A wide Mid-Century Modern dresser with a mitered plywood case.

I spotted this Mid-Century modern dresser at thrift store in Saugerties, New York. It features a mitered plywood case overhanging a leg-and-aprons base. Though the white knobs create a jarring effect, the design and build feature some thoughtful details. The grain runs continuously across the drawer fronts in each row, with the top narrower than those below. The heavy, curved molding breaks the facade, and the mitered divider creates more visual interest than would a divider meeting the outer frame in a simple straight line. The faceted leg offers an interesting alternative to a turned or straight leg, with the curved ends of the long apron providing a subtle counterpoint to the strong horizontal lines of the case.

Construction seems straightforward, with a mitered case and mortise-and-tenoned base. Care in execution and subtle details elevate what might otherwise be an uninteresting design, which is an important reminder about the cumulative effect a series of small details has on a finished work. I would still use different pulls if I were reproducing the design.

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I’ve written extensively on furniture of this period both here and in my book Mid-Century Modern Furniture (available on Amazon and ShopWoodworking).