Even if it didn’t go with my things, i would use it in the garage or a closet or a bathroom for cute storage.

It’s very cute and would look great painted with chalk paint. Look at Pinterest for some great painting ideas. I did that with a similar piece for my dining room and I love it! I use it for table linens.

Super cute. Great for storage even if it’s in a game room for movies

it's from the early 1900's up till 1920 or so. its a dry washstand. they would put a bowl of water to wash their face before bed or upon waking. (and they might have put the chamber pot below!)

it's made out of solid oak. I've redone countless antique oak pieces like this. if you want to paint it, use real milk paint. it's beautiful on raw wood like that.

i did this one in a red milk paint. it's beautiful w/oak since it allows the grain to show through. And it suits the period of this piece.

of course I had to glue it back together when I got it.

(and before anyone says, "oh, it's an antique, it's valuable"). no. these were common pieces in every home. kind of like how Ikea pieces are today.

yours is in pretty good shape, although the top could be sanded and refinished.

I made one into a little nursery cabinet. mine was in worse shape, but a little chalk paint, dry brushing, hardware and some Dr Seuss words, it was cute for a kids room.

Yes, it is a nice piece of furniture.

If it is something you have a use for yes but just because its free no.

They would hang hand towels on the rail, yours was removed at some point.

It’s very cute! i wouldn’t paint beautiful wood though... just refinish it if needed and change the round knob to better match the other pulls.

I love it!

I was also going to say it was for a chamber pot and pitcher. Is very cute. How much you'll enjoy using it may depend on how well the drawers move, but a little wax will smooth the way. I wouldn't paint it personally, but I'm sure you could get a decent result if you did -- white or gray or a light shade of green/blue would all look nice.

Take it, do not paint it! It is a lovely piece.....it could be used in almost any room. Otherwise see if you can find someone else to take it.

I would keep it even if it didn’t match my decor....just bc it’s made of real wood! These days a lot of furniture is made so cheaply & the real wood pieces are so expensive. Plus, the more places you have to hide things in, the better chance you have of keeping a clean & tidy looking home.

That piece has style, not cuteness. The front is better wood than the sides. A high gloss black lacquer would make it quite elegant.

Take it, yes and no. If you don't have an immediate idea of where you'd use it and how it would fit in, don't bother because that's how junk accumulates in a house. I just got rid of some stuff I've had for maybe 20 years, acquired pretty much the same way. Yeah, wood ... damn heavy to carry and didn't fit anywhere with anything. But we got them because they were free and you never know ....Now I know LOL

It looks like the 40's or older to me. I would clean it up and use it as is. That kind of piece works almost anywhere and will not go out of style unless you go stark modern.

Absolutely. I'd clean up the wood, but I definitely would not paint it. I have something similar in my entrance hallway where it looks great and works out well.

Heck, iwould pay forit!

No. To me that doesn't have any purpose in modern day homes.

No, it would clash with the metal furniture in my cell.

Beth H - thanks so much for sharing that bit of history! So neat! I snagged it today!

Glad you grabbed it, it is possible to work old with new

Peaches,,I forgot to mention,,,,sometime in the 70's or so, they came out w/replicas. these would have had metal or plastic drawer slides, or staples to hold the drawers together, etc. if it's a true antique, it will have dove tail joints, no staples, the drawers will be solid wood, w/wood bottoms and secured w/nails. normally the drawer bottoms would just slide in the rabbet (or grooves) of the drawer, so no need for nails or staples. if you take out the drawers and take a pic of them, and the inside of the piece, I can tell you.

One way to semi-modernize ..... just sand the top a little and paint it black (satin finish ...not shiny)...this gives it just enough of a new twist to fit in better with other styles ...and relieves the worry of making a more durable top for sitting things on....if your home is more traditional any dark color would work...

I would not use a modern paint on that piece. you could use an ebony dye followed by an ebony gel stain. (both of these result in a much deeper black rather than just using the gel) that way you get the color but still get the look of the oak grain.

ritasj,,I like the idea of the black. perhaps a black milk paint or chalk paint, enhanced w/oil.

Beth - the bottom of the cabinet appears to be missing the bottom so I’d probably cut a piece of wood and nail it down. Here are some pics... thanks!

ok,,it's an antique. early 1900's.

you can get a piece of luann or any thin ply to nail down on the bottom. (make sure it doesn't inhibit the drawer sliding!)

get some alcohol on a rag, and rub it over the drawers. does it feel sticky or tacky? then it has a coat of shellac over it. if you have an orbital sander, get a fine grit and go over all the drawers, tops and sides to clean it up and smooth down the grain.

then, decide what you want to do w/it

Yes!!

Ok thanks!! I was thinking about sanding the top and staining it in a dark walnut and perhaps use cream colored chalk paint over the rest of the piece. Maybe some crystal hardware? What do you think?

Not sticky at all. Should be a pretty easy sand

that would work. try Old White or antique white. (you can make your own chalk paint using a $2.50 behr sample paint pot and plaster of paris. that one sample pot will be enough to cover your piece with two coats)

or I guess you buy it. so many places carry this chalk paint now. even joanna gaines has some at Taget!

Oh wonderful idea! Thanks for that great suggestion!

I have one of these and it still had the towel rack. I used it in our laundry room. Great for storage and baskets for a bunch of my micro cloths. Mine is ready for a repurposing. Beth has the best tops and ideas. Her input is right on point!

Here are some ideas , I would leave original hardware. Read about milk paint.

Love that! I’m so excited to fix it up! Thanks ladies!!

peaches, if you look on craigslist or flea markets, you can find that 'towel rack' that used to be part of it.

here is how they looked

I like the slatted boards on the inside on this one^

YES. That appears to be oak.

Would not paint itr at all; instead, take the time to strip and refinish it. Many vids on You Tube to teach you how.

Just looking at the side, it appears somone added a new top atop the old one. With the top drawer removed, see if you can see any screws holding that darker top to the lighter one beneath it. If so, remove them and see what the original top looks like. You could always reattach it or have both a dresser and a decorative shelf.

Alternately, if you're unable/unwilling to strip and refinish it, consider painting only paint the top -- white or black, depending upon what else will be in the room. If you do paint the top, avoid using a shiny finish.

looks much better painted. the piece is nothing special. really. If it was, they would have used better wood and topped it w/marble. it's an everyday antique that can be found by the thousands. paint away.

I actually love how it looks painted! Does the sample paint/Plaster of Paris look nice and hold up well? Like does it go on smoothly?

lol, yes. behr paint makes the best Paint to make in to chalk paint. although, on this one I had Martha stewart paint because it was a closeout. I made my own w/her yellow. this is as smooth as a baby butt

however, you will need to do two coats, fine sanding in between each one. (use a 150 or 220 sandpaper w/your hand, not a machine) use your hand to feel for rough spots. if you sand off too much, just repaint. thinning it w/ more water will give you thinner paint.

the ratio is 2 parts paint to 1 part plaster of paris. mix PP in a container w/hot water until smooth like thick gravy. pour into container holding paint (you will obviously need to transfer everything into other containers. i use a good tupperware w/a lid) slowly pour while mixing. add more if you want it chalkier, more paint if you don't.

you can apply a clear coat of wax to the paint and buff like you would a car. that's what I did to the yellow one. it's wax.

in the picture w/the white one, above, that paint looks very thick and heavy. that's not what you want. some people don't sand after painting and that's why you get a heavy look. experiment. if you don't like it, it's sands off easily enough for you to start over.

You’re awesome! Thanks for sharing all these details! Where do you buy your wax?

Also how long should I let it dry before waxing?

sigh,,peaches, lol,,,u sure you're ready for this? wax is avail at home depot or lowes, or on amazon, or any other home improvement store. Briwax is the best that i've used. or, you could use a satin poly, or a tung oil. chalk paint can take a variety of finishes.

when it's dry, it's dry and ready to go. it dries completely in a few hours

I have one that has its original finish. I use it as a bedside table between two twin beds. I love antiques and bought mine at a farm auction in northern Minnesota when I worked there many years ago. I have embroidered (antique) hand towels that I hang on the back harp. A small lamp, and you have the perfect bedside table. Value it for the years that it functioned as a sink with a pitcher and ever upon it. (And maybe a “commode” stored below!) I happy to see a new generation appreciate “vintage” pieces!

if you get stuck, there are a million blogs that will post pics and walk you through each step. go to pinterest and search, 'how to chalk paint antique oak cabinets', and you should see a bazillion pop up.

I would use a milk paint on that piece, but it's a little different to use. not harder, just different to mix. Real Milk Paint Company has great milk paint. get some in the white, or other colors.

Thanks again and again! Oh I’m ready! Lol.

no not unless i owned a country cottage

I've got a similar one, but smaller, that we refinished. Using it as a large night stand, next to the bed.

I have one in my bedroom. Be sure to buy the requisite "night jar" for the shelf behind the door. That was their purpose originally. This piece was the basic 1/2 bath back in the day.

I have one that was my mother’s when she was a child. I used A.S. chalk paint and wax but left the top stained. The butterfly pulls were perfect to be used in the grandchildren’s bedroom. I’m no professional refinisher but so glad I found a use for this family piece.