Dressers - A look back in time

A Short History of a Dresser

Welsh Dressers or Kitchen dressers have their humble roots as a utilitarian piece of wooden furniture consisting of drawers and cupboards in the lower part with shelves above. Kitchen Dressers had their Golden Age in 18^th and 19^th century but they originate from 17^th century.

A Kitchen Dresser was originally to be found in a kitchen where the function of a Dresser was in food preparation. Over time the functionality gave way for a more aesthetic purpose to showcase crockery or silver and slowly it moved from the Kitchen to the Dining room loosing the function for food preparation in favour of the storage and display of dinnerware and ceramics, hence the plate rack feature on the shelves which was a prominent feature on Welsh Dressers and is still a stylish feature of Kitchen Dressers today.

Many of the features found in modern day Dressers have their links back to the past, features such as rows of small drawers (spice drawers) for herbs and spices, or plate grooves in the shelves above to accommodate and display ceramics to impress the dining guests. 

Originally a Wood Dresser would be made from Oak but more commonly Dressers are made from Pine today

Dressers made at The Old Forge

Here at The Old Forge we specialise in made to measure / custom made Dressers. Often these are used as Kitchen Dressers, linking to Welsh Dressers in style.

Custom made furniture is what we’re good at. Each Dresser is had made to your own specification and finished in Sussex based workshops and made from ethically sourced timber using traditional techniques.

We showcase many examples of bespoke dressers in our portfolio and have a variety of styles and finishes in our showroom at Ringmer. We’ve made hundreds of Dressers, Kitchen Dressers, Welsh Dressers, Dressers for dining rooms  and are happy to accommodate your design specifications to make a truly original piece.

About The Old Forge

Here at The Old Forge Company, we are a mature and independent furniture retailer owned by the same family and trading from the same location since 1991. We believe that selling furniture is all about creating relationships with customers and understanding what they're are looking for. We want to create furniture that is unique and personal to you.

We enjoy working with you every step of the way, from the initial design and sketching process, through to the completion of your Kitchen Dresser– we will be with you every step of the way. We love the country and enjoy creating a slice of traditional country living for your home.

We believe that whether it’s a Kicthen Dresser of a Dresser for your Dining room you will find we will provide exactly what you’re looking for, after all it will be made especially for you.

Areas we serve

We have satisfied customers throughout East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey and Kent, with regular deliveries to: Bexhill, Brighton, Burgess Hill, Crawley, Crowborough, East Grinstead, Eastbourne, Hailsham, Hastings, Haywards Heath, Heathfield, Horsham, Hove, Lewes, Newhaven, Polegate, Redhill, Reigate, Seaford, Shoreham by Sea, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Uckfield, Wadhurst, and Worthing.

Contact Us Today

If you’re looking for a Dresser The Old Forge are here for you. We can create the Dresser you have always dreamed of

For more information, call us today.