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Found these mid century pieces at the flea market $60.00 for both. I've been selling some of the furniture I don't like anymore so I can buy different things.

So, for my question? Would you paint these pieces?or do you think they look good with the blonde colored wood?

These will go in the master bedroom. I've been thinking of perhaps doing the stain and poly in one on them, making them much darker. I could paint them a cream or even teal and they would go as well but I think it would be too much teal if I did both of them.

Do you think it fits in with the contemporary traditional style I'm changing to? I'm going to make an upholstered headboard for this room too. I bought some fabric that I love and may use for the headboard but I may do it in a teal/turquoise color and make an extra cover for it with the other fabric. I'll post a pic of the fabric too.

second piece.

I would like to paint the hardware silver too.

Here is the fabric. The dark brown is actually raised velvet. It is very pretty fabric IRL.

One piece of art (close up). It is large so I'm hoping it will fit in there.

VG I am not a 'blonde' person but I like the shades of color in the look of the dresser and chest now. They seem to go well with your fabric and picture.

Keeping it as it is would give a more modern look to your room I think...at least from the pics I think so.

I keep vascillating between keeping it the same or going darker! What color are your walls going to be? I'm sorry if you've already answered this before, I've been away. My thoughts are if the walls are going to be a darker color, I would keep them as they are. If the walls are going to be a light color, I would go darker. I seem to gravite towards contrast.

I too love that fabric!

I would leave as is! I mean the gray is in there and a soft amber, it is like it was custom colored for modern today. I think you will like them as they are!
What can it hurt to give them a good washing and keep them the same.

If you want to dull the shine, that is another way to keep them this color and it will take the 'period' finish off them.

I love the fabric too (not sure about the print yet) I would do the headboard first and see how the bureaus fit into the scheme. You could always just do the tops in a darker color and leave the body the same, or darker top, sides and legs and leave drawers lighter.

Love the price! You stole those! I love the hardware! GREAT find VG!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

From here, they look like they go well with the fabric you've chosen. I'd leave them alone for now and work the rest of the room then reevaluate later if needed. Of course, that's the view from my monitor. Nice finds.

Thanks for your input.

Catiecakes, I may move them in and see what they look like. I'm just not sure.

TLR, hi, how have you been? good to see you on the board. My walls are cream. I'll post a pic of my ever changing bedroom. It has changed the most since moving in here almost over 8 yrs ago. The pic to the left had changed too but I didnt' get a pic of it. I have a white quilt on the bed for summer right now.

MR, I think I'll get dh to move them in there tonight and see how they look. How would you "dull" the shine?
I loved the price too which is why they came home with me. They are in good condition and the drawers work well. They will give me a lot more room too.

Christie, I think that's what I'll do. Put them in there tonight and see how they look.

I'm a mahogany person. Never have liked fruitwood or those whitish colored woods from the 50's when I was a little girl. I kind of like the pieces you bought. They are really INTERESTING looking.

However the pieces that you have look to be in mint condition. Now about 60 years old and definitely vintage. They look absolutely PERFECT with your fabric. Shiny everything is coming back.

Bottom line: Leave furniture and pulls exactly like they are.

Think I would like the blondish furniture with the iron bed too. Are you going to do blue walls???

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Love, Lu,

Hi Brenda, going to answer before reading others answers. The lovely pieces look like they have a very strong finish on them, so if to you they look like they go with the room I would recommend NOT painting. The finish looks fine. Hardware is another call, either way would be good.

I love that fabric! It is beautiful and rich and luxurious! You got a very, very good deal on those chests. I do not think you would be able to get such a high finish on them should you re-paint.

quote:

How would you "dull" the shine?

Please don't do this Brenda! You have a great find in great, original, authentic condition and I would recommend keeping it that way!

Those pieces do look like they are in pristine condition. I'm with everybody else who says to put them in the room and see how they look, then make a decision. I'm concerned about how they will look with your floors.

VG,
You can dull the shine (only knocks it down a bit so it does not look like a Formica shine) is to use an orange cleaner, learned this the hard way!
It etches the shine just a bit enough to refract light. Try it out on the bottom of a back corner first or a leg area.

Suggestion: you will see that bench at the end of the bed will look great done in a gray that is similar to the bureaus. This is kind of good you found these because it is upgrading to the new gray neutrals that are out and fresher looking. Ties in your mirror accessories you have purchased too!

And about your floors, you can already see the reflection of Amber color already in the photo of the bureau, so it warms up any gray in the pieces.

I found the manufacturers name inside one of the drawers. It is Canadian made (yah). Made by JW Kilgour & BRG LTD. in Quebec.

Lu, I'm not a big fan of the color either but it is in good condition and I'm going to see if it all comes together once I do the rest.

Emily, I think I'll leave it as is for awhile and see. I love fabric, I can spend hours in a fabric store. Thing is though, I hate to sew and do everything the hard way I'm sure.

Gracie, I'm going to do just that. There is a lot of grey in the set but I am trying to add some grey in my home. I'll see once it all comes together.

MR, I already changed the fabric on the bench to a teal/turquoise. I just may take it out and spray it grey. Never thought of going grey, hmmmm.

quote:

I love fabric, I can spend hours in a fabric store.

I am so with you. sometimes I take out my beautiful fabric samples that a decorator friend gave me, just to admire them!

vg, I "inherited" my parents' bookcase headboard purchased in the 50's with a similar specialty finish and the same hardware as on the top drawers of your piece. I had a local furniture restorer refinish it in a dark finish and I am very pleased with the results.

Emily, I go into a different world when I am in a fabric store. You'd think though, that someone who loved fabric that much, would take a sewing course and also love sewing.

sms, do you have any pics of your set. I would love to see what it looks like in a darker color.

vg, I can't get a really good shot because of the lighting in that room, but here's the headboard. I hope you can get the idea.

Thanks for taking the pic. Kind of hard to tell sm, kind of looks like a medium tone now, is it? do you know what color they put on it? Does look like similar hardware doesn't it?

The finish is VERY dark. I had it done as dark as possible to blend in with two other pieces in that bedroom which were made by my father.

VG,
I don't know why I forgot about how I used to dull a finish, but got busy with DH having two days off and spending them doing electrical and plumbing in our soon to be pantry-with-a-sink!

Linseed oil and pumice. I would put some linseed oil on the final finish, then put some pumice (or sometimes called rotten stone), very fine powder slightly abrasive. Then rub, you can rub a lot or a small amount, wipe clean and it has that 'glow' of refracted light. I did this on varnish, shellac and now will do it on lacquer. I am not sure about poly since you can get different sheens in that easily.

I learned this from an old-timer furniture refinisher. I am going to do my Empire dining room table and dresser this way. I will post those photos when I get to them in a month or two.

I hope your pieces fit right in the room and then you won't have a lot of work to do!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

I think it goes well with your fabric. I would leave it alone for now and live with it for a bit. You may decide it looks great, if not, you can always paint it later on.

sm, thanks. It doesn't look really dark in the pic but the pic is not very clear. Now if I can get the rest of the room done so I can see if I'm going to like it or not.

MR, thanks. I'm still not sure. I'll finish my room and then see if the tone of them grows on me. If not, I think I'll paint them or use the stain/poly.

kw, I think that is what I will do. I'm keeping the staining in my mind though. The finish may be to modern (not contemporary) for me.