Tag: painted furniture

  • Cherry Chest of Drawers Gets a Hale Navy Lacquer Refresh

    Cherry Chest of Drawers Gets a Hale Navy Lacquer Refresh

    This tall cherry chest of drawers came in with a warm, traditional finish and a mismatched set of vintage pulls — the kind of piece built to last, but overdue for a change. The client chose a glossy Hale Navy lacquer, a color that shifts between deep blue and soft gray depending on the light in the room, and we took the chest down to bare wood to spray it.

    The Piece

    A classic six-drawer tall chest: two short drawers across the top and four full-width drawers below, set on tapered bracket feet. The original cherry-toned finish was still in good shape, but the hardware told the story of a piece that had been added to over the years — lion-head pulls on some drawers, floral rosette knobs on others, and a pair of plain knobs on the bottom. No two rows quite matched.

    Tall cherry-finished chest of drawers with mismatched vintage pulls before refinishing
    Before: the chest in its original cherry-toned finish with mismatched vintage hardware.

    Why Hale Navy

    The client picked Hale Navy for its range — it isn’t a flat, one-note color. Under warm lamp light it reads almost black-blue; in daylight it opens up into a soft blue-gray. That shift is what makes it work on a traditional case piece like this one: it reads as a deep, versatile neutral rather than a bold accent color, so the chest can sit comfortably in a lot of different rooms.

    A Gilded Bridge to New Hardware

    The client has new pulls on order, but rather than leave the chest looking unfinished while they’re in transit, we gilded the existing hardware — the same lion-head and floral rosette pulls, brought up to a bright brass finish so they read as intentional against the new color instead of leftover. It’s a placeholder that still looks complete, and the pulls will be swapped for the new set as soon as it arrives.

    Chest of drawers refinished in a glossy Hale Navy lacquer with gilded brass hardware
    After: the same chest finished in a high-gloss Hale Navy lacquer, with the original pulls gilded in brass as a bridge to new hardware.

    Same Piece, New Finish

    Nothing about the chest’s proportions or joinery changed — same tall six-drawer silhouette, same tapered feet. The transformation here is a lacquer-grade sprayed color and gilded hardware, not a rebuild, with new pulls still to come.

    Is Hale Navy Right for Your Piece?

    Hale Navy works especially well on traditional case pieces with some age to them — dressers, chests, and tallboys where the goal is a deep, versatile color rather than a stark white or another coat of brown stain. See our custom painting & lacquer services or send us a photo of your piece for a free color consultation.

    Send Us a Photo for a Free Estimate

    Have a chest, dresser, or other case piece that needs a fresh finish? Send a few photos using the form below and we will tell you exactly what it needs, what we would do, and what it would cost. Estimates are free, and pickup and delivery are available across the Dallas area.


    Prefer to talk it through? Call (469) 371-1468 or email Phil@TheEnglishRefinisher.com.

    The English Refinisher – fine wood and furniture refinishing, by hand in Dallas, Texas. Serving Dallas, Wylie, and surrounding communities by appointment.

  • French Provincial Dresser Gets a Blush Refresh

    French Provincial Dresser Gets a Blush Refresh

    French provincial furniture and soft, contemporary color palettes work better together than you might expect. This serpentine-front dresser is a good example of updating a traditional silhouette without losing what makes it French provincial in the first place.

    The Piece

    Nine drawers, a curved serpentine front, and ornate brass swan-neck pulls — this dresser has all the hallmarks of classic French provincial design. Pieces like this are common in Dallas estate sales and hand-me-downs, usually finished in a dated stain or an already-tired white paint.

    Why Blush

    We chose a soft blush lacquer to keep the piece feeling traditional and feminine without defaulting to the expected white or cream. Blush works particularly well on French provincial case pieces because the color softens the ornate carving and curves instead of competing with them — and it pairs easily with the brass hardware, which we cleaned and reinstalled rather than replaced.

    Keeping the Original Character

    The serpentine drawer fronts, applied molding, and cabriole-adjacent legs were all preserved exactly as built — this is a refinish, not a redesign. The goal was a color update, not a different piece of furniture.

    Is Blush Right for Your Piece?

    Blush, sage, and soft blue are the three colors we’re asked for most often on traditional and French provincial furniture right now. See our custom painting & lacquer services or send us a photo of your dresser for a free color consultation.

    Send Us a Photo for a Free Estimate

    Have a dresser or painted piece that needs attention? Send a few photos using the form below and we will tell you exactly what it needs, what we would do, and what it would cost. Estimates are free, and pickup and delivery are available across the Dallas area.


    Prefer to talk it through? Call (469) 371-1468 or email Phil@TheEnglishRefinisher.com.

    The English Refinisher – fine wood and furniture refinishing, by hand in Dallas, Texas. Serving Dallas, Wylie, and surrounding communities by appointment.

  • Quatrefoil Cabinet: Slate Blue vs. Black & Taupe

    Quatrefoil Cabinet: Slate Blue vs. Black & Taupe

    Same cabinet, two completely different personalities. We refinished this carved quatrefoil-front cabinet in two color stories — a moody slate blue and a black-and-taupe two-tone — to show clients how much color alone can change a piece’s character.

    The Cabinet

    This case piece features a carved quatrefoil (four-lobed) panel design on its cabinet doors, paired with statement brass ring pulls — details that are made to be shown off with the right finish, and easily lost with the wrong one.

    Version One: Slate Blue Lacquer

    Finished in a deep, slightly gray-toned blue with a glossy lacquer topcoat, this version leans traditional-meets-moody — the kind of piece that works as a statement bar cabinet or a dining room accent. The restored brass hardware pops against the dark, saturated color.

    Version Two: Black & Taupe Two-Tone

    The same carved doors read completely differently in black with taupe detailing worked into the quatrefoil recesses — the carving becomes more graphic, almost architectural, rather than soft and traditional.

    The Takeaway: Color Direction Matters as Much as Craftsmanship

    Both finishes required the same prep and lacquer-grade spray work — the entire difference in feel comes from the color decision. This is why we spend real time on color consultation before ever picking up a sprayer: the “right” finish depends entirely on the room it’s going into.

    Have a Carved or Detailed Cabinet?

    Pieces with carved paneling, fretwork, or fluting are ideal candidates for a bold lacquer finish, since a sprayed finish keeps every detail crisp. See our painting & lacquer services or send us photos for a free color consultation.

    Send Us a Photo for a Free Estimate

    Have a cabinet that needs attention? Send a few photos using the form below and we will tell you exactly what it needs, what we would do, and what it would cost. Estimates are free, and pickup and delivery are available across the Dallas area.


    Prefer to talk it through? Call (469) 371-1468 or email Phil@TheEnglishRefinisher.com.

    The English Refinisher – fine wood and furniture refinishing, by hand in Dallas, Texas. Serving Dallas, Wylie, and surrounding communities by appointment.

  • The Two-Tone Furniture Trend: Painted Base, Natural Top

    The Two-Tone Furniture Trend: Painted Base, Natural Top

    Two-tone furniture — a painted base paired with a natural or stained wood top — is one of the most requested finishes we do right now. It gives a piece a custom, designer look without committing to an all-over paint color.

    What “Two-Tone” Actually Means

    Rather than painting an entire dresser, table, or console one color, we finish the case and drawer fronts in a painted color and leave (or refinish) the top in natural or stained wood. It’s a finish choice popularized by high-end furniture makers, and it works because it lets the wood grain and the color both get a moment to shine.

    Why Homeowners Like It

    • It’s more forgiving than an all-paint or all-stain choice — a two-tone piece tends to work with more room palettes
    • It highlights good wood — if a tabletop has beautiful natural grain, painting over it would be a waste; two-tone lets you keep it
    • It reads as custom — most retail furniture doesn’t offer this combination, so a two-tone piece looks bespoke rather than off-the-shelf

    How We Execute a Two-Tone Finish

    The wood top is masked and refinished separately from the case — usually stained or clear-coated to bring out the grain — while the case and drawer fronts are sprayed in the chosen paint color. Getting a clean, sharp line between the two finishes is the hardest part, and it’s where a sprayed, professional finish shows its value over a DIY approach.

    Considering a Two-Tone Refinish?

    This works especially well on dressers, console tables, and credenzas with a solid wood or nice-grain top. See our painting & lacquer services or send us photos of your piece for color ideas.

    Send Us a Photo for a Free Estimate

    Have a piece you are considering in two tones that needs attention? Send a few photos using the form below and we will tell you exactly what it needs, what we would do, and what it would cost. Estimates are free, and pickup and delivery are available across the Dallas area.


    Prefer to talk it through? Call (469) 371-1468 or email Phil@TheEnglishRefinisher.com.

    The English Refinisher – fine wood and furniture refinishing, by hand in Dallas, Texas. Serving Dallas, Wylie, and surrounding communities by appointment.

  • Windsor Armchair Makeover: Bare Wood to Glossy White

    Windsor Armchair Makeover: Bare Wood to Glossy White

    Spindle-back Windsor chairs are one of the best antique silhouettes for a painted finish — the turned spindles and legs catch light beautifully once they’re covered in a smooth, glossy paint instead of bare or dated stained wood.

    Before: Bare Wood, Solid Bones

    This Windsor armchair came to us stripped down to raw wood — structurally sound, with tight joints and no major repairs needed, but visually flat with no finish to speak of. Bare wood like this is actually an ideal starting point for a full color transformation.

    Why We Chose Glossy White

    Windsor chairs have a lot of turned detail — spindles, stretchers, and a shaped seat — that can easily disappear under a heavy or brushed-on paint. We sprayed this chair in multiple thin coats of glossy white to:

    • Keep every spindle crisp and distinct rather than letting paint pool between them
    • Create a bright, high-gloss finish that reads as fresh and modern rather than “antique”
    • Give the chair enough durability for regular, daily use

    After: A Bright, Modern Statement Chair

    The finished chair keeps its traditional Windsor shape but reads completely differently in a room — bright, clean, and current, whether paired with a farmhouse table or a more modern console.

    Is Your Antique Chair a Candidate for a Painted Finish?

    Windsor chairs, ladder-backs, and other turned-leg antiques are usually excellent candidates for a painted or lacquered finish, especially if the original wood tone doesn’t match your space. See our custom painting & lacquer services or send us a photo of your chair for a free color consultation.

    Send Us a Photo for a Free Estimate

    Have a chair that needs attention? Send a few photos using the form below and we will tell you exactly what it needs, what we would do, and what it would cost. Estimates are free, and pickup and delivery are available across the Dallas area.


    Prefer to talk it through? Call (469) 371-1468 or email Phil@TheEnglishRefinisher.com.

    The English Refinisher – fine wood and furniture refinishing, by hand in Dallas, Texas. Serving Dallas, Wylie, and surrounding communities by appointment.