04/10/2024
Eh-hem 🫢…. Well, hello! Here is the “after” of the “before” I posted about 10 years ago 😅 I had planned just to take a couple weeks off at the holidays, and then hit the ground running like gangbusters come January. But instead, I fell ill the day after the New Year, took a good while to recover, then took another good while to get re-motivated. But here I am 👋🏻
This is a vintage dresser from Olive & Myer Mfg out of Dallas, Texas. When I discovered this piece, it had the original finish, which according to the stamp on the back, was called “Silver Mist.” It was a light greenish, brownish, grayish cream color some might call baby poo that was badly damaged and failing (photo second to last).
I chemically stripped it, not knowing what I would find underneath the paint. I was excited when I saw that it was made of solid wood. Like every part of it. I took it to a local woodworking shop to see if they could help me identify the wood species. They told me that it looked like Butternut wood, also known as “white walnut” as it is a genus of the walnut tree family. But the wood is lighter than regular black walnut, hence the name.
I ended up redoing this dresser THREE TIMES! before I was satisfied with the results. The drawers and bottom are finished in an oil-based stain called Candlelite from General Finishes and the black is a rich, warm black with brown undertones called Off Broadway in an alkyd enamel from Behr.
The style of the piece is called Streamline Moderne which came between Art Deco and Mid-Century. The sleek, smooth style reflected the motifs of industry: steel, cars, trains, curves and movement (example in last slide). That’s what I was trying to capture with the accent stripes (in gold and deep teal).
So this is FOR SALE! Located in Austin, Texas, $500. If you’re local, come check it out. If not, we can discuss shipping options. Thanks for looking!
