I fell in love with this 1950s Beautility brand cocktail sideboard as soon as I saw it and marvelled at the hideaway drinks compartment that cleverly folded out of a seemingly much too small hole! However, even though I loved it on sight and it clearly had good grain going for it, it would only become a lot clearer what a beauty it was once it was fully stripped back using paint/varnish stripper and lots of elbow grease / wire wool too!
The fronts of the doors are a Walnut Burl veneer which became even more dramatic, like an old oil painting, once the years of grime and old finish were gone. The drawers and uprights appeared to be Sapele and the tops and sides Flame Oak.
I left the wood completely natural in tone and simply re-finished it with Enduro-var in Satin to give a nourished, oiled look but provide the best protection should any drinks be spilled in future.
The legs which weren't in great shape nor interesting wood and the plastic trim and edging I refinished with gold leaf to really set the whole thing off. I finished those up to protect them with High Performance Top Coat in Satin.
