Some pieces need a little love. Josephine needed A LOT. But look at her now.
This beautiful Art Deco dresser had been painted somewhere along the way, hiding the original walnut veneer underneath. The old finish was carefully removed and the veneer restored as much as possible, bringing back the gorgeous burl and geometric grain patterns that make this piece so special.
The warm walnut is now paired with Fusion Mineral Paint Cast Iron, an almost-black shade that gives her just the right amount of drama. The original brass handles have been cleaned and polished until they shine again, and because apparently that wasn’t quite enough drama, a little gold was added around the drawers. ✨
Open them up and there’s another surprise: all three drawers are lined with wallpaper with subtle golden details to tie everything together.
The walnut is protected with Osmo Satin Hardwax Oil. The dresser is solid and sturdy, with one shallow and two wonderfully deep drawers — so she’s not just here to look pretty. There’s plenty of storage too.
Josephine is old and she isn’t pretending otherwise. Some light sanding marks from a previous refinishing attempt remain visible in the veneer. I chose to preserve the original wood rather than sand away more of it, and the photos show these traces clearly.
Walnut, almost black, brass and a touch of gold.
Give Josephine some music and I’m pretty sure she’d get up and dance. 💃✨
