Meet the dresser of my beach house dreams. You may have seen it on Instagram, but here’s the full story of how this inlay dresser found its perfect spot by the shore.
I found this piece on Craigslist. Seriously—Craigslist. I was thrilled. The dresser was listed for $650, and the seller even included a photo of the original price sticker showing she’d paid more. The same dresser sells elsewhere for a few times that price, so I was torn: I loved it, but I didn’t have that much in the budget for the beach house. Still, it felt like the right piece for the nook and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Rather than buy something else, I sent the seller a message: I told her the dresser was perfect but out of my budget and asked if she might let me know if she lowered the price. She replied that she wasn’t willing to drop it yet, and I tried to let it go. I call these persistent ideas; my partner sometimes calls it stubbornness. Either way, I held out. A month later she emailed: no takers, so she would accept $400. I jumped on it.
$400 is probably the most I’ve paid for a secondhand piece, and the seller was honest that a few inlay pieces needed repair. I compared it to buying a generic dresser from a big-box store and decided this solid inlay piece—much more special—was worth the investment. My partner agreed, so the dresser came home to the beach house.
Once it arrived the next challenge was repairing the cracked and missing inlay tiles. In photos online the damage was easy to miss, but up close the corner of the dresser showed shattered and popped pieces. That kind of damage often explains “as-is” discounts in stores, but it doesn’t mean the piece is hopeless.
After a bit of research I learned many inlay pieces are set with a plaster-like filler between the tiles. That made me think joint compound—spackle—would be a simple DIY fix. It sands smooth, fills gaps, and accepts paint. I used spackle to fill the cracks and missing areas, sanded it smooth, and then painted to match the existing colors.
I mixed paint from what we already had to blend the repairs into the pattern. Tip: paint dries a bit darker, so start with a slightly lighter mix and test before committing. The blue-gray was easy to match using colors we’d previously mixed for other projects, but the yellow tile in the front corner was tougher. The repaired area looked a little lighter at first because I didn’t have a yellow strong enough on hand.
It isn’t flawless yet, but the method works. I plan to bring stronger yellow paint on my next Cape Charles trip to create a closer match. Spackle can shrink slightly as it dries, so I’ll add another thin coat, sand smooth again, and do a final paint touch-up to blend the repaired tiles more seamlessly into the pattern.
Even now, the dresser reads beautifully in the room. The busy inlay pattern disguises repairs well, so you really have to be looking to notice the patched areas in person. With the mirror we hung above it and the new curtains installed, the front bedroom feels nearly complete.
sconce / similar mirror
We added simple finishing touches: a mirror over the dresser, lightweight curtains (we modified Ikea panels and used ring clips), a bench, rug, and cozy textiles. Those elements soften the room and make it feel like a calm, beachy retreat. The darker curtain rods and the contrast from the bed frame keep the space visually interesting without feeling heavy.
My favorite details in the house aren’t just the furnishings—they’re the bones: the sanded and sealed heart pine floors and the original doors we stripped back to their natural wood. Their warm tones balance the cooler, beachy palette and make the room feel layered and lived-in. Little things—the solid wood knob, the tiny keyhole—bring the whole space together and, yes, sometimes make me tear up.
If you’re considering a similar inlay piece, don’t be scared off by minor damage. With a bit of spackle, sanding, and paint matching, you can restore character and save money while ending up with a special, one-of-a-kind piece that feels right at home.
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