Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Favorite Finds: Emily's Vintage Dental Cabinet


I'm really excited to share today's favorite find with you! Emily is one of my dear friends and she did all the design for our wedding. She is amazingly talented and you can find her work at Every Little Thing Studio.

Emily's house is the most inspirational house I've ever been in. Every time I'm there, I soak in all of her great furniture, design, art, everything! I absolutely love her style. Below, she shares her favorite find!

What is your favorite find and where did you find it?

My Favorite Find is a vintage 50s-era Dental Cabinet that I use as a night-stand. I snagged it almost 10 years ago at an auction in my home town, where I ended up in a bidding war with an antique dealer. I'm sure he was disappointed that I kept going! I was just out of college and broke at the time, so the $50 winning bid seemed like a sacrifice to me at the time, but seems more like a steal today!



What were your first thoughts? Did you know right away that you wanted to repurpose it into a bedside table?

I think I actually had it in mind for a bathroom cabinet, but since I was living with my grandmother at the time, I had no clear vision on what my own place would look like. I think it ended up as a night-stand because my bathrooms have always been so small!

Did you have to do any repairs or modifications to make it use-able?

No, not really! It's in really fantastic condition. The only thing I've done is mount some left-over wallpaper inside the glass window on the main door... I keep my pajamas inside, which can look messy; this was a convenient way to hide the mess! Lately, I've considered painting the outside a light lemon color, but so far have yet to actually break out the paints.


Any other details we should know?

I love how the drawer swings out to the side! The drawer is actually a little enameled tray that pops out for easy cleaning. Also the shelves inside are made of a really pretty tempered glass. And if I can sneak in a second "favorite find"... I also adore the vintage bankers' stand lamp that sits beside the cabinet!


Why do you love buying vintage/secondhand?

When it comes to decorating and design, I tend to lean towards a very modern style. However, this style on its own can seem very cold and uninviting (see: unhappyhipsters.com!). Adding vintage pieces to a modern room adds warmth and interest, and dispels the clinical feel that modern design can so easily slide into. In addition, I think it is easier to establish your own unique decorating sense by using vintage pieces, rather than having your style dictated by the stores you shop in. And let's be honest... I love having pieces in my home that are different from what everyone else has!

And now for cute photos of cats! Emily rescued two kittens, Alice and Tonks.


Tonks does a really cute little dance:


Emily, thanks so much for being a great friend and for sharing your favorite find!

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3 comments:

  1. That cabinet is really cute,...but I think the cat is cuter!!!

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  2. That cabinet is adorable, LOVE the bed... it would make a great bench. (I can't help but notice these things)
    Tonks is sooo sweet. :)
    Emily is special to me too! I happen to think my "winky smile" is some of her finest work. heheeh

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  3. I love it! And especially that little swanky drawer. And those kitties - gah! cute!

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