Old as it is (120 years old to be exact), our new home took our breath away the moment we walked through its doors. While I will still pen a full post on how we found and ultimately chose it, I felt I needed to dedicate an entire post on a piece of furniture that tends to become the main subject matter the moment people walk into our kitchen - that being our kitchen dresser.
Whilst they are now considered an antiquated item, the idea of having a kitchen dresser in our kitchen was certainly not a novel one. Upon viewing the home, the previous owner himself had a lovely vintage dresser of his own at the epicenter of the kitchen as a means of creating more storage space since the cabinetry in the kitchen itself is limited. Seeing the limited space for ourselves, we originally considered buying the (previous) owners one from him, since he was downscaling. It was quite run down but had the It Factor of having been an original French design, brought and couriered over to Joburg from Franschhoek in the Western Cape. We thought we would take on the challenge of reviving it by repairing the shelves, sanding down the wood and repainting it. But ultimately, we changed our minds.
Long story short, we took a look at each another and realised that, whilst the then-current dresser was a stunning and unique item, it was not totally us. We would be binding ourselves to an item that housed the character and memory of the previous owner, instead of it being a full representation of who we are as a family, our own interior design style and our own sense of creativity. We preferred to make our own.
What followed was a days (if not weeks) long process of pinning and searching for various styles of ‘kitchen dressers/kitchen hutch/kitchen drawers’ online via the likes of Pinterest and other much-loved interior design sites. We considered what we would love to display - beautiful plates, unpacked glassware received as wedding gifts, recipe books, wine - and also thought long and hard about other factors such as depth of the cabinets. We enlisted a beloved interior designer whom I’ve utilised for some time now, and she sub-contracted the job to a trusted carpenter. The final result is a dresser that we absolutely love and genuinely consider a work of art. Because the dresser was a custom item, it sits perfectly and beautifully at the epicenter of our kitchen, often leading many to believe that it’s a built-in item that came with the house, as opposed to a freestanding item of furniture.
As mentioned above, kitchen dressers have become less popular over the years, with many preferring a sleek and cotemporary kitchen layout, as opposed to having a display piece. However, if you’re a lover of English and/or French country-style kitchens like me and would like to consider a dresser big or small, here are my personal tips:
Make it yours. Design it to fit your kitchen size; pick a colour that talks to you; let it display the kitchen items most beloved to YOU. There is also the option of simply designing it as a means of extra storage, and having closed cabinets as opposed to a display.
Find a great carpenter. So important. There is also the option of finding one you love on Facebook Marketplace and simply giving it a facelift.
Make it homey. Your dresser need not only be used to display your fanciest or most intricate items - displaying hand-made ceramics and items is also a great way to make your dresser a treasured, admired and conversational piece.
Take your time. If you decide to get one made (or revamped) take time on deciding on the colour, the storage and the overall design. Use the likes of Pinterest for inspiration.
I cannot emphasis enough how happy our dresser makes us. I love homey, busy, grounded and fun kitchens, and having our dresser really makes our kitchen a space that is greatly loved by many.
Here are a few pics below:
Are you a lover of traditional kitchens like me or do you prefer the sleek, contemporary look?
In keeping with a kitchen theme, here are my kitchen-related recommendations:
Read: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. I read it years ago in kindle/pdf format and watched the documentary on Netflix as well. I love his slogan “eat food. mostly plants, not too much”.
Watch: This Kitchen Trends of 2025 video.
Buy: These beautiful bamboo cutlery and crockery items from Beth Venturas interiors. If you know of any black female-owned cutlery and crockery businesses, please do share.
Grab Coffee at: Loof Coffee Norwood. I am having so much learning and discovering this old, diverse and bustling suburb of Joburg.
Buy Wine From: TGS Selection a wine curation service by Mzo Ntuli.
The plates from my kitchen dresser are from Checkers. They aren’t just for display; we actually use them.
I’m currently coveting: Khanyisa - A Culinary Storyteller by Khanyisa Malaba for my lounge coffee table.
Have a great week ahead
Love
Masa.
This dresser is stunning!! Now I’m inspired to have one in my kitchen.
I adore this piece- the writing and kitchen dresser!