WWYD with these old dressers? On the fence between refurbish or replace.

[Ginevra]

They are ugly in their 90s glory. I *can* easily imagine them looking pretty cool if I primed, repainted and maybe changed the hardware. (Not that I am well-practiced in doing such a thing, but I am confident I could figure it out.) I *do* like the way they fit our clothes, and it would be nice to just simply not have to buy different ones. 
 

The biggest point against them is, they are heavy as a pair of elephants. The long dresser especially - I literally cannot move it at all alone. So, to do a lot of rehabbing on it would mean that some group of people as strong as oxen would first have to move them to the garage or basement, then move them back once their done. And I just - ugh! Do not want to do that. I would feel better about just letting them go and replacing them with something that does not weigh two tons. The long dresser also has an attached mirror, which I would remove but again - I cannot remove it until some really strong people can move it out from the wall. 
 

So. What do you guys think? 
 

[Katy]

If they’re that heavy they probably aren’t solid wood, even if the face is oak. So I would not feel bad about replacing them. 

[MercyA]

This is probably a really dumb question, but you take out all the drawers when you move them, right? Still super heavy?

[Catwoman]

Honestly, I hate to say this, but I can't imagine anything you could do to them that would make them look stylish, so I would just donate them and buy new ones.

[Ginevra]

1 minute ago, Catwoman said:

Honestly, I hate to say this, but I can't imagine anything you could do to them that would make them look stylish, so I would just donate them and buy new ones.

You’re be surprised, though…some lady bought the ugly old 90s tables in our family room and repainted them as “farmhouse chic” with distressed finish and they looked *amazing*! So I know it’s possible. I just don’t know if I’m in, mostly because of the weight. 

[Ginevra]

4 minutes ago, MercyA said:

This is probably a really dumb question, but you take out all the drawers when you move them, right? Still super heavy?

There are no dumb questions. But it does not make that much of a weight difference. The weight is in the frame and the sheer size. 

[Catwoman]

1 minute ago, Ginevra said:

You’re be surprised, though…some lady bought the ugly old 90s tables in our family room and repainted them as “farmhouse chic” with distressed finish and they looked *amazing*! So I know it’s possible. I just don’t know if I’m in, mostly because of the weight. 

LOL -- I'm not into farmhouse chic, so that's probably why I think you should just donate them! 😁

[MercyA]

I think with different hardware and a different color, they would be just fine. 

Can you lay down plastic tarps and open the windows and do them where they are?

[TexasProud]

My husband would definitely paint and redo them.  He has done it several times. 

[Grace Hopper]

10 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

Honestly, I hate to say this, but I can't imagine anything you could do to them that would make them look stylish, so I would just donate them and buy new ones.

A flipper would buy those in a heartbeat. Some paint, new handles, likely a quick resale. 
 

OP, my decision would rest on a few things. First, do you actually need all the drawer space? If not, get rid of pieces with drawers, they only encourage clutter stashing. 
 

Do the drawers work well? Are they tough or sticky? If the drawers don’t slide well, I wouldn’t keep them. 

Are they solid wood or laminate? Solid wood can take a redo, laminate is harder to renovate nicely. 
 

[TexasProud]

2 minutes ago, Grace Hopper said:

A flipper would buy those in a heartbeat. Some paint, new handles, likely a quick resale. 
 

OP, my decision would rest on a few things. First, do you actually need all the drawer space? If not, get rid of pieces with drawers, they only encourage clutter stashing. 
 

Do the drawers work well? Are they tough or sticky? If the drawers don’t slide well, I wouldn’t keep them. 

Are they solid wood or laminate? Solid wood can take a redo, laminate is harder to renovate nicely. 
 

Very, very good points.

[Catwoman]

5 minutes ago, Grace Hopper said:

A flipper would buy those in a heartbeat. Some paint, new handles, likely a quick resale. 
 

OP, my decision would rest on a few things. First, do you actually need all the drawer space? If not, get rid of pieces with drawers, they only encourage clutter stashing. 
 

Do the drawers work well? Are they tough or sticky? If the drawers don’t slide well, I wouldn’t keep them. 

Are they solid wood or laminate? Solid wood can take a redo, laminate is harder to renovate nicely. 
 

Maybe it depends where you live. That sort of thing doesn't sell well in my area. 

[itsheresomewhere]

Just now, Catwoman said:

Maybe it depends where you live. That sort of thing doesn't sell well in my area. 

This is a hot business here.  It sells very well.  
 

If you really liked these and wanted to keep them, they would be an easy fix.  New hardware and either paint or sand/stain.  But if you don’t like these, let them go.  

[pinball]

I’m with the people who say donate.

They’re not ugly enough to be ironically ugly and not old enough to be cool ugly.

[Lady Florida.]

My brother and sister in law would make them look amazing and you'd never know what they looked like before. I don't have that talent so I'd donate them. There are people who would want to buy them but it's going to depend not only on where you live but the timing of trying to sell them. You'd have to be selling them when someone wanted them. To me it would be more work than it's worth but I can't really give you advice about what to do. My view is colored by my own experience, likes, and talent level.

[regentrude]

I'd donate them - unless rehabbing furniture is your beloved hobby and brings you joy. Even then, I would then still try to get rid of them. Too big, too heavy, not my esthetic.

[Ginevra]

1 hour ago, Grace Hopper said:

A flipper would buy those in a heartbeat. Some paint, new handles, likely a quick resale. 
 

OP, my decision would rest on a few things. First, do you actually need all the drawer space? If not, get rid of pieces with drawers, they only encourage clutter stashing. 
 

Do the drawers work well? Are they tough or sticky? If the drawers don’t slide well, I wouldn’t keep them. 

Are they solid wood or laminate? Solid wood can take a redo, laminate is harder to renovate nicely. 
 

The drawers work perfectly. That’s one reason it’s hard to decide to get rid of them. 
 

*I* would say we don’t need all those drawers but dh has a hard time letting go of his silly event tee shirts. 

[KungFuPanda]

If weight is the only reason you don’t want to deal with them, I’d suck it up and move them twice. Yes, it’s a hassle, but it’s a hassle with a quick turn around and not really a recurring chore. 

[ikslo]

I would try just changing out the hardware. To me, the pulls are what is ugly. 
 

(Also, minor this-is-just-me-being-petty point, but you can’t repaint something that hasn’t been painted in the first place. At least, it doesn’t look like paint in the pics. 🤷‍♀️)

[Ausmumof3]

45 minutes ago, Ginevra said:

The drawers work perfectly. That’s one reason it’s hard to decide to get rid of them. 
 

*I* would say we don’t need all those drawers but dh has a hard time letting go of his silly event tee shirts. 

Just leave them in the garage with his silly event t-shirts in them 😂😂

solves two problems 

[Dianthus]

Try just replacing the hardware with something black and modern looking. I think it would completely change the look. I don't think with the grooves that they would look great painted. If I really wanted to change the tone, I'd try gel stain, but try new hardware first.

[stephanier.1765]

My furniture is very similar to yours. A few years ago I painted them with chalk paint, changed the hardware, and took off the mirror and discarded it. I found another mirror I liked better at a thrift store, painted it to match and hung it on the wall over the dresser. I did all this with the furniture still in my bedroom. Because I used chalk paint, I didn't need to sand or use anything with a strong odor to prep it for painting. Chalk paint itself doesn't have a strong odor so working in the house was easily doable. I love it! Totally gave my room the beach cottage look I was going for. With that said, if you are just done with the furniture, as in mentally done, I say donate it and get what you want. Absolutely nothing wrong with that at all.

[fraidycat]

To answer this question yourself, just take a stroll through a furniture store and look at new dressers.  Drawers are made to hold about 3 pairs of underwear before collapsing under the weight. Exteriors are mostly veneered and plasticky looking, the offgassing smell is nauseating, and they are asking $$$ for this crap. If you want good, real wood furniture, it's going to cost.

[Idalou]

17 hours ago, Katy said:

If they’re that heavy they probably aren’t solid wood, even if the face is oak. So I would not feel bad about replacing them. 

So what makes a 1990's dresser so heavy, if not woods? 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Idalou

[Idalou]

If course it depends on the location, but even in fancy areas, as one alluded to, there are people who enjoy remaking wood furniture. If it's heavy, you may actually have an all wood piece. Oak is a dense wood. That being said, trying to find new hardware that you love also takes time and money. What's your style? If more modern, there are many Ikea type pieces. Antique or vintage? Shop around at antique shops or FB marketplace, it's easy to research the seller's home to see if you think it's from a clean place. In my area, the elderly have beautiful furniture that they or the kids are trying to sell due to death or downsizing.

Getting smaller pieces is also an incentive to downsize the t shirts, too! I prefer older, real wood. Too many stores  sell particle board furniture that warps and cracks and can't hold the weight that its intended for. 

Also, if it's mainly due to the troubles of moving them, there are probably things made to slip under them to make them slide across the carpet easier, I just do not remember what they're called. Maybe that, new hardware and/or a different mirror would work?

Last of all- I did a google lens of your pictures. They may be Arbek dressers. All oak. The company's time span fits. I found some listings for 3 to $400, others less. 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Idalou

[Arcadia]

If the dressers are better quality than IKEA, I would keep and touch up. Growing up, my aunt would touch up her wooden sofa set every few years as part of spring cleaning and we would all have fun helping out. 
I would however donate the mirror, change the handles to antique brass looking kind and stain the wood to a mahogany shade because that’s my preference.

DS17 use our old wooden TV stand which is about the size of your long dresser as his bedside table. He has a air purifier and a fan on it as well. We don’t watch TV so we gave the TV away but the stand is useful.

[Grace Hopper]

2 hours ago, Idalou said:

So what makes a 1990's dresser so heavy, if not woods? 

Good question. IME the heavier the piece, the more solid hardwood in its construction. 

[Katy]

2 hours ago, Idalou said:

So what makes a 1990's dresser so heavy, if not woods? 

IME super heavy for their size pieces are cheap particle board, even if they’re faced with real wood. 

[Janeway]

I have tried buying new furniture lately and have been shocked at the poor quality of everything. If these are well made, I would go with refurbishing. If not, then sell or give away. However, it sounds like you do not want to mess with all the moving and such. Just be aware that things are ridiculous price and low quality these days. 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Janeway

[Carol in Cal.]

I don't love oak, but simple oak, like yours, is 'ok' by me.

If I had these pieces, I would assume that they are higher quality than anything made today, probably solid wood, and I would try to figure out a way to have them refurbished.  I don't enjoy that kind of work so I would pay someone to do it.  

I think that they could get a midcentury vibe with light, bright paint and chrome pulls, so I'd go that way, in turquoise, white, Barbie pink, or a bright sky blue.  I'd probably give up the mirror or maybe put a chrome frame around it.