Can A Dresser Change Your Life? Because This One Changed Mine
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When I was in college, I found a beautiful, solid wood dresser on the side of the road. I was so proud of my discovery and it has been with me through eight different addresses. The ornate vintage, nine-drawer piece has served me well, but I outgrew the style three apartments ago. That said, I was weary about replacing my beloved find for just any trendy dresser. It had to have the same longevity as my trusted roadside treasure and plenty of storage capacity. (I live in a New York City apartment with no closets, so I can’t afford to lose storage space.) Since I was Googling "dressers" the all-knowing algorithm served me Thuma's dresser on a silver platter. It was love at first sight: I liked its sleek minimalist design, no-tool assembly, and modular capabilities.
The Dresser
$2330.00
For anyone not familiar with the furniture design company, it's focused on thoughtful craftsmanship, modern convenience, and a less-is-more design ethos. Thuma was first known for its no-tool assembly bed frame and introduced more home furniture and essentials including the launch of its dresser in November 2022. After assessing all the options, I ordered The Dresser in the 3 drawer x 3 drawer configuration in Natural, which retails for $3,495. After using it for a few weeks, I'm sharing my honest review of it below, including some further details on the delivery and setup process.
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The Delivery Process
To my delight, Thuma just launched their Premium Delivery Service, which includes preferred delivery scheduling, assembly, and trash removal on orders of its bed, dresser, mattress, rug, and more. I personally believe time is money and convenience is king, so I jumped at the opportunity to opt in for this service. About a week after receiving my order confirmation, Thuma's delivery partner emailed and texted to schedule delivery ensuring I was able to pick my ideal delivery time. I answered a few quick questions about the delivery location–is there a gated entry, stairs, etc.—then I chose a convenient day and a realistic 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. time window for delivery. The Premium Delivery service is $175, but in my opinion, the convenience it offers is priceless.
On the day of the delivery, I received a text an hour before the 9 a.m. delivery window began, and the team confirmed with a call 30 minutes prior to arrival. Like a kid waiting up for Santa, I was glued to my street-facing window eagerly awaiting their arrival. Being that I live in Brooklyn, I lack the convenience of a driveway for a delivery truck, but they were able to park around the block and wheel the nine boxes that made up my dresser over on two dollies. The two delivery men were friendly and professional. They checked the space was clear and ready for assembly–even helping me move my TV on to the bed, so it was safely out of the way– and got to work.
Ease of Assembly
Now, while I did not assemble the dresser myself, let me tell you: I could have. Each box comes with an easy-to-understand instruction manual with diagrams and words. All the drawers are pre-assembled, so don't worry about decoding phrases like "side piece F" or digging through your skimp tools stash for an Alan wrench. The drawers are clearly distinguished as "base units" marked by black signage, and “stacking units” marked with white signage. Once all the drawers were unboxed, they simply stack on top of each other. There is a “long screw” that goes at the back of each stacking unit. A couple of twists secures each drawer into place.
At first, I was a little concerned the man assembling my dresser was doing it wrong because halfway through, I realized each piece comes with an envelope containing four black feet, one screw, one wall anchor, and one silver cable, all of which he had not touched at all. A quick reference of the aforementioned instruction manual and I was set at ease. Those pieces are anti-tipping hardware provided in case the surface the dresser is living on is uneven, requiring leveling and securing to the wall, which I didn't need.
Once all the drawers were in the desired configuration, the sub-set top just sits right on…well, top. And volià! That's it! When the man finished building my dresser, we both looked at each other in awe of the fact that he was done already. We were both a little giggly about it to be honest. When I asked him if it was the easiest assembly he had ever done, he responded with a very emphatic “yes!” From the moment the delivery service called informing me they had arrived to the moment they walked out the door, only 30 minutes had passed. I had a fully assembled beautiful dresser with no remnants from its delivery.
How Is the Quality?
Did I mention it's beautiful? Because it is. The Dresser in this 3x3 configuration is huge. It takes up most of my 11 ft wall, leaving space for only a hamper and a place to tuck away my tall boots. However, the sleek design and natural finish make it so the dresser, despite its size, does not overwhelm my space. The great thing about it is that it's available in seven configurations and four wood colors, so you have the option to play around with what works best for your own space.
Overall the dresser is extremely sturdy. While there are a few places where I can see some minor gaps, for the most part the dresser pieces fit together seamlessly. It more than fulfills my storage requirements. When first organizing my New York apartment, I had to get creative with my storage options. Utilizing the space under my bed, I kept sweaters and workout clothes down there in plastic drawers. The nine 30” x 15” x 5” drawers of Thuma's dresser provided the space to house all of my folded clothes in one convenient location. I must've overlooked this when researching, but I realized the dresser has soft close drawers. To me, this is like the equivalent of discovering a coveted dress has pockets.
The dresser is made of 100 percent upcycled rubberwood. Therefore, you can expect imperfections and differences of color in wood grains and knots, which only means your piece is truly unique. When first assembled, one of the drawers had a distinct, darker color variation that was sitting right in the middle of the dresser. After sitting with it for a second, I decided I did not like that. Luckily, with the modular design, I was able to rearrange the tower of drawers moving that particular piece to the end, letting the color variation blend out the side versus stick out in the center.
That said, the attention to material is one of the best features about Thuma. It is Greenguard Gold Certified, which means it has passed the test of all tests to prove it meets low chemical emission standards. As a company, they are committed to sustainability. The brand has partnered with One Tree Planted, so that each core rubberwood product sold results in one tree planted back into the world. For Earth Month, Thuma will be doubling down on these efforts by planting two trees for each purchase of a rubberwood piece in April.
Beyond storage and sustainability, two of the other key features of the dresser are its modular capabilities and its streamlined design. The system will allow for the piece to grow with me as my needs and spaces change. I can easily see myself converting this into a 3x2 dresser and using the third set of drawers as a singular piece in the future. Additionally, having the drawer pull curvature versus hardware keeps the aesthetic minimal, so I won’t outgrow the style so easily like I did my previous ornate dresser.
Dresser's Pros and Cons
The Dresser
$2330.00
Is the Thuma Dresser Worth Buying?
After loading up the dresser with all my belongings, styling the top surface, and living with it in the space for a couple weeks, I can genuinely say I love this dresser. It adds an element of ease, both in function and in design, to my space that is like a breath of fresh air. I would recommend this dresser to anyone and everyone, in fact I already have! The modular system, the minimal design, and sustainable materials all make this piece worth investing in.
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