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Any suggestions for refinishing? The finish has some discoloration and some dings. I have these two pieces plus a table with two leafs but no chairs. It was purchased by my grandmother sometime in the 70's. It was manufactured by Drexel and is solid as a rock!
These are really interesting pieces, and probably expensive originally.
I would perk them up with my treatment of the interior of the china cabinet. Temporarily remove the glass shelves on the china closet, then either paint, wallpaper, or cover with fabric the entire interior. Add the shelves back. Then take a color perhaps from the interior and use it for accessories you set on the buffet.
You could use grass cloth for one look, ikat fabric for another, or just use paint of a lovely color that compliments the room.
You have some really good furniture there. Drexel cabinetry is some of the best out there, especially their vintage pieces. What a treasure!
Personally I really love the color of the finish. It's timeless. Is there any way that you can repair the small amount of damage?
It just depends on how "funky" you want to go with this. These pieces do lend themselves to great funkiness - but you don't want to slap paint on them in some sort of cheap, trendy way and devalue the pieces or make them look too cutesy and silly. These pieces have dignity and are truly tomorrow's antiques.
I actually love that you don't have the matching chairs. Now you have an excuse to pick a contrasting or complementing color for your chairs without slapping a "shabby chic" coat of dull paint on the pieces you do have.
As someone else mentioned, I would do something creative (and nice - not cutesy) with the interior of the china cabinet. Is it lit? Anyway, it's very nice and I'm imagining a metallic sort of wallpaper in a paisley or something like that - in muted colors, with a bit of an Asian twist to it. Or maybe in a dusty black, and then you could go with black chairs.
You have a lot of possibilities. You're lucky to have some truly beautiful pieces to work with!
Thanks for all the suggestions! I have no intention of doing anything "funky" or "shabby chic" to the furniture, I prefer a clean and classic look. The china cabinet does have interior lighting and I like the idea of dressing up the inside. Maybe I could coordinate that with the fabric of the chairs and a runner for the buffet?
I'm not sure I can repair the damage. Most of the damage is some yellowing of the cream colored finish on top of the buffet and some alligatoring of the finish from sunlight on one side of the china closet.
First, that style of furniture is tres chic in Hollywood Regency decor right now. You have some desirable pieces there. You can just get the clear coat refinished which would eliminate the yellowing and alligator issues or you could go full out and get it lacquered in a fun color. Google Hollywood Regency and bamboo - that will give you loads and loads of ideas what can be done with this furniture.
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