Mamie's Dresser~Beautiful Again

This dresser belonged to my grandmother Dolores who I called Mamie (pronounced mommy). It looked much better when she had it. I remember it in her bedroom and had always loved it. Loved to look at the picture of her and my grandfather on it and her mirror and brush and nicknacks which all laid on a white crocheted doily.

My mamie passed away when I was in my teens and when her belongings were distributed, I asked for her dresser. I was thrilled to own it. It had a dark brown, almost black finish which I eventually repainted a lighter brown. That's when I found the secret compartment. I wondered what kind of things she kept there. I loved having this secret hiding place that no one knew about. What teen girl wouldn't?

I wish I knew the history of her dresser. How long she owned it, how she came to own it, did it belong to her and my grandfather or just her? Who cut the tin coffee can and nailed it to become a secret compartment? Did my grandfather? Or one of her sons, my dad? 

I held on to Mamie's dresser all these years. But it sat in my garage and it ended up taking quite a beating which is how it came to look this way.

I may not know it's history prior to my birth, but I know it's history since...

It belonged to my grandmother, then it belonged to her granddaughter (me) and now it will belong to my granddaughter Megan... her great-great-granddaughter. Each time skipping a generation.

And part of it's history is it's restoration! Which is a part I am really excited about.

Mamie's great-grandson Danny (my nephew) has made this dresser beautiful again. He and his wife Kacey, restore furniture. See Refreshed Decor here. And restore it he did. Leaving the secret compartment intact of course. Thank you Danny for giving it life again, you did an amazing job inside and out.

Michelle picked the color and knobs since Megan has no clue being only two. And here it is...

Mamie would be proud!