Are Dressers Out of Style? What Is In and What Looks Dated

Last updated October 2026 by the Forward Furniture team

If you have scrolled through home decor posts lately, you may have seen people say they got rid of their dresser and moved everything into the closet. So is the dresser on its way out? Not really. Makers are still building lots of them, and on October 15, 2026 we had 48 dressers and chests of drawers in stock in our catalogue. What changed is how they look and where people put them.

Below we cover the dresser styles that feel fresh right now, the looks that date a room, why many dressers seem smaller, and when you can skip one. Shop as you read in our dressers collection or browse matching dresser and mirror sets.

In this guide

• Are dressers out of style?
• Dresser styles that are in
• Looks that date a dresser
• Why dressers seem smaller
• Dresser or closet?
• Dressers outside the bedroom
• How to update an old dresser
• Questions

Are Dressers Out of Style?

No. A dresser is still the easiest way to store folded clothes in a bedroom without a large closet. What has gone out of style is a certain kind of dresser: the big, dark, carved piece bought as part of a five piece set where everything matches. People now pick a dresser the way they pick a sofa, as a piece that adds warmth, texture or colour to the room.

You can see this in what makers write about their own pieces. We read the product descriptions of all 48 in-stock dressers and chests in our catalogue and counted the style words they use.

From our catalogue on October 15, 2026: in-stock dressers and chests of drawers only, not mirrors, vanities or fabric towers. One piece can use more than one style word.

Modern and contemporary lead by a wide margin, but traditional pieces are still made and sold. Farmhouse, mid-century, two-tone and fluted designs show up as smaller groups. In plain terms, there is no single dresser look that everyone has to follow.

What Dresser Styles Are In Right Now?

These are the looks that feel fresh in 2026, each with a real example from our catalogue. Sizes are from the maker's spec on each product page.

• Warm wood on metal legs. The Deanlow pairs a honey walnut look with dark metal legs and handles. Raised legs make a dresser look lighter.
• Two-tone and pattern. The Battelle mixes a light oak look with a chevron pattern and dark hardware.
• Fluted fronts. Vertical grooves add texture without carving, as on the fluted 3-drawer chest and the 6-drawer dresser with gold legs.
• Mid-century lines. The Lyncott has a mango wood veneer, long wood pulls and round tapered legs.
• Modern farmhouse. The Ashbryn has a white body, a butcher block oak veneer top and matte black pulls.
• Soft curves. The Rowanbeck takes its rounded waterfall edges from art deco design, in a layered black finish.

Sizes and weights from the maker's spec on each product page. Prices from our catalogue on October 15, 2026.

What Makes a Dresser Look Dated?

A dresser rarely looks old because of the dresser itself. It is usually the details around it. Watch for these:

• Everything matches. A bed, two nightstands, a dresser and a chest all in one finish can feel like a showroom from years ago. Mixing one wood tone with one painted piece looks more current.
• Heavy, dark and carved. Ornate trim in a very dark finish can make a small room feel closed in.
• Tired hardware. Old brass knobs or mismatched pulls age a piece faster than its shape.
• Worn finish. Chips, water rings and sun fading read as old, even on a classic design.
• Wrong size for the room. A dresser that blocks a window or crowds the door looks out of place no matter the style.

The good news is that a traditional dresser is not dated by default. Makers still describe 8 of our 48 in-stock pieces as traditional. Pair one with lighter bedding and simple lamps and it looks intentional, not old.

Why Are Dressers So Small Now?

Not all of them are. In our catalogue, dressers and chests that list a width run from 23.6 inches for the 4-Drawer High-Gloss Chest of Drawers to 72 inches for the Cabalynn. The compact pieces exist because many people now live in condos, apartments and smaller bedrooms, where a 70 inch dresser simply does not fit. Our Canadian small space living statistics page has the housing numbers, all from Statistics Canada and CMHC.

Small pieces also ship in a flat box and go together at home, which keeps the price down. The fluted 3-drawer chest is $279.99, while a full size dresser with dovetail drawers like the Lyncott is $939.99. Our guide to why dressers are so expensive explains what you get at each price.

To pick a size, measure the wall and leave about 30 inches of floor in front of the dresser so the drawers can open and you can stand there. If you are planning around a new bed, our Canadian bed and mattress size chart lists the room space each bed size needs.

Do You Still Need a Dresser If You Have a Closet?

It depends on your closet and what you own. Hanging clothes belong in a closet. Small, soft and folded items are easier to find in drawers. Here is a simple split many people use:

• Dresser: underwear, socks, pyjamas, t-shirts, workout clothes, sweaters and jeans.
• Closet: shirts, dresses, jackets, suits and anything that wrinkles.
• Either: shoes, bags and out of season clothes, depending on your space.

You can skip a dresser if you have a walk-in closet with built-in drawers or shelves. If your closet is a single reach-in with one rod, a dresser is still the better use of space. A bed with storage drawers is another option, covered in our guide to the different types of beds.

Can You Use a Dresser Outside the Bedroom?

Yes, and it is one reason dressers still feel current. A low dresser works as an entryway table, a dining room sideboard or a TV stand. The maker of our fluted 3-drawer chest lists the living room and hallway as uses. Before you load the top, check its rating:

• The fluted 3-drawer chest is rated for 33 lb on top and 73 lb in total.
• The 6-drawer dresser with gold legs is rated for 50 lb on top and 25 lb per drawer.
• Weigh your TV or check its manual before you set it on any dresser.

Wherever it goes, anchor it to the wall. Health Canada knows of 87 reports of furniture tip-overs in Canada between June 20, 2011 and December 31, 2022, including 9 deaths and 41 injuries (Health Canada, page updated July 4, 2023). Both pieces above come with an anti-tip design or kit.

How Can You Make an Old Dresser Look New?

If your dresser is solid and the drawers still run well, you may not need a new one. Try these first:

1. Swap the pulls. Long bar pulls in matte black, brushed gold or wood change the whole look. Measure the hole spacing first.
2. Paint or stain. A painted body with the original wood top gives you a two-tone look. Laminate needs a bonding primer.
3. Add a mirror or art above it. A round mirror or a pair of prints pulls the eye up.
4. Clear the top. A lamp, one plant and one small tray look calmer than a crowded surface.

Replace it if the drawers sag, stick or have come apart, or if it is too big for your new space.

Current Dresser Styles to Shop

Prices are read from our catalogue on the day this guide was updated.

Fluted 3-Drawer Chest
$279.99

Fluted fronts, pine legs, 26.9 inches wide.

Deanlow Six Drawer Dresser
$489.99

Honey walnut look on dark metal legs. 141 lb.

Battelle Six Drawer Dresser
$479.99

Two-tone oak look with a chevron pattern. 139 lb.

Lyncott Dresser
$939.99

Mango veneer, tapered legs, dovetail drawers. 214 lb.

Ashbryn Dresser
$1,249.99

White with an oak veneer top, 10 drawers. 248 lb.

Dresser Style: Common Questions

Are dressers outdated?

No. Dressers are still made and sold in many styles. Big matching sets in heavy dark finishes can look dated, but a dresser with warm wood, simple hardware and raised legs looks current.

What colour dresser is in style?

Warm wood tones, white and black are all common right now. Two-tone pieces like the Ashbryn, with a white body and an oak top, give you both.

Why are dressers so small now?

Many homes and bedrooms are smaller, so makers build compact chests too. Full size dressers are still made: ours run up to 72 inches wide.

What should go in a dresser and what goes in a closet?

Fold soft and small items into drawers: underwear, socks, t-shirts, sweaters and jeans. Hang anything that wrinkles, like shirts, dresses and jackets.

Is it OK to use a dresser as a TV stand?

Yes, if the top is rated for the weight and the dresser is anchored to the wall. The 6-drawer dresser with gold legs is rated for 50 lb on top.

Find a Dresser That Suits Your Style