Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Dresser Redeux

This was a thrift store dresser that my mom picked up who knows where that she painted for me one year for my birthday. Five or so years later, said dresser was looking pretty hurt. Chipped paint, injured hinges and a couple drawers that I was convinced would decide one morning to hold my clothes hostage and quit life. Not ideal.
I knew I wanted something on the modern side since all the other pieces in my new shared bedroom were older and it was feeling a little dowdy. But I also wanted something that would have some character and make sense with my large lime green mirror, below, which was another hand-painted gift from my mom. Maybe mix and match some fun hardware? Then one day rummaging archives on Decor8 I saw this dresser featured in an interview with research scientist Morgane Rouault who lives in Berlin. I loved it! Did she read my future mind?

I picked up the Malm six-drawer chest from Ikea (the one Morgane used was more than I wanted to spend for a generic dresser) in white and ordered various knobs and pulls from Anthropologie. Maybe not the most original moment of my life, but I really dug this woman's setup and I wanted my own version.  I asked Stephen's dad to drill the holes for the knobs and he gladly accepted. And blam!
I think this is my favorite spot in our apartment that is all mine. All my favorite jewelry, some pictures, random glassware and a golden chihuahua, what more could a girl want?
I already had a makeup mirror, a milk glass dish for my earrings and a really awesome golden chihuahua named Caesar, so I picked up some random clear glassware from Goodwill for a dollar or less each (don't you love it when you accidentally end up at goodwill on a sale day!?) to arrange even more jewelry. I found the framed Italian postcard and German perfume bottles when I unpacked some boxes as my dads house.
Do you want a back story on the chihuahua? It's not very long: I was in my friend's car driving down La Brae during a visit to L.A. and I saw a man standing on the corner selling very random ceramic items. Then there, amongst four boring, white chihuahuas was a golden one. I told my friend to pull over. She said no. I said yes. She said really? I said YES! It was love at first sight. Don't you just love a good love story?

I really like this Italian post card that I bought at a stationary store in Florence because it means "The pleasure of traveling" and it makes me look forward to future trips.