Get a handle on it.

Everyone like to see a good refinishing job once in a while, right? I’m assuming so. Who wouldn’t? If someone said “Hey, I just refinished an antique dresser and it looks great, and it took a lot of work, do you want to see it?” who would say no? Only some giant jerkballoon. Certainly not you. You’re no jerkballoon.

So, would you like to see Shelly’s refinished dresser? Of course you would!

Here is where it started.  Missing some handles, weathered and scuffed, and stained with an unfortunate orangey shade.

And here it is now! The wood looks better than new. So deep and glossy and 100% brought back to life.

But as you can see, when Shelly sent me this project, the handles hadn’t all been replaced yet. Don’t worry. For better or worse, I took the liberty of photoshopping a few options on it myself.

What do you think about these black antique scroll pulls? I thought they went with the keyhole hardware nicely, but maybe not a great option with the new silver knobs she already has on the top drawers.

What about ornate gold handles instead?  Yay? Nay? Okay? Whattya say?

I think these silver cup pulls are a good choice to pair with the silver handles she already has.  They look a little huge here, but that is the fault of the photoshop-ist.

Here is one last option: simple silver hanging pulls. Which one has your vote?

Shelly refinished this dresser for a friend, and estimates that it’s over 100 years old. The friend had already purchased a set new handles, but we may never know what they looked like, because they got stolen out of her car! Who steals dresser handles out of a car?? I think we all know the answer to that. JERKBALLOONS.

See more of Shelly’s refinishing process on her blog 100 Things 2 Do.