I picked this up at a thrift store and removed the mirror and hardware. It had water stains on the top and the wood veneer was peeling off on both sides. I glued the veneer down and used wood putty to fill in the scratches. I pulled out the drawers and primed the whole thing with an oil based primer.
I had a sketch of the finished product and painted the drawers whatever was the lightest dominant color on the drawer.
I taped off the pattern and painted the next darkest color. In some cases it was three coats.
After the painting was finished and tape removed I took a very fine sandpaper and sanded in a single direction on each part to soften the finish coat a little. I then rubbed in a light stain to soften the finish and add a patina.
A couple of coats of lacquer and Viola! Urban chic. I decided to keep the original hardware with its original finish. It added to the aged appearance. You can have old hardware replated in a satin nickel or some such finish to make it appear newer.
Thanks Obama! (for saving my life)
17 hours ago