Vintage 1950 Vanity Revival - Claire

A gal pal of mine hit the garage sales a few Saturdays ago and texted me a pic of this vanity. Out the door I ran donning bedhead & fuzzy slippers to pick it up. The gentleman selling the piece had a feeling of melancholy about him. I convinced him that I would love it up as though it were my own - He handed me a piece of paper with his email and phone number and asked if I would send him photos of the transformation. So sweet! I'm with hopes that he loves it and wants it back in his abode :) So here she is...
Art Deco is a favourite. Beautiful lines, unique hardware and substantial presence. As per usual, I kept as much of the wood as possible to maintain the integrity of the piece. (Walnut) The mirror was a tad flat in comparison to the new design so I added a border with stencil tape, paint and 3 layers of sealant. Small gold squares were painted/waxed on the top two corners of the mirror to in conjunction with the gold hardware.
The vanity was not in the best shape. The veneer on the mirror had fallen off and the surfaces were deeply scratched and scraped. The drawers were a tad difficult to open & close as well. I believe it may have been tucked away in somewhat of a moist environment.
The drawers came out well after sanding and oiling so I applied the same stain as I had on the top. The balance was completed in a deep charcoal and old white to showcase her lovely lines. I also drilled / added a knob on the centre drawer for juxtaposition of square & round.
I began by sketching her and dotting finish options around the page. Once I complete my old school rendering, I head to the laptop to inject the selections using a graphic software to determine tone & placement.
A good luvin' sanding in the sun (right side) resulted in my being tickled pink that I could salvage the natural finish of the wood on two of the three top surfaces.
Before & After
The hardware had seen many, many "pulls" and high humidity spaces so a rub down was in order.
She went from "drab" to the "darling" of Deco
So I wonder...do you think the family will approve of the makeover? :)
Tana, Little Red Bag Productions
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