A few months ago, during one of my almost-free furniture hauls, I scored this Draper-esque chest of drawers. It needs some TLC, but that happens to be my specialty.
Can you believe dressers with a similar look go for thousands of dollars?
I’m dreaming of where the Draper chest should live in our next home. Should it go in our new living room?
via The Glam Lamb
Elle Decor
I could ditch the gold detailing for a more minimalist look?
David Jimenez
Angie Hranowsky
Maybe in our entry?
via Sunset
via Jordan
Or maybe I could find it a sister and put them in my next office?
OR! Maybe I could use it in my future bedroom, a la Melissa Warner of Messucco Warner Miller. I’m so obsessed with her whole apartment, but this bedroom absolutely sings to me.
image courtesy of Shelter from this month’s House Beautiful
P.S. Once upon a time I was shopping for a client at the Cambridge Antiques Market and I stumbled across a tulip alabaster lamp almost exactly like the ones above, except it was a little smaller. I went back three times to admire it and on the third trip, I was determined to just fork over the $125 (big bucks for our student budget). Of course the lamp was gone by then and to this day I wish I would have just bought it the first time. So, friends, learn from my mistake. If you really really love something and it’s a unique piece – BUY IT! Or you will be kicking yourself for many years to come.
Fabulous, as always! You genius!
XX
Victoria
Great post! Several years ago I was obsessed with Dorothy Draper chests, and was on the hunt. The obsession waned as I couldn't find one within my budget. You might have just rekindled the fire!
This is a DEAD on MATCH!!!
Mr. Goodwill Hunting
http://g-w-hunting.blogspot.com
another one that got away… i too find a draper style chest on craigslist — but this one had the squiggly gold lines — but with a newborn i couldn't bother to drive 20 miles to pick it up! still kicking myself over that one too.
Ah! I love this post! I just bought a set of two authentic Draper dressers on eBay for cheap and had them refinished. I was going to sell one, but I loved them so much after refinishing that we've kept one in our dining room and one in our baby's room as a changing table. World's most expensive changing table! But it looks perfect in there :)
Beautiful! I can't wait to see what you do with the dresser. I have no doubt it will look amazing when you're finished with it!
Insanely jealous! I have been scouring the flea markets to find one of these. You must keep the gold!
I just picked up the same dresser off Craigslist for $10! ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/amysparks/4593117338/ )The real hilarious part is that the ad stated "it won't win you any decorating awards."
One of the drawers is a bit chipped any tips on restoring it? I'm not sure if I have a place for it, but it is just SUCH a find! If anyone is interested in it… let me know!
Just an FYI – the picture you've posted of the black glossy chest with ring pulls and no squiggles is another award winner, by a different designer – it's a Robsjohn-Gibbings classic, and it's just as coveted as Dorothy Draper. But if you have the "squiggles" – don't try to make it into a Robsjohn! I'm off to search your backlog of posts to find out what you did with the Draper chest!