My interest in antiques began as a child… and by the time hit my early 20’s I began looking at furniture for my first home. That’s when I came across a nice three-piece bedroom set including a full-size bed with a headboard|footboard, a dresser with mirror, and a chest of drawers. It was love at first sight. I can still remember taking my mom back to look at it with me, and excitedly making the purchase.
At the time, I had never refinished furniture before, but I was determined to give these pieces new life. I put in many hours sanding, staining, and polishing in my parents’ garage. Today, over 45 years later that bedroom set is still a part of our home—and our story.
At some point over the years, I removed the original brass hardware on the dressers and replaced it with blue and white knobs. Truthfully, I never really loved them. They always felt a little out of place on such classic pieces. A few weeks ago I stumbled across the original hardware for the dressers and decided it was time to clean up the heavily tarnished brass and put it back on the dressers.
In about an hours time I scrubbed and shined all 18 knobs and pulls with a paste of Bar Keepers Friend powder and water using an old toothbrush and a pot scrubber for the tricky spots. The brass gleamed again. It was like unearthing hidden treasure!
Once I reinstalled the hardware, the transformation was instant. The dressers finally looked complete again, their original character shining through. The warm brass against the rich wood feels timeless and true to the pieces’ history.
This set has been with us for so many milestones. In 1992, we had a carpenter carefully convert the full-size bed into a queen (yes, we really did spend our first 11 years of marriage in a full-size bed!). That bed now resides in our guest room, while we’ve since graduated to a king in our primary bedroom. The dressers, however, remain right where they belong—in daily use, full of both function and memory.
Looking back, I realize how special that first antique purchase really was. It sparked an even greater enthusiasm for antiques, taught me the rewarding patience of refinishing, and has continued to evolve with us over the years. Sometimes, the best design decision is simply restoring something back to its original beauty.
It was so gratifying to clean up and add the original hardware back on the dressers – and to do something that normally I would have put off until colder winter days.
