Art Deco Dresser in Taupe, Walnut & Gold

I dug this art deco beauty out of a warehouse full of treasures last summer. I usually don't go for this style, but I liked the lines and could see the potential.
The entire piece had to be fully sanded down - and the detail had to be sanded out by hand!
I hoped that the veneer on the drawer fronts would be salvageable, but it was not. However, I got lucky with the top.
I used General Finishes to fully refinish the top - gel stain for color and satin topcoat.
Because the drawer veneer could not be saved, I had to fill all the grain. This was a several step process, but my product of choice for filling the grain is MH ready patch.
I primed.
I spray shellac based primer with a Critter sprayer. SO EASY! Forget about rolling and brushing primer - and do this.
Clean up is a breeze! Here's a quick video I made showing you how to clean your gun.
I'm going to skip the part where I painted this many, many, MANY times and just skip to what eventually worked! I used General Finishes Millstone + Snow White in a 50/50 mix and topcoated with Satin polyurethane. I painted the steel hardware with Rustoleum metallic gold.
I styled for eclectic taste: I call this Boho-Glam. :)
Satin-smooth sprayed finish.
Walnut top and DIY fiber art in the background.
thanks for reading! As always, stop by my blog for all the details on products, tools, and process.
Phoenix Restoration
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Barb in Texas Barb in Texas on May 26, 2016
    I adore the Art Deco style, and I'm always sorry to see a piece painted instead of restored, but I understand that sometimes a piece is just too far gone to salvage, esp if it's veneer. I think you did a beautiful job of keeping the 'spirit' of the piece while staining the top and painting the front. My question is the line "I had to fill all the grain. " Do you mean you treated it like a sort of bondo and covered the front?
  • Maureen Maureen on May 26, 2016
    Stunning. Beautiful work on the walnut top. Question... I have a similar top on a dresser. How much did you sand before gel staining? Did you have to get all the old finish off? I know gels work wonders.
  • Jennie Lee Jennie Lee on May 26, 2016
    What did you use on the hardware? You did a wonderful job! I especially like the fact that you saved the beautiful wood as much as possible, and respected the original concept of the piece. I love Art Deco. Maybe you don't, but one would never know it, because you did it justice. Thanks.
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