Dresser

A dresser adds the right accent to your bedroom and provides storage facility for daily wear as well as seasonal clothes, towels or linens. Dressers were widely used in England during ancient Tudor times - no more than as an occasional side table fitted with row of drawers. The front stood on three or five turned legs linked by stretchers. Gradually these dressers evolved from various forms of cupboards, ambries and dressoirs, paneled and decorated with linen fold or Gothic carved ornament. All these types were basically chests with doors of simple rectangular shapes with raised on legs.

Dresser in the present day context is vital to store clothes and dresses efficiently and keep them organized. It also contributes to brighten up even a small sized room and make it a pleasant place to be. Be it an antique dresser or kid dresser, look up our tips to selecting one that suits your needs best!

Dresser types

Dressers come in various shapes, sizes and styles. While most of them are crafted out of selected hardwoods and finished in a variety of rich colors, some are made of steel and other metals. Dressers come with classic, traditional or modern styles and patterns. The normal dresser comes with four asymmetrical roomy drawers and one perpendicular closed door compartment. The dresser is sometimes accented with steel in exaggerated pulls coupled with setback steel legs. The dresser boasts of an engineered look with solid wood edge banding, white lacquer finish, steel handles and legs, additional side storage area with removable shelf.

The most popular style of dressers is of course the one that comes with several drawers and/or with a mirror. There are dressers that come with five or six to nine drawers providing enough storage space. These dressers are matched perfectly with brushed nickel hard wares. There are dressers that come with over-sized draws. Dressers can be chosen in medium to dark cherry finishes and some antique dressers with white finish. There are oak dressers for a natural clean bedroom theme - clean and coupled with efficiency of design. Remember that dressers need not only be a storage place for clothes and other items but also beautiful pieces of furniture that deserve to be displayed.

Antique dresser

Nothing adds more style or value to a home than antique furniture. Antique dressers are both functional and beautiful. They lend accent to a home with their impressive vintage finishes. Antique dressers come in a selection of sold cherry, maple, walnut, ash and birch wood finishes fitting the décor of the home or apartment.

A real antique hand crafted ornate Victorian dresser with an elaborately gilded mirror lends grace and charm to any interior.

Consider this handsome dresser made of solid hardwood, creating an ambience that is sophisticated and stylish, inviting and comfortable. You can look for an antique dresser topped with intricately curled metal work adding old world style to any room. Three segments that make up this mirror with center rising tallest and sides tapering downwards towards the edge. A beautiful antique brown molding crowns the top of each mirror laced with detailed metalwork.

A Rockefeller dresser features a form and style inspired by America's Art Deco period. From the double-under mount wood glides to the elegant brushed nickel pulls; this dresser exudes a smart romantic charm with its timeless appeal.Some antique dressers pose French dovetailed fronts and English dovetailed backs with ash veneers. A wonderful gold filigree ormolu dresser with a vanity tray, hand mirror, brush and a candle stick holder is either Czechoslovakian or Apollo. Even the trim around the hand mirror is detailed.

One word of caution before embarking to buy such aesthetic antique pieces... beware of reproductions. Determine that the piece is truly antique. Wood shrinks over time and signs of age will be revealed in the cracking, warping and fading as well as slightly ragged edges. Many antique collectors prefer specific eras, styles and makers and it is necessary to establish the value of the piece before proceeding to buy one.

The modern lightweight dresser

Light weight dressers weighing only about 5 ounces make it extremely portable. It can be used at home, at work or out shopping to take it when you travel. Though lightweight, these dressers are extremely sturdy and durable. Modern lightweight dressers are constructed of steel with telescopic twist locking device. A simple twist in the opposite direction collapses it back to its original size. The common attachments that come with the light weight dresser are: A S shaped hook covered with black rubber like coating and used mainly as a dressing assistance; a magnet attached separately to pick metallic objects up off the floor and a shoehorn.

Kid dresser

A kid's room is bound to be messy as messiness is a normal part of childhood. A kid's dresser provides storage compartments for toys and gears of the child other than clothes. Miscellaneous possessions of a child such as belts, hats, necklaces and gloves can be safely stores in a particular dresser drawer. It is recommended that the kid's dresser is lightweight or with a removable lid that will not slam down and hurt the child. Front open dressers are a good option. Dressers with stackable extra units would be a blessing if the child has more toys and extra dresses.

A sturdy built in toy chest with the dresser can have a strong seat for the parent to sit on while helping the kid get dressed in the morning. Dressers with plastic snap-on-lids that allow the kid to see what is inside is a great boon and these are great space maximizers as they help stack most of the kid's belongings.

It would be good to select a colorful dresser for the kid's room as this would brighten and lend cheer to room. There are several hand painted kid dressers these days that come in a wide variety of patterns and styles to suit any taste. Kids’ dressers come with three to six drawers, double dresser types and tower combo dresser models. The dresser also comes with an in-built mirror under the lid.

An oak kid's dresser with hand painted finish provides maximum charm and style to the room. Dressers made of oak are immensely durable and they come with specific motif that any parent may like to have. Dressers made of pine reveal a beautiful color and texture and they are long lasting.

Dressers with special jewelry storage

There are dressers with special jewelry drawers and hidden compartments to discreetly store one's valuable treasures. The hidden compartment may be provided behind the wing mirror or the center mirror panel. Most of the jewelry compartments are velvet-lined to facilitate storage of a favorite necklace or bracelet without a kink or tangle. Traditional dressers house well-made, organized drawers to enable jewelry storage.

Recycle old dresses

It is not necessary to throw away that old dresser. With some inputs of imagination, one can find a creative use for it. Here are simple ideas that can help reuse the dresser in more ways than one:

• The dresser can be used to organize the closet. The dresser could be slid below shorter clothes like shirts or skirts and this dresser can be used to store things like shoes, belts, scarves, ties, sweaters et al.
  
  
• Dresser could be converted into a television cabinet. The top drawers could simply be removed to make place for DVD player. A television could also be set on the top after making an alteration using plywood.
  
  
• The dresser could be transformed into a headboard. It could be used as a headboard for the bed. The drawers can serve as a place to store off-season clothing. The exposed drawers can be used to hide bedside items like clock radio and lamps.
  
  
• Alternatively, the old dresser could be put in a garage and used to store tools and also hold excess shoes and blankets in the basement.