Vintage Dresser in Black

A friend asked me if I would be interested in this dresser.  When I first went to look at it I was hemming and hawing (only on the inside) and couldn't make up my mind.  But, the man who was selling it looked so hopeful for a buyer that I had a hard time saying no and it came home with me.  I had a little bit of buyer's remorse on the way home.  Even after all the experience I've had buying furniture that still happens to me. :P

The lines of this piece look very masculine to me, and I don't do masculine very often, so I decided to go for it. My hubby likes black on furniture.  Every man I've met doing this likes black on furniture.  So, black it is.  I didn't want it to be one big black hole though so I decided to do a little something different with the drawers while still keeping them simple. 

 BEFORE

It just looked so tired and so bOrInG! Like something you'd find tucked in the corner of a not-used-very-often lake house. 

 AFTER

I can't help but smile when I see the before and after.  Who doesn't like a good transformation?  It just looks sharp now. 

 The stripe helps tie the top in with the body and doesn't leave the top drawers hanging there like they don't belong. I love that the eye is drawn to the natural wood and then the stripe just adds a little something special. 

I love antique brass against black.  I had to use cup pulls on the top two drawers to help hide the holes I had to fill.  I like the brass with the wood.  I considered adding two knobs to each drawers but like the simplicity of one in the middle. 

This is my personal opinion, but a good finish can really do a lot for a piece.  ;)