New Mid-Century Modern Dressers
I need a place to put my knickers so you might as well help me find one. The goal is a brand new short and wide dresser. Why not second-hand vintage? That’s usually my first option, but I like my drawers to glide smooth and those from the ’50s and ’60s are rarely on rails. So here are my top picks so far. I welcome your suggestions.
Update: Decision made. I went all out and got the tall Lowry from R&B. No regrets. It was definitely the right choice. Solid build, good drawer action. The wood is beautiful. It will last a lifetime. Here she is in her temporary spot until I rearrange the bedroom:
The little glass toadstool lamp on top is from EQ3.
End of update. Previous ruminating remains below.
Lowry Dresser from Room & Board – 70w 18d 34h – $999
Solid wood. Legs straight outta McCobb. Cherry is pictured but I’d be getting the walnut.
Anders Dresser – 56w 20d 28h – $2399
Solid Walnut. Continuous board drawer fronts and mortise-and-tenon joinery. Gorgeous and out of my league.
Acacia Dresser from CB2 – 54.5w 20d 24.5h – $599
Acacia veneer is a poor man’s walnut, but not bad. Not hardwareless like the Anders, but at least the drawer fronts are clean. Only four drawers — I’d prefer more and smaller.
Narrow-leg Dresser from West Elm – 60w 20d 28h – $749
Maybe too ho-hum? I like West Elm’s “Acorn” finish but haven’t seen it in person.
Low Platform Dresser from West Elm – 52w 22d 24.25h – $699
Most minimalist, and perhaps most striking, but it has the cavernous drawer problem. I like the idea of adding the console at the foot of my bed.
Cole Dresser from Crate & Barrel – 58w 20d 32.5h – $549
I love louvers, but I might look over from my bed every night and regret not being able to afford the Sussex from DWR.
My personal favorites run to the Atlantico and the Anders from Room and Board. West Elm quality isn’t there.
personally, i’d go with the lowry from room and board. the anders is also a favorite of mine but it’s way too pricey. room and board is excellent quality and very good service.
i’m not a fan of the west elm acorn dresser. nice finish but the legs are ugly to me and that’s a deal-killer.
I think you guys are right about springing for the Anders. And the more I think about it, I realize the tall chest is more space efficient. It is more likely to fit in any apartment I might occupy in the future.
I beg of you not to buy a reproduction when there are so many amazingly cool vintage pieces out there — many in almost-new condition (yes the drawers work fine) — in fact better constructed than most of the things made today — including the stuff at DWR you’ll pay an arm and a leg for.
Check out your local vintage stores and/or do a search on Craiglist or ebay.
You’re in California, right? Check out this beauty:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mid-Century-Danish-Modern-Dresser-Credenza-Eames_W0QQitemZ320213935720QQihZ011QQcategoryZ156310QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Another example is this Nelson thin-edge like chest of drawers:
http://www.retroathome.com/gallery/storage/P9221623
Some Heywood Wakefield chests are also beautifully sculptural:
http://strictlyheywake.com.concentric.com/images/142.jpg
All of these are in the same price range as the new things you mentioned.
Any way, I enjoy your blog — good luck
If you want vintage and rails you might try to find Broyhill Brasilia. Just got a set from my husbands great uncle and it has rails, still glides like day one (I imagine). It’s from 1962.
Thanks for the tip, EC! But the Broyhills I’m seeing have some pretty decorative faces. I’m looking for something cleaner, more minimal.
Did you ever get your dresser? What did you decide on?!
Thanks for reminding me to update the post, Dana. Scroll on up.
The only think i don’t like about R&B dressers is the lack of attention given to the wood grain. Would you ever see a vintage credenza/chest with such randomness? Of course not!
Still, better the R&B than the CB2 – that sh*t is just begging to fall apart.
Any idea where to find a Lowry Room and Board Queen size bed. They have discontinued it and if anyone out there wants to sell theirs I would love to get in touch.
Any ideas of who or where else they might be sold??
I went to Room and Board to find the 6 drawer Lowry dresser for $999. They have an identical 6 drawer dresser, same leg style, but now it’s called the Grove, and the price has been upped to $2,099.
That’s an enormous increase in less than two years! Anyone know where a similar dresser can be found for closer to it’s circa 2008 price?
Thanks!