NewlyWoodwards

an unconventional home

A dresser for baby

by

In true Kim style, I’ve begun to start obsessing about furniture for the nursery. Which isn’t that surprising, because I’m a nutcase.

While we aren’t planning to really start working on the nursery until we find out if we’re having a boy or girl, I do have an idea of what type of crib and dresser I’d like, regardless of sex. So, I’ve been scouting stores and Craigslist and online for the best deals.

Then, when my buddy, Michelle, at Decor and the Dog tipped me off to a crib at the local Salvation Army Outlet, I couldn’t get there soon enough. Luckily, Michelle was also up for a thrifting trip and met me there within the hour.

(You are totally jealous, aren’t you? We are so cool and had nothing else going on on a Saturday morning. Outside of cleaning the house, which could wait.)

While the crib search was a bust, I did find a perfect little antique dresser at a local antique mall.

As I was canoodling it and Michelle was enabling me to buy it, we found out it wasn’t for sale.

Then, miraculously, as we walked away and made our way around the rest of the antique mall, it was magically for sale again.

I like that it’s not huge, since we have a ginormous closet in the nursery we don’t really need a huge dresser. It’s really the perfect size for a changing pad on top.

I also like that it’ll be good for a boy or girl, has lots of character, could fit into almost any room in our home and was affordable. And I adore those little drop knobs.

It’s in great shape, and I’m planning to leave it as-is. Which is great, because I have no desire whatsoever to paint a dresser.

Thanks, Michelle, for making me go shopping on Saturday. Thanks to you, I have one check off my list.

Did you find any diamonds-in-the-rough this weekend?

Comments

  1. My goodness that wood is beautiful! And those drawer pulls??? Don’t even get me started. I’m drooling in envy. What a terrific find!

  2. What a great find! I love everything about it- shape, size, style, color. I paint almost everything but I really like the natural color of it. I really really like to buy furniture that can work in many places.

  6. Perfect dresser! Love finding things like this. I just found a great nightstand after many, MANY months of searching on Craigslist.

  10. I would’ve killed for a dresser find like this for Quinnie!!!! What a score! I’m stoked that you won’t be painting it, the wood character is GORGE. And those drop pulls? I’d commit another crime for those.

    Cannot WAIT for this nursery. Will you be sharing a mood board w/ us? Like you don’t have enough things to do as it is, but inquiring stalkers want to know…..

  12. Pretty! I would love to find a gem like that for our bathroom =) Your shopping trip sounds fun!!

  14. Love it! I agree with you on all fronts…not painting it, changing table, and great knobs. Oh it can be used anywhere in the house. Great find and I wish I was in the quad cities so I could have joined you guys! Fun times that end with a great find…what could be better?

  15. I am happy to enable you any day. I’m so glad we are real life friends now.

    I also like that people want to hang out with us. You know, the cool girls that randomly decide on twitter to go shopping because they lead such super exciting lives. 😛

  21. What a coincidence! I also bought a dresser for our baby due in March almost the exact dimensions are yours! Mine is a medium wood tone, does not have the gorgeous grains yours has, but I wasn’t planning on painting mine either. It does need to be lightly sanded and new clear-coat finish though. It’s the perfect height for a changing table pad. I just bought this non-skid contoured changing table pad from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Simmons-Contour-Dressing-Non-Skid-Bottom/dp/B000JIHHAO/ref=pd_ybh_1?pf_rd_p=280800601&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=1501&pf_rd_i=ybh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0FXKWWZPFYF4JB552FG9.

    As I’ve been shopping for baby cribs…I found out that ALL drop-side baby cribs are now illegal, and that there are much stricter manufacturing standards for cribs now since 2011. I didn’t know so much had changed since my last baby born 2008! I’m gonna have to bite the bullet and buy a new crib too.

  22. What a coincidence! I also bought a dresser for our baby due in March almost the exact dimensions are yours! Mine is a medium wood tone, does not have the gorgeous grains yours has, but I wasn’t planning on painting mine either. It does need to be lightly sanded and new clear-coat finish though. It’s the perfect height for a changing table pad. I just bought this non-skid contoured changing table pad from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Simmons-Contour-Dressing-Non-Skid-Bottom/dp/B000JIHHAO/ref=pd_ybh_1?pf_rd_p=280800601&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=1501&pf_rd_i=ybh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0FXKWWZPFYF4JB552FG9.

    As I’ve been shopping for baby cribs…I found out that ALL drop-side baby cribs are now illegal, and that there are much stricter manufacturing standards for cribs now since 2011. I didn’t know so much had changed since my last baby born 2008! I’m gonna have to bite the bullet and buy a new crib too.

  23. AAAhhhh! First, I was jealous when I saw you guys tweeting about this thrifting trip. Then, I was jealous that I couldn’t come because I don’t live in Iowa anymore (and also because I don’t actually know you guys . . . but let’s focus on the “not in Iowa” one). And now I’m jealous again because that dresser is fantastic! What a great find!

  24. The dresser is beautiful! I especially love the knobs. The previous poster is right that you will need a little space for wipes and diapers to sit unless you have a shelf on the wall right above it. It sounded like you were trying to thrift a crib. It is my understanding that it is illegal to sell or donate a crib manufactured before June 2011. That makes it somewhat difficult to find a used crib!

  30. I love it! It reminds me so much of the dresser we have in our nursery! Have you checked it for a manufactured date? I’d love to know its age.

    LB

  33. It’s gorgeous, Kim!! What a fabulous find. 🙂 We used a dresser as a changing table for Michaela Byrd, and the changing pads come with little straps that you can screw right into the back of the dresser so it doesn’t wiggle around with the baby on top.

    If you have room up there for a little tray or bucket for a couple extra diapers, wipes, and ointment, I’d recommend it. Not to be gross, but things can get messy and sometimes you don’t have a free hand to dig around in a drawer for that second (or third) diaper. 😉

    You are going to have so much fun with shopping for this!!! Oh, the possibilities!

  36. That is a cute dresser. I agree do not paint it as it is beautiful the way it is. Like someone said this piece can be used for years to come.

  38. You’re right, it’s perfect as it is. And those little knobs are charming. Am I crazy or does it sorta look like the one you picked up not too long ago, I tihnk for your own room? The one with the cool wood grain? Or are they completely different? Anyway, good call on not needing a giant dresser. Gabe has a giant closet too so these days, his dresser really doesn’t hold a ton besides socks and undershirts.

  39. This is gorgeous! I’m all about those drop pulls! That little top drawer looks like it would be fabulous for storing lotions, diaper cream, thermometers, and all the little things that are super nice to have handy when changing baby, but that you don’t want to see. Fantastic find!

  40. I love painted dressers, but I’m SO GLAD you’re not painting this one, because the wood grain is GORGEOUS! Great find, Kim! Baby’s dresser is the next thing on my list.