A dove and a moose walk onto a playground—ok, that’s a silly image, but it’s actually a cute way to introduce our latest find: a dresser for Clara’s big-girl room that boasts real dovetail joints. We were excited to score a solid piece of furniture that feels built to last.
We wanted a dresser for the playroom/Clara’s future big-girl room so that Clara’s current dresser could stay in the nursery as a changing table for an eventual second child. That felt far more efficient than swapping pieces between rooms and undoing work we’d already done. Extra storage is always welcome in our home, and nine drawers is a major win—especially since this used to be a cluttered room and now we’re turning it into usable space.
We found the dresser secondhand thanks to some patient searching on Craigslist. For $50 we picked up this nine-drawer piece. The search was straightforward: we scanned listings for “dresser” in our area a few times a week for about a month, and eventually this one appeared.
Our criteria were simple. We wanted a dresser from a non-smoking home, since smoke odor can be nearly impossible to remove. We also wanted at least six drawers—Clara’s nursery dresser has worked so well that we wanted a similar format—and we preferred a long, low dresser rather than a tall one. A longer, lower dresser is easier for a growing child to access independently, so she can reach and dress herself without climbing to the top drawers.
Once we moved the dresser into the room, we experimented with placement. We tried the daybed and dresser on different walls and ultimately liked the dresser positioned just to the left of the door when you enter. It sits shallower than the daybed, which protrudes into the room more, so placing the daybed on the back wall and the dresser across from it felt balanced.
The dresser isn’t flawless—there’s wear and some cosmetic issues—so we’re leaving the finish decision open. We’ll either refinish it or paint it, depending on how the room evolves. For now we’re practicing what we call “stick and move”: drop the piece in and keep adding elements like a rug, window treatments, art, and a light fixture. As the room fills out, it’ll become clearer whether a deep wood stain, a moody navy, or a crisp white would suit it best. We’re in no rush and expect the final look to reveal itself over time.
And what about the moose? That’s a callback to an estate-sale ceramic animal lamp we spray-painted white a while back as part of a project. We recovered the lampshade with leftover fabric used for Clara’s monthly picture project, and to soften the pattern I actually used the fabric’s reverse side. The lamp now has a finished shade and it ties nicely to the room’s textiles.
With this one wall starting to come together, we’re excited to add a focal piece above the dresser—something a little unexpected rather than traditional framed art. We’ll share photos once it’s installed; we hope to have more updates soon, though our schedule is a bit hectic with travel and a long to-do list.
The daybed on the opposite side of the room already looks cozy, and the upholstered lampshade plays nicely with the pillows and throw blanket. The space is beginning to feel joyful and layered, and I’m eager to introduce more color—navy, teal, and yellow are on my radar.
In the meantime, Clara is doing her best job of being the cutest fake sleeper in the house. If you’re hunting for furniture, what are you searching for on Craigslist or elsewhere? Do you have favorite secondhand sources you love? Any clever dove-and-moose jokes to share? And did anyone go thrifting for the unofficial Macklemore thrift-shop challenge this weekend? We had a blast with that and can’t wait to hear what treasures people found.