Lemondrop Lullaby: A Nursery Transformed
San Francisco-based interior designer Dina Bandman is known for her elegant, unique and truly breathtaking spaces. Over the years, Dina's San Francisco Decorator Showcase rooms have gone viral for their luxe-yet-livable looks: from a show-stopping laundry room to a stunningly blue powder room, Dina's spaces are always a crowd favorite.
Dina returned to the San Francisco Decorator Showcase this year and conjured up yet another gorgeous space - the 'Lemondrop Lullaby,' a lovely nursery with serene green and yellow accents. We were honored to be tapped to contribute to this space: Revitaliste transformed a dresser into the perfect changing table. Read on to learn more about how we revitalized the piece, as well as Dina's inspiration and process for the room.
Dresser before refinishing
The "Before"
This ornate dresser required a major facelift to work within Dina's traditional yet modern space. To tone down the detail on the piece, Revitaliste removed and redesigned some of the trellis fretwork on the drawer fronts and lacquered it in a single, custom color. To give depth and dimensionality, we meticulously created a faux striation on the whole piece.
Dress lacquered in custom grey
An update to the hardware helped to give the dresser a bit of glam. We removed the original hardware and filled the drawer pull holes to accommodate new hardware. We cast new custom designed brass escutcheons, and added tassels for a little extra flare.
The newly revitalized dresser made its debut alongside other luxe elements in the space: a lucite crib, custom, beaded wallpaper, and plenty of other posh accents to boot.
New yellow tassel drawer pulls on grey lacquered dresser
What are 3 words you would use to describe the room?
Exquisite, fresh, whimsical.
Tell us about your inspiration for the room.
I recently visited the Amalfi Coast and became enthralled by the lemon trees and lemon ceramics displayed everywhere. In formulating my design concept for Showcase, I knew I wanted this nursery to be relatable and appeal to both genders - therefore I opted out of traditional blue or pink and focused on colors less associated with gender. Somehow mint green and yellow came about, and the lemon drop theme came to life.
Tell us a little about the amazing beaded wallpaper. How did you decide on the beaded lemons?
I worked with de Gournay to custom design this paper for Showcase, and knew I wanted something extra special for Showcase. When de Gournay told me they could offer hand-sewn sequin embellishment on this design, there was no way I could resist! Let’s face it, I’m definitely a “more is more” kind of gal!
What was the room you were working with in the showhouse like?
When you apply for a room at Showcase, you have no idea who else is applying or what their proposal may be. My room is next door to the Tangerine Dream, so there is a bit of citrus theme happening in the house, but that is purely coincidental! The room I chose has arched windows, and the romantic shape felt appropriate for a nursery, especially given that the room is quite small - 129” x 130”. Nurseries can be a bit awkward due to the type of furniture they require, but the size of this room allowed for a nice space plan, with no empty space.
Why did you chose to refinish the dresser versus buy new?
Because my room is rather petite, I was very particular about the size of the dresser. I wanted it to be realistic as a changing table, so the correct height and width was really critical for this space. I also wanted a dresser that had some interesting detail. I spent days and hours searching for something that would fit these criteria, and when I found this dresser online, I knew it was the one...but it really needed revitalizing!
In general, how do you decide what furniture is worthy of restoration?
It all depends on the bones! The size and shape mostly. Certainly things can be made custom, but if something exists already that works and just requires a facelift, there is every reason to revitalize versus beginning from scratch.
Do you purchase vintage and antique with the intent to revitalize?
I do! I love finding well made vintage pieces and I actually have a garage full of them, all in need of revitalization! Even if I don’t have homes for them just yet, it never stops me from picking up a special piece that can be given a new life.
Tell us about the design decisions you made for the dresser. What was your vision?
This was a bit of a complicated project as I was trying to create a perfect dresser for a space where nothing had been installed yet, and I only had a vague idea of what it would become! But I knew that three things had to change with the dresser:
Color: The original dresser was blue, which would not have worked in this space. Instead, I selected a soft grey tone from the lemon tree branches in the wallpaper and we used this as the new color for the dresser.
Detailing: The dresser in its prior state was actually more intricate than I wanted. We removed and reworked some of the trellis detailing to simplify and streamline the design.
Hardware: The old hardware on the dresser was very ho-hum. We chose new faux keys to replace the drawer pulls and then further embellished with lovely lemon yellow tassels - perfection!
How does the dresser fit in with the overall look and feel of the nursery?
The dresser truly exceeds all expectations. It is the perfect dresser for the nursery - shape, color, design - there is nothing I would change!
Tell us about what it was like to work with Revitaliste. What did you enjoy most about the process?
Working with Revitaliste was like working with someone with a PhD in a very niche field. Revitaliste is so committed to only using vendors who excel in their field to ensure that the work is of the highest quality. While managing anything for Showcase is always a bit stressful, I was always confident that the dresser would be returned to me in excellent shape - and it actually exceed my wildest expectations! That sense of security was the most enjoyable part of the process.
Thanks to Dina Bandman for choosing Revitaliste for her fabulous San Francisco Showcase room!
With Revitaliste’s one-stop service (including upholstery, refinishing, lacquering, powder coating, and much more) you can transform your furniture into one-of-a-kind treasures or simply give beloved pieces a quick refresh.
To make revitalization a breeze for you, we manage the entire process—from pick-up to delivery and every step in between. Our network of skilled artisans are the best in their trades, so quality is 100% guaranteed. We welcome you to get in touch for a furniture restoration quote HERE!
All photography by Christopher Stark