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I agree that something has to be done to the inside. The paper would be nice, but it'll wear down easily with frequent use. Or maybe just paper the shelf part. The handles will actually be easy to replace. All you'll need a a phillips screwdriver.

— Wendy

Try giving it an antique age look, you already have the white base coat, try hitting it with some sandpaper on the edges.

— Nam Le

Hmmm let's see hit is w/ liquid sander, seal and drop down the white to a med gray
a then do a dark matte crackle finish on the outside ,
Then again you could strip it and gel finish it, the pulls & trim rectangle in each drawer are kinda hokey, but hey.
Let us know what you do. Looks like a cool apt.

— Chris Darling

I was just wondering what I could use to strip this thing down. I also have a small metal vanity chair that needs to be stripped of its paint. What is liquid sander?

Don't like the idea of crackle finish...think * that * is hokey... I also like the trim, but I agree the pulls have to go. Anyone know of a good source for fancy drawer pulls except anthropologie?

@Wen, i don't see any part of the pulls that can be released with a screwdriver, though I wonder if those cap thingys can be removed...

— Stephanie Lim

I'd leave it alone myself. Where and when was it made? Is there any story behind it?

— Mark Rampton

Okay stephanie, you do not like crackle but if done well it can make a piece like that look atmospheric by the surface appearing almost stone-like .

For stripper I'd use 5F5 . basic rules with stripper, gloves (rubber coated cotton) or "nitrile" gloves(solvent resistant), use a funky (throw away) drop cloth (paper ) or several layers of news print. Always wear eye protection.
If in the house throw some 2mil plastic under the news print.
Preferrably do this outside on a deck or in a well ventilated space if not wear a respirator. The smell is pretty noticable and may affect some people or animals adversely. it will dissipate after several days.(thus the deck in decent weather or someone's garage)
Where ever possible lay the stripper on thick with a 2" brush (chip brush) and attempt to keep the surface you are stripping horizontal, so drawers come out
and stand on their backs so the fronts are like little tables.
NOTE; if the finish inside the drawer is a sweet lacquer or varnish you may want to mask it so any of the drips of stripper do not land on the finish inside the drawer. Believe me just the outside will be plenty of work.

ONCE you lay the goods out strip one drawer face to "test the waters" and get a feel for the kind of finish on the piece you're stripping.
A technique for stripping furniture that I like and is less likely to cause gouge marks
from knife scrapes/tool marks ( But is a a bit more of a mess is to get planer waste/sawdust from a woodshop, (Hardwood sawdust and planer shavings are preferred)
once you brush your furniture(slathering it on like BBQ sauce, i.e.; kind of thick use the sawdust mixture and rub it into your detail and it does two things ; is a mild abrasive and soaks up the stripper .
Also use stiff rubber or plastic scraper blades or putty knives .
Use rags with denatured alcohol as a wipe down touch up where need be.
Apply a gel finish.
Whatever you do you want to rollup and discard your stipping waste in a metal container, rags with mineral spirits can spontaneously combust, so place your waste and rags in a COVERED metal container on the deck until trash day.

For knobs/pulls there is a set distance on your existing pulls so it would be good to find pulls you like that have that same distance between the two fasteners that hold each pull OR<<
Find a pull that is solid in form and would cover the holes from your existing pulls.
If you shop around you're likely to find pulls that will work, the pulls you have may be bronzes or other quality metal so they could possibly be chromed or powder coated a brilliant super hard durable finish
both are likely to be around the same fee for new pulls, either way you should remove them to do your refinishing. and if you have a specialty hardware shop take a pull with you (or template it) to get your dimensions right.
Drawer pulls are often centered in a drawer face so technically if you get a different distance between fasteners different from your existing it will mean two new holes to maintain center of face placement.

— Chris Darling

Btw I notice I left out the timing on the stripper oops; depending on the finish 5 to
15 minutes , and the drawer pull place with some decent deals= http://hardware.myknobs.com/
We insist on before (we got those) & after pics!

— Chris Darling

i love AT! and your apt looks nice too. just a word on domino mag - i was kinda disappointed with my subscription - i guess i like the diy/practical tips angle more than the "buy this high end item" or "let's talk to these young new designers about how cool their lives are" angle. also, a lot of their pics/features go up on their website (which is seems only updated the 10x a year they have new issues). that's just me! iknow a lotta pple like the mag.

— jules

i'd paint it red. dark red.

— Carla Dal Mas

...or bright red.

— Carla Dal Mas
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