Embracing the Imperfections in Vintage Furniture: Vintage Red Dresser

This was such a beautiful dresser to start with, but its finish has suffered some wear and tear over the years.

Before

Damaged top

 I love the "flat tire" look of the original wheel. :-)

Scratches on drawer fronts

Loose knobs

Missing drawer catches.

After:

I made some necessary repairs to the scratched finish, and patched missing the missing veneer, added drawer catches, and put in a fix for the loose knobs. But otherwise I decided to embrace the imperfections and worked it into my final design.

I painted some washers to coordinate with the original knobs and secured them to the drawers to keep the knobs in place. It's not too obvious when looking at it straight on.

Here's a better view of the washer behind the knob. Hopefully I got the patina close to the original patina on the knob. The pip berries and rusty stars were the inspiration for my design.

Remember I said I embraced the imperfections? I think this photo gives you a good idea of what I meant by that. The veneer was warped and loose. I secured it with wood glue so it's no longer loose, but it still has the wavy texture.

I sanded the inside of the drawers and reconditioned the wood.

I think my favorite part of the dresser are the legs. I did buy replacement wood casters, but I love the wear and tear on the originals, so I haven't decided whether to replace them or not. They're not very functional as-is, so I'll think it over before I list the dresser for sale.

Supply List:

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• Flexible sanding pad, 220-grit sand paper, and tack cloths (for quick removal of sanding dust.)
• Orbital sander
• Wood filler 
• Wooster Vintage Effects paintbrush (2" angled china bristle)
• Two prong drawer stops (I used some from my stash, but you can order replacements online)
• Replacement wood wheels (purchased but not shown in photos)
• Washers (to shore up the knobs)
• Paint: Emperor's Silk, Country Grey
• Sealants: Clear Wax, Dark Wax.