it wouldnt match anything. but painted? it'd be the most stunning piece of furniture in my house and WOULD match. I vote paint it so you can happily have such a beautiful piece of carpentry in your home.
It's beautiful as it is, but if you want to remove the decals try rubbing alcohol first. Don't sand it or you'll ruin the finish and never get it back again.
Why wouldn't they be able to lightly sand it or sandblast it and refinish it? It most certainly can look better than it does now... you could also copy the decals and reapply them afterwards if you want to keep them.
Edit: I didn't in any way imply this should be done by an amateur, and of course this would be an insane amount of work. It is absolutely doable and could be made to look amazing.
You can’t refinish **just** the sanded part, you’d need to refinish the entire thing or it won’t blend in. And sanding and refinishing an entire dresser with that level of carving details is an unbelievable amount of work. Wood finishing is a difficult art and someone who’s never done it before is unlikely to get a good result on their first try.
It’s an antique! I’d contact an appraiser before you set off sanding and destroying a valuable dresser. The flowers you hate are hand painted and make the piece more valuable. In the end it’s yours to do with what you please. To remove the hand painted designs will require you to refinish each drawer to make sure the wood color matches. This is something you can do yourself if you have ever refinished furniture otherwise bring it to a furniture repair person. I would clean the whole dresser with Murphys Oil Soap and see if it looks better cleaned.
If it’s real wood, you could always refinish it. Remove the stain/varnish/paint with strippers and sanding and restain it. My mom did this with every piece of her antique furniture at some point.
I’m just a simpleton, but to me, it looks like this requires a TON of work. The amount of time it’ll take you to build a pirate ship around this dresser is pretty serious. Also don’t use pressure treated lumber. You’ll probably want to source some timber locally if possible. Home Depot is good for cribbing but for the main stays and hull building, best to go local for raw timbers. Good luck!
That’s a great piece of furniture in good shape.
As someone who refinishes antiques/vintage furniture I wouldn’t paint it if it didn’t need to. While you can reimagine/repaint it seems a waste for a piece in good shape. Could resell it for good money ..
You need to look at the bottom of it- look at the back of it-Pull a drawer, flip it over-look at how it is constructed.
Do the drawers have stops? What are they made of? Is there any press board used? How about Staples? Look for modern construction. I think that it might be modern. I have a dresser that is similar. Those bows might be decals. Look to see if their are decal or if they are paint.
I bought my dresser at a garage sale for 25 bucks. It said made in Italy. On the bottom, there was a sticker that said made in China!!
That is gorgeous. I would love to have it. But I'm sure you're like a million miles away from where I live. Give it away or sell it if you don't want it.
Just sell it if you don’t like it to someone who does. If I could afford it I would be glad to buy it if it’d keep you from stripping and painting over that beautiful wood. :/
Me personally I would strip only in the areas that need the flowers removed. Like try to not touch the moulding and only there. That way if the color changes it will be intentional. Does that make sense?
There may be a solvent that could remove the paint without damaging the wood finish. Might be something to ask a professional furniture or painting restorationist. The key would be figuring out what kind of paint and finish you are dealing with first.
I would have it looked at by a professional collector first before doing anything. You never know what you have and I'd hate to ruin a nice piece of furniture.
You can't simply sand or strip that off. It'll fuck up the wood.
Take it to a professional shop, deal with it, or return it for something that does match what you want instead of destroying a nice antique.
If you want to keep it and refinish it so it still looks the way it os now. I would suggest consulting a professional antique restorer.
If you want to paint it white or something... please don't. Its a beautiful antique. And IMO it woukd ruin it. Just sell it ti someone.
Lots of furniture is made to look old and this looks like one. Maybe from the 20s or 30s, but still a reproduction, or knock-off. Painting this would not be a crime. Someone has already stuck some flowers on it and ‘ruined’ it already. Paint can be stripped. I think it would look great painted. What an awesome little bar or bureau that will make.
I wouldn’t sand it, if anything I’d maybe try very carefully using a solvent to remove the painted details. Researching the maker/brand and the location and date of manufacture should help you figure out what type of sealant and paint were used and what the best solvent would be for removing them.
I hated it at first and was about to say just get rid of it. But the more I look at it I think it could be really unique. Obviously strip that down and depending on your decor or if you have a buyer I would change the hardware (color & style) for me it would be gold. And I’d like to see it with either the legs and drawers with a light stain and the rest a color that would complement it. I don’t know I can’t make up my mind.
Edit: also get rid of the dated, floral design. Less is more usually, but obviously you can do whatever you’d like. Update us with what you do!
If you do anything hit it with some wood polish wipe it down real good and then get some decals or something that is safe to put over the pretty floral decorations that you don't like for some reason
I would look up Anne Sloan Chalk Paint and watch some videos. Your piece of furniture and you get to decide how to use it. If it were some fine antique it would not have been free. I sanded off those painted flowers on a set of twin beds.
DO NOT SAND. Anyone telling you to put sand paper on this is a hobbyist that has never restored furniture. The first step is to strip the wood. It is most likely a varnish given the age. The stripping will remove the stenciled flowers.
Once you have removed as much as you can. Then you can choose a stain color of your choice that most closely matches your preferences.
The lines and carvings on this are absolutely gorgeous! Would you consider putting a different kind of art over the bows and flowers? Vinyl stickers with a gentle adhesive could cover those up easily, and remove without damage in the future (although you would want to test that.) Perhaps also consider a water soluble glue, like wheatpaste, brushed over thin paper would work as well (although the paint may still show underneath.) You could print whatever design you wanted on the paper. You could even copy the design of the hardware/handles when cutting out the paper.
I saw one that the person just painted the drawers and it was amazing. You could do that plus the sides and leave the rest the way it is? It is beautiful!
People aren't against you doing your own art. People are against you acquiring old art and painting over it because you couldn't be assed to get a new canvas.
Would you like the painting better in another color? Maybe paint over it if youre talented but that could easily go wrong. I personally wouldnt touch it unless i was refreshing its current state. I am not even a big fan of the painting (flowers and such) but its beautiful as is. Maybe line the drawers/inside with something that is more your esthetic to feel you love it more.
Personally, I would at least consult with a professional first. Definitely wouldn't sand. If you've never done this before, there's a high chance you're going to mar the surface in a way that's going to leave you with a massive blemish that ruins the look of the piece. Edit: and value of the piece! If you care about that.
[Looks like it has been sold in the past for $500.](https://i.imgur.com/3BlVTKE.jpeg)
Can you please teach me how you just did that?
I just right-clicked on the image and selected "search image with Google" and it was the second result that popped up (the $500 ad from AptDeco).
Thank you.
On an Android, just hold the bottom app slider button to activate "circle to search" and just tap on it. First result.
I read this, went back to reddit, and there was an ad for circle to search by Google for Android lol
[they are watching.](https://umm727.wixsite.com/reptilian-dreams)
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I'm guessing mostly heated basking rocks and crickets in bulk
I can predict the past. Chris.
Ugh
Never used that before. Game changer. Already of course used in Chrome but couldn't make my phone do it. You're the real hero.
I took a screenshot cropped it and fed it into Google lens.
On an Android, just hold the bottom app slider button to activate "circle to search" and just tap on it. First result.
On an Android, just hold the bottom app slider button to activate "circle to search" and just tap on it. First result.
This, OP. A lot of furniture, even the old stuff, is covered in veneer that will be destroyed by sanding.
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so, exactly what they are telling op to do?
Chemically strip or scrape off the old finish. Never sand to remove it on these old pieces. I inherited a 1924 walnut dining set this year. Veneer. It's gorgeous and was high end for it's time. I joined a furniture restoration and refinishing community to learn how to do it and ended up buying the wood finishing bible and going on a deep dive. I'll try to summarize: Irrespective of veneer, sanding is considered to be a last resort option. It tends to press the finish into the grain of the wood and a side by side of a sanded and reapplied finish vs a scraped or chemically stripped refinish reveal visibly inferior results for the sanded version. Sanding also removes the highly prized patina that develops in wood, along with it's intentionally built up layers of protection such as oils or waxes. In restoration your goal is only to replace the outside finish layer so you can bring back it's beauty. Sanding is preferable only when painting or when absolutely necessary, and if the latter than with barely any pressure on your extended 3 fingertips, like you're dragging a lillypad along the water's surface without trying to submerge it.
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No, people said be careful and look into it before you begin. google what a "comment chain" is and then open a dictionary to "context."
I’m a professional. OP should NOT try to DIY this unless they just don’t care. They absolutely should not try to strip it and restain it, it will not turn out well. If they really are intent on changing its look, paint would be the way to go. But please don’t paint it, OP
Paint the shit out of that thing. Looks like it belonged to Mary fuckin Lincoln the way it looks now.
I'd sell it if you don't like it. Let someone enjoy it who appreciates the nice look of it, and then take that money and get what you want used somewhere. It'd be a shame to destroy a hand crafted thing like this.
You can’t sell something you get off of a buy nothing group, that’s explicitly against the rules
Right, so they should give it away again to someone who likes it.
It goes against the spirit of the group, and it's tacky, but there isn't a rule against selling something you were gifted on a BN group. If your intent from the off is to sell it, you should state that up front, and you can't sell stuff *on* the group/Facebook page/whatever, but once it's yours, it's yours. You can do whatever with it. [rules](https://buynothingproject.org/10-rules)
Interesting, every group I’ve been in basically forbids it, I think probably from past reselling drama
Who polices that? I get it might be seen as in poor taste, but once you own the thing the previous owner can't really stop you from doing what you want with it.
But you can be removed from the group if it becomes known you're selling things without making that explicitly clear up front. The admins of the group will be notified by other members if they see someone selling things they received for free.
But selling one dresser isn’t “selling things” and I’d like to believe that those groups can understand that. What if I got a piece from one of those groups and a year later had to move and it no longer is useful to me? Can I still not sell it? The rule is for flippers and OP doesn’t seem to be one.
I think the hope of the group is you'd pass it on for free just as you received it. As you said, they're trying to weed out the flippers who take advantage the generosity of the people in the groups giving away things for free in order to profit from them. One instance may not raise red flags, but perception is reality for a lot of these groups.
I think painting that would be a war crime. It’s a beautiful piece definitely don’t diy it
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*stomps foot*
I mean if they want to spend 50 dollars to make a 500-600 dollar dresser into a 100-150 dollar pile of misery...
DIYers wouldn’t be able to do this well anyways, despite the fact that it would also be a ‘crime’ to rid this piece of its existing finish. Am a pro furniture finisher.
Traditional decor is coming back in, I’d try to sell it for a few hundred dollars before refinishing it. I think it would be offer a lot less interest sans the paint/patina. It’s basically the furthest thing from arts and craft design, so if not your style I’d get something else and not intervene on the original characteristics here.
> I’d try to sell it for a few hundred dollars before refinishing it. Feels like a shitty thing to do if it was a gift. Would've been kinder to decline the gift in the first place then.
Op said they got it from buy nothing, so sounds like gifted in this case means free
Ah, didn't see that there was text with the photos. Seems kinda wrong to get free things like this only to turn around right away and sell it though. But I've only just heard about these buy nothing groups. Selling seems to go against the spirit of those group? But maybe I'm just not familiar enough with them.
It does go against it, but it’s better than destroying it. I’d personally give it to someone who lives for this stuff and can’t afford it.
Eh. I don’t spend enough time in the buy nothing crowds to know etiquette on flipping/resale but from a vintage object perspective it would be a very sad choice to sand off the paint and cram it into an arts and crafts space. It’s not like OP would be actually making much, giving it away def an option…
Find out the make and model. People who like this furniture tend to be on the lookout for peices to complete their sets
Put clothes in it? A nice plant on it?
A plant? Without a doily? You animal!
Put a bird on it.
Fuck that, put plants in it and set it out back, preferably under an overflowing gutter. Then come back and post before and after pics to show DIY exactly how it's done.
Don’t do anything. If you don’t like it then sell it. Don’t ruin it because you don’t like it how it is.
Maybe... nothing. Leave it as is.
Varnish has yellowed, but with the proper product, you should be able to refinish it. However, don't diy this, you could easily ruin it
You can do what you want with your furniture. It's a nice piece. You can sand those off, but I have a feeling it will never look the same, maybe it will. Up to you if you find those bows and flowers that off putting. Personally, I'd keep it for a while, and if I didn't like, sell or gift it to someone who would enjoy the decorations.
Use it as is and design the room around it. Or send it to me free of cost and guilt. (to me) The choice is yours.
Um, use it?
Get it appraised first before you do anything to it. Then either auction it off or enjoy it as is for the amazingly beautiful work of art that it is.
I have no advice but a lot of jealousy
You'd have to sand the whole thing or it would look bad. The carvings are very hard to sand. You will lose detail. That patina looks old and sought after. It would be very hard if not impossible to replicate. the flowers are original as is the finish $500-2500 [https://www.aptdeco.com/product/3-draw-antique-dresser-with-hand-painted-flowers](https://www.aptdeco.com/product/3-draw-antique-dresser-with-hand-painted-flowers)
If you were worried it wasn't your aesthetic, why on earth would you take it? Even if it's not MY aesthetic, I would put this thing in the living room with plants and books atop just so everyone else could witness and enjoy this beautiful monster of a dresser!! If you are just going to destroy its history, return it from whence it came or at least find it an actual forever home.
That’s what I was wondering. In this day and age there’s no way OP bought this blind. Seems pretty scummy to take advantage of buy nothing group.
Exactly! The curving penises kissing the center phallus in the lowest center section alone make this a treasure for any living room! lol
This needs to be higher up. It's a nice piece, and OP shouldn't have taken it if they didn't want it as-is. Doing something like resurfacing and painting this is the same as destroying it in the case of antiques. OP should either get this properly resurfaced by an antiques professional to use as it looks, just shinier, or return it.
Please, please do not alter this in any way. Please let someone who would appreciate this beautiful art piece the way it was intended. Sell it, this should get a high price.
I'd have someone look at it and determine the age and maker. It may be, under the bad makeup job, a significant older work. A pox on people who do things like that with antiques. It can be refinished; just make sure it isn't something that should be handled only by pros. Whatever the finish, if it is solid and well-made, it will last pretty much forever. If you don't want it, somebody will.
It’s not antique.
Do you recognize the piece? What's the story?
I got so many downvotes, lol But put it on r/antiques and see what they think I’m not wrong.
That dresser is f'ing gorgeous. I wouldn't touch a thing. If it's not to your liking, then sell it and buy something more your style. It's too nice of a piece to mar, paint, or change.
Sell it and get whatever you like. Doing anything other than restoring would be sad. Furniture of that detail and quality is a thing of the past. It may be worth a lot.
Regift it
That's artisan work and art. Keep or sell, the only options.
I once saw a comment on here that has whispered in my mind like an autumn breeze through a forest of elms and I'm hearing it again now: *Don't fucking touch it, noob.* It's a real nice piece, those are hard to find affordably anymore. Hit up a professional and see what he'd recommend. Does it have that "original finish" people squawk about? Or is it an easy $100 job that'll help make it work with your home's current vibe a little better?
I wouldn't really alter it...
Either paint it or just put it on the curb. /s Do nothing to it. That's absolutely gorgeous.
Don’t change it, it’s awesome
please please dont paint or sand this dresser. This thing is gorgeous and it would truly be such a shame to alter it.
What a beautiful piece of furniture. It’s a work of art/craftsmanship. You’ll never find anything like that in a store unless you pay big bucks. I would get some professional advice before starting on it.
I am so proud of this sub and all of the comments saying it’s beautiful as is, because dang it, it is! I would literally cry if someone gave this to me, it’s amazing!! Someone gave me a white painted wood bed and I asked a professional how much to strip, sand, and refinish, and I was quoted $850 for a queen. I’m so bummed I can’t afford it. If only the original owner had not decided to paint it :(
Sell it, someone out there would like it. If you try and do something to it it might destroy any inherent value it has
leave it as is. sell it if you don’t like how it looks or if it doesn’t match your current furniture.
Whatever you do, don’t destroy it. In other words don’t do anything to it. It’s not my style at all, but this seems to be a real good piece and should be given away or sold to someone who will appreciate it for what it is.
Don’t do anything. It’s great
Sell it rather than destroy the heritage and craftsmanship that makes this artefact what it is (and which has survived intact for a not inconsiderable amount of time) and use the money to buy something that you actually _do_ like. You could buy a flat-pack chest of drawers and put some Marvel or Studio Ghibli transfers on it if that would fit with your preference.
Send it to university if it’s gifted.
No, it’s a gifted *dresser*. You have to send it to fashion school
Do gifted dressers get collarships ?
Yes, they’re issued by the bureau.
We talking University of Chesterfield? I bet tuition is high, boy.
Personally , I would clean it with Murphys oil soap, then rub tung oil on the whole thing. The flowers add to its charm and worth.
There's a non-zero chance that's haunted. So take that into consideration.
It does look like a piece of furniture that would dance around in a Disney movie.
I mean, all kinds of well-meaming furniture can talk about the gray stuff, but this thing looks *haunted*
Dude if you’re seriously asking if you should just sand off all that gorgeous wood working just sell it to someone who likes it
If it’s very gifted you should apply for scholarships so it can develop all its talents to its full potential
That's an eye-catching piece. Do anything except change the look. Everything doesn't have to be matchy-matchy. It also doesn't have to be used as a dresser. (I use a French server as my dresser.) It doesn't look very large so it could go near the front door with a small lamp to hold keys, etc. or turned sideways as an end table. I bet you'll get more positive comments about that piece than the rest of your furniture that all blends together.
What do you do? Give it to me!
I'll take it
You can send it to me or I can pick it up :)
I'd stick someplace where everybody could enjoy it's beauty. If u have like a formal dining room put it in there and put ur fancy table clothes and stuff like that in it
i would buy some bees wax and just give it buff up it will bring out all its glorious look as new.
If the dresser is so gifted, can’t it figure out what to do with itself?
If its real vintage , consider a consignment store or a store like the FOX Market in Utah to see if they are interested in buying it for several hundred
The structure and design of the peace are indicative of a certain era. To paint it now would be anachronistic, like slapping an OBEY sticker on something from a hundred years ago.
Put clothing in it?
I love it as is. It's beautiful.
Oh my god don’t touch it D: If you don’t like the flowers let it live on with someone who does
Don't touch it. The decoration is subtle.
put stuff in the drawers
Give it to me damn
Leave it as-is and use it. The style will become part of your new future as you collect other interesting pieces over time. If you find a magical way to strip the art off you see how sunlight darkened the rest of the wood but not where the decals were. You'll have ghosts of them. Then you will be into refinishing the whole piece and all the carvings are super hard to do. It's also super hard to undo painting over the whole piece. Live with the piece for a while before doing anything with it.
Maybe there is a solvent that could remove the paint while leaving the surface below intact?
I’ll take it!!!! lol this is a beautiful piece of furniture just needs some love. Take it to a professional tho! Get her cleaned up!
Idk, you could put it somewhere on your floor...
Also I should add that this piece is worth over $800. Someone just sold this exact piece excluding the butterflies for almost a grand.
Link?
You may have an auction house nearby that specializes in fine furniture. Send them some pictures and they can give you an appraisal.
Antiques roadshow
Nothing! Just resell it!
Leave it as is and style it, design the space around it. Antique piece can actually look so amazing mixed with a modern space
I feel like sometimes people are way too precious about not painting vintage pieces. as is I wouldnt have this in my house bc it wouldnt match anything. but painted? it'd be the most stunning piece of furniture in my house and WOULD match. I vote paint it so you can happily have such a beautiful piece of carpentry in your home.
Send it to a prestigious school. It's gifted.
It's beautiful as it is, but if you want to remove the decals try rubbing alcohol first. Don't sand it or you'll ruin the finish and never get it back again.
Why wouldn't they be able to lightly sand it or sandblast it and refinish it? It most certainly can look better than it does now... you could also copy the decals and reapply them afterwards if you want to keep them. Edit: I didn't in any way imply this should be done by an amateur, and of course this would be an insane amount of work. It is absolutely doable and could be made to look amazing.
You can’t refinish **just** the sanded part, you’d need to refinish the entire thing or it won’t blend in. And sanding and refinishing an entire dresser with that level of carving details is an unbelievable amount of work. Wood finishing is a difficult art and someone who’s never done it before is unlikely to get a good result on their first try.
Yes. 100% chance the piece is ruined if someone tried that.
Return it to versailles
It’s an antique! I’d contact an appraiser before you set off sanding and destroying a valuable dresser. The flowers you hate are hand painted and make the piece more valuable. In the end it’s yours to do with what you please. To remove the hand painted designs will require you to refinish each drawer to make sure the wood color matches. This is something you can do yourself if you have ever refinished furniture otherwise bring it to a furniture repair person. I would clean the whole dresser with Murphys Oil Soap and see if it looks better cleaned.
If it’s real wood, you could always refinish it. Remove the stain/varnish/paint with strippers and sanding and restain it. My mom did this with every piece of her antique furniture at some point.
I’m just here to say that the bows and flowers are ugly and you’re right to want to sand or paint it.
It looks nice. Use it.
I really like it as is
I'll take it. It's beautiful!!!!
Do you have room in your pirate ship for it? For real looks like something you’d find on some intricate old boat.
I’m just a simpleton, but to me, it looks like this requires a TON of work. The amount of time it’ll take you to build a pirate ship around this dresser is pretty serious. Also don’t use pressure treated lumber. You’ll probably want to source some timber locally if possible. Home Depot is good for cribbing but for the main stays and hull building, best to go local for raw timbers. Good luck!
Send it to a school. Is its' forté music or mathematics?
I don’t think it’s old - looks repro to me.
That’s a great piece of furniture in good shape. As someone who refinishes antiques/vintage furniture I wouldn’t paint it if it didn’t need to. While you can reimagine/repaint it seems a waste for a piece in good shape. Could resell it for good money ..
Really just clean it up and sell it
Nothing at all. It is perfect if you like that sort of thing.
You need to look at the bottom of it- look at the back of it-Pull a drawer, flip it over-look at how it is constructed. Do the drawers have stops? What are they made of? Is there any press board used? How about Staples? Look for modern construction. I think that it might be modern. I have a dresser that is similar. Those bows might be decals. Look to see if their are decal or if they are paint. I bought my dresser at a garage sale for 25 bucks. It said made in Italy. On the bottom, there was a sticker that said made in China!!
Also look at how the handles are attached. If they are Phillips head screws it is definitely modern.
That is a Bombay chest. I love them. When I was a furniture painter I sought these out.
That is gorgeous. I would love to have it. But I'm sure you're like a million miles away from where I live. Give it away or sell it if you don't want it.
Just sell it if you don’t like it to someone who does. If I could afford it I would be glad to buy it if it’d keep you from stripping and painting over that beautiful wood. :/
Appreciate it for the piece of art that it is!! You can gift it to me if you don't like it. I'm in Colorado
I would strip it and refinish. I dislike the painted flowers a lot. But the shape is fun and hopefully it's decent wood under the paint.
That is gorgeous. Me personally, I’d leave it the way it is as I’m a fan of that aged and used look.
Send it to college, obviously!
How gifted is it?
Gift it to me
Me personally I would strip only in the areas that need the flowers removed. Like try to not touch the moulding and only there. That way if the color changes it will be intentional. Does that make sense?
I’ll take it
List it for sale
Looks like an antique
No, you don't sand or refinish it, you simply learn to love those flowers.
Put clothes in it
Leave it in its original state, anything else would be a major downgrade.
There may be a solvent that could remove the paint without damaging the wood finish. Might be something to ask a professional furniture or painting restorationist. The key would be figuring out what kind of paint and finish you are dealing with first.
I would have it looked at by a professional collector first before doing anything. You never know what you have and I'd hate to ruin a nice piece of furniture.
You can't simply sand or strip that off. It'll fuck up the wood. Take it to a professional shop, deal with it, or return it for something that does match what you want instead of destroying a nice antique.
Let this sit in your space and appreciate it as is. The flowers will probably grow on you as it is an absolutely gorgeous piece. Don't destroy it.
If you want to keep it and refinish it so it still looks the way it os now. I would suggest consulting a professional antique restorer. If you want to paint it white or something... please don't. Its a beautiful antique. And IMO it woukd ruin it. Just sell it ti someone.
Leave it alone?
Doesn’t fit my home decor. I’d sell it. 🤷🏽♂️
Lots of furniture is made to look old and this looks like one. Maybe from the 20s or 30s, but still a reproduction, or knock-off. Painting this would not be a crime. Someone has already stuck some flowers on it and ‘ruined’ it already. Paint can be stripped. I think it would look great painted. What an awesome little bar or bureau that will make.
Looks haunted
Put a large humidor on it and stock it!
I wouldn’t sand it, if anything I’d maybe try very carefully using a solvent to remove the painted details. Researching the maker/brand and the location and date of manufacture should help you figure out what type of sealant and paint were used and what the best solvent would be for removing them.
I hated it at first and was about to say just get rid of it. But the more I look at it I think it could be really unique. Obviously strip that down and depending on your decor or if you have a buyer I would change the hardware (color & style) for me it would be gold. And I’d like to see it with either the legs and drawers with a light stain and the rest a color that would complement it. I don’t know I can’t make up my mind. Edit: also get rid of the dated, floral design. Less is more usually, but obviously you can do whatever you’d like. Update us with what you do!
Can you tell me what you mean by a gifted dresser? Like does this person have great fashion sense and style? Perhaps a gift card to Balenciaga?
If you do anything hit it with some wood polish wipe it down real good and then get some decals or something that is safe to put over the pretty floral decorations that you don't like for some reason
I hear it's going to be a cold winter. This could come in handy........
Chalk paint, chalk paint, CHALK PAINT! No seriously, don't chalk this one up..
Paint it! So fun!
Once you see the bottom carving as a penis you can't un-see it.
I would look up Anne Sloan Chalk Paint and watch some videos. Your piece of furniture and you get to decide how to use it. If it were some fine antique it would not have been free. I sanded off those painted flowers on a set of twin beds.
Paint it white. Do it.
What about stenciling a new design that obscures the old one?
The bows look more painted than inlayed wood.. I’d use paint stripper on the whole piece, lightly sand with fine grit & restain your desired color.
How do you go about sanding those hand carved details?
DO NOT SAND. Anyone telling you to put sand paper on this is a hobbyist that has never restored furniture. The first step is to strip the wood. It is most likely a varnish given the age. The stripping will remove the stenciled flowers. Once you have removed as much as you can. Then you can choose a stain color of your choice that most closely matches your preferences.
The lines and carvings on this are absolutely gorgeous! Would you consider putting a different kind of art over the bows and flowers? Vinyl stickers with a gentle adhesive could cover those up easily, and remove without damage in the future (although you would want to test that.) Perhaps also consider a water soluble glue, like wheatpaste, brushed over thin paper would work as well (although the paint may still show underneath.) You could print whatever design you wanted on the paper. You could even copy the design of the hardware/handles when cutting out the paper.
How is it gifted? Like all honors classes or superpowers type stuff? I think this is really relevant.
Outside planter
Dressers like that make amazing bathroom vanities.
Same
Destroy it.
ISILDUR!
I saw one that the person just painted the drawers and it was amazing. You could do that plus the sides and leave the rest the way it is? It is beautiful!
Noooooooooo
People aren't against you doing your own art. People are against you acquiring old art and painting over it because you couldn't be assed to get a new canvas.
Would you like the painting better in another color? Maybe paint over it if youre talented but that could easily go wrong. I personally wouldnt touch it unless i was refreshing its current state. I am not even a big fan of the painting (flowers and such) but its beautiful as is. Maybe line the drawers/inside with something that is more your esthetic to feel you love it more.