When I saw this old nineteen something radio console many passed by, because she really looked beyond restoration. I saw a wine cabinet. Wine bottles would store nicely on the sides of the cabinet with the addition of some shelves. It was a nice size only 15 inches deep and if you would remove the fabric that hide the speakers and have some great shelving. The radio faceplate would be a fun conversation starter and add a bit of sparkle to her look.
After a very good cleaning and removing of some chipped veneer and what was left inside as the radio new shelves were added for both wine bottles and a wine glass rack. The shelves were painted with two coats of Fusion Mineral Paint in Coal Black. I carefully removed the radio face plate to give it some additional cleaning and sparkle. It was brass, so Brasso did the trick. She got a new back panel painted in the same Black Coal Fusion Paint.
It would hard to resist to touch the knobs, so after a several “toothpick” cleanings they were replace with new bolts, washers and nuts with enough room to be able to turn the knobs a bit, so they wouldn’t come off or break. She got a new back pane painted in the sme Black Coal Fusion Paint. It helped to hide any imprefections when you look inside.
This piece definitely had seen some wear. I wanted this piece to be very dark but not a solid black, so the outside of the piece was given a coat of Java Jel. I left the Jel on for longer than I usually do and it gave both a brown and almost black look to some of the older parts of the wood. I highlight a the recessed lines with Modern Master Metallic Paint Collection to pull out the golds in radio face plate. Two coats of Pitch Black Glaze and this girl was singing a new song.
