This Alrob dresser has something most pieces don't: an asymmetrical stepped silhouette that is completely of its era and completely distinctive. One side taller, one side lower, creating a composition that looks designed rather than purely functional. It came in buried under layers of white paint. Underneath was exactly what mid-century timber is supposed to look like.
Alrob was one of Melbourne's own furniture manufacturers through the mid-century decades, producing pieces with this kind of considered detail: the stepped proportions, the sculptural square knobs, the solid construction that has kept this piece standing for decades. It deserved to be treated accordingly.
Stripping back was the satisfying kind of hard work. Once the paint was gone the grain revealed itself, warm and characterful. Stained with a water based teak stain to enhance the natural colour, then finished with 3 coats of polyurethane top coat for a soft satin sheen. The original handles retained and cleaned. Inside the drawers, a bold retro geometric liner.
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