When I got my first apartment many years ago upon entering graduate school, I went home to my parents’ house and rented a van to bring furniture from the basement to my apartment in New York. I needed a dresser, so I took my grandfather’s highboy dresser. I never knew my grandfather because he died when he was about 40 when my mom was a young teen. He probably purchased the dresser that I pilfered soon after he and my grandmother got married around 1919 when they bought a bedroom set for their first home.
The dresser was a dark brown wood that I considered kind of depressing. So way back when I was a grad student, I decided to paint it white, and it’s been white ever since. Unfortunately over the years, some of the decorative pieces of carved wood fell off and disappeared. Nevertheless, I brought the old dresser with me when I moved back to Massachusetts into my current house. I repainted it then about 15 years ago, and I know it could use another coat of paint now. Soon, maybe. When I brought the dresser to my then new bedroom, I decided to replace the original drawer pulls to try to update the look. I found some intriguing drawer pulls at Anthropologie, but the pulls cost $10 each. My dresser has 6 drawers with 2 pulls on each drawer. That would have cost me $120 plus tax. I passed on that.
Instead, I went to TruValue Hardware to see what white drawer pulls they had. The only white pulls they carried had little pink rose buds surrounded by a gold border. They were cute, but they looked like they were for a little girl’s dresser. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything else that came close for an affordable price, so I bought them. They’ve been on my dresser for 15+ years at this point.
During her visit this past weekend, Jeff’s daughter showed me what she got in her TJ Maxx/Homegoods haul. Among her goodies were a set of drawer pulls that were just what I had been seeking. In fact, they looked almost like the ones I wanted from Anthropologie, perhaps even a little larger and more striking. But the key difference was that they were priced at $7.99 for 6 drawer pulls!! I bought two packages. I could hardly wait to take off the old ones and put on the new.
The new drawer pulls came with washers (unlike the old ones), and they were a cinch to put on. I didn’t even need a screwdriver.
I think these look sooooo much better! (though now I really need to repaint as well as change the color of the accent paint!) These are ceramic like the old pulls, but more substantial and with silver tone hardware. It’s difficult to tell whether the design is dark navy blue or black, but either shade is fine with me. These look more adult IMO.
I wanted to let you know about them in case you had an old dresser or chest that you wanted to update. I found them at the combo TJ Maxx plus Homegoods store at Fresh Pond in Cambridge MA but I imagine that they would be at other TJ Maxx and maybe Homegoods stores as well. They were placed on a set of shelves where you enter the queue to the cash registers. There were about three different drawer pull styles.
What do you think? Are these pulls anything that you could use?
Those new pulls look right up my coworker’s alley. And since I know she frequents those stores, I would not be surprised if she brings some home herself. I’ll tell her to keep an eye out, and hopefully some of that stock made it to our area. I also find that Cost Plus World Market usually has drawer hardware on trend with recent Anthropologie offerings. Sometimes they’re a couple seasons or so behind, but the wait is worth it for the price difference. In fact that’s usually where I head on my way out of the city, after an afternoon browsing Anthropologie, Pottery Barn, and Crate & Barrel at the “expensive mall”. 😛
Do mention them to your coworker, Rach. And thanks for mentioning Cost Plus. I believe that Cost Plus opened someplace in MA though not close to wear I live so I forgot all about it. I’m going to look it up and see where it is. I always love going to Cost Plus when I’m in the SF area. They always have a ton of cool stuff from India and the Far East. These days Anthropologie, CB & PB are off my list 😉 Hope you’re doing well!
I knew they had to have at least a tiny presence in MA because I bought a bunch of christmas ornaments for the museum when I was on the cape last fall. Lol. That was fun packing for the return trip. Thank goodness we were driving! I usually would have just bought them at the location here but I was worried that if the stores all had their stock out so early, that my store would be sold out by the time I got home two weeks later. As it turns out I never even had time to go look after getting back so it’s a really good thing I bought them in MA!
I never said I actually bought things at A, CB, or PB. ;P. Hehehe
I’m good! Hope spring is treating you well out there!!!
Your reply got me to go look up where Cost Plus is in MA: in Hyannis where you went and in Framingham which is far from where I live, boo hoo. One of these days, I’ll have to make the trek to Framingham and see what they’ve got. I actually have bought things at Anthropologie – usually clothing on clearance, on rare occasion at Crate & Barrel, and seldom at Pottery Barn because they don’t seem to be around much. Not only have I gotten to a point where I don’t need much stuff for my house or kitchen, but Homegoods gets the lion’s share of my business when I do or when I need a gift. Glad you’re good! Spring is slow to come to MA but it’s on its way 🙂
Isn’t it amazing how a simple change of knobs can freshen up the whole look? Hubby took me to Home Sense last week which is equivalent to TJ Maxx but for home stuff and I think I’ll be spending a lot of time there as soon as we move into our new home.
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Yes, I think the dresser (though it needs at least a touchup!) looks better with these larger more interesting pulls. And it’s easier to open the drawers with the big pulls. I always meant to get a new dresser, but since I never knew my grandfather this is my only connection to him. I haven’t heard of Canada’s version of HomeGoods: Home Sense. That’s cool! I’m sure once you move you’ll be doing lots of decorating!
This looks great! What’s hysterical is that I have those same rose knobs that were on some of the cabinets when we bought the house, and when I was looking for new knobs I went to Anthropologie, and I saw these gorgeous knobs that you bought! I nearly bought them, but decided to get vintage looking glass knobs to go with the era of the house instead! I love the way that they make your dresser look chic!
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Wow, what a coincidence! Someone who owned your house must have gone to TruValue Hardware too. They had vintage round glass knobs (you probably got the traditional glass shape) too. I was blown away at how inexpensive these knobs were at HomeGoods because they are sooooooo overpriced at Anthropologie and the gift shops that I’ve seen them in.
I seen those drawer knobs and like the story and as well of the design! I like the rose ones myself!
Let me know if you would like the ones with the roses, and I’ll send them to you. They’re really cute!
1) That dresser is awesome. 2) that’s so inexpensive! I’ve looked at Anthro ones too and passed 3) it’s crazy how much impact just changing knobs has! Love it
Hahaha, Leanna, thanks! The ones at Anthro were cute but so over priced. In fact, I like these better! Go TJs and Homegoods!
Amazing how much you spruce up your furniture by just changing a few small details. I need to do this to my tv stand soon!
I agree! Hope you get yours done
SUPER CUTE! I want some now!
I was so happy to find these super affordable pulls. I lucked out!
Oh they are so sophisticated! I love your dresser! I have a few antique pieces from my mom. My dresser is just plain black but these drawer pulls would really dress it up!
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Thank you, Cindy! I hope you find some nice drawer pulls for yours. There were a couple of styles at TJs/Homegoods.
Such a simple way to freshen up a piece of furniture. I love that it belonged to your grandpa, how sentimental! My center stone in my engagement ring is my great grandmothers, it’s great to feel like you have them around you even when they are gone, even if you never got to meet him <3
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Wow, that’s wonderful, Julie! I’m so glad you have your great grandmother’s diamond in your ring!
Those are beautiful and a great improvement. When we redid our kitchen I couldn’t believe the cost of pulls. I’m so happy that you’ve found a bargain price for something that looks so expensive.
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I was shocked that Anthropologie had the nerve to charge $10 each for pulls made in India! While this seems almost too inexpensive, the quality is there. I got a steal!
I love changing up things like that to make something new again! Those look amazing! I have some furniture I’m thinking of painting and re-doing because I don’t want to break the bank of new furniture, but it’s time for a change!
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Yes, sometimes a coat of paint and/or new fixtures can make such a difference!
Those are pretty. A little update is always nice.
I’ve been dying to do this update for 15 years. Finally, the price was right!
Those are so cute! I love the style of them. Afer my nan passed, my mom and uncovered a dresser in her closet (she had a huge walk in that was beyond stuffed.) I took it, repainted it, and changed out the knobs. They’re plain black, but oversized and they give a new life to an otherwise blah piece.
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I’m glad you did something similar with a “family heirloom”!
These pulls are beautiful! That’s one of the things we did when we moved into our new rented apartment – we replaced the pulls in the kitchen and now it’s got a whole new look. That’s one of the few things we could do to make it less generic and dated 🙂
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Thank goodness there are quick, affordable updates like this. I waited a long time to find the right drawer pulls but I finally found them, yay!