Sometimes I wonder if it's best to leave a piece of furniture alone?

That can be a tough decision to make! If you really love the wood appearance you can strip it down, use some new stain and poly to give it a fresh look or you can clean it well and use a product that will condition and protect the wood. If the piece is something that really isn't worth can of beans--you can paint it. You have to decide! I had a small cabinet that belonged to my grandmother and it was probably about 85 years old. I had played with it as a child putting my Barbie dolls in it for a makeshift house! It took me about 5 years before I finally decided to paint it. It really wasn't worth more than 30.00, and the wood didn't look that attractive--so I painted it with chalk paint and waxed it. I love it even more now!

I totally agree! I'm not a huge fan of painted furniture. I love the wood. You could refinish it. I think people opt to paint oftentimes because it's less work than refinishing. My favorite look on an old piece of furniture is either a satin polyurethane or an oil finish depending on the grain and style of the piece. Either way, refinishing will start with some stripping and sanding.

I love painted furniture and i love to paint but I too am alarmed at all the lovely wood being masked by cheap looking chalk paint!

Here's what I do to determine if a piece should be painted.

1. Ask yourself if the piece is common. (have you seen a million of them?)
2. Is it representative of an era? (Please don't paint over Eames or Craftsman!)
3. Could use get a fresh look by only painting part of the piece?

( I had a dresser with good wood on the drawers but the body was cheaply made so I painted the body and left the drawers wood. It is stunning if I do say so myself!)

I hope this helps and you find the best solution for your piece.

It's a matter of taste and what YOU like. There are no rules when it comes to decorating your home - except that it needs to please the owner. If you like a furniture piece as it is , then leave it alone!