Fashion Flow Highboy Beauty

 I LOVE Art Deco design and this piece definitely had some character to it! I picked up this beauty from a local seller on a Facebook Buy/Sell group page. The hardware caught my eye and I HAD to have it!

The inside drawer had a label stating "Fashion Flow Furniture". In doing some research, I found that most of the furniture ads were from the 1930's and further research showed that not too many pieces remain out there (or maybe the labels went missing). The back of the dresser was marked with a few numbers, but whether or not those have anything to do with how many were manufactured, is a mystery.

In refinishing this beauty, I used the following items:

1. 60 & 80 grit sandpaper
2. Citrus based non-toxic stripper paste (for hardware)
3. Paint-able Dap wood filler
4. Quality paint brushes 2" and 1"
5. 2" Sponge brush
6. Quality Antique White Semi Gloss Interior Paint (I used Dunne Edwards "Chantilly Lace")
7. Quality Satin Interior Paint for Accents (I used Benjamin Moore "Raindance")
8. Minwax "Ebony" stain (apply to distressed edges with Q-tips)
9. Minwax Clear Satin Sealer 
10. 2 satin Nickel knobs

First, I removed the hardware and applied the citrus stripper to each piece. I applied a thin coat and waited about 2-3 hours. I carefully cut one side of the bottom panel of the dresser to release the matching metal kick plate. Once it was freed, I applied the stripper to this, as well. About 2-3 hours later, I was able to carefully scrape the stain/paint off, revealing a beautiful light metal. I lightly sanded the hardware to reveal a crisp new metal, giving it a brushed look as well.

Metal panel covered in primer and stain.

From right to left: Original condition; Stain removed;
(bottom) Primer removed & sanded to give a brushed look. 

Once the hardware was cleaned, I reinserted the kick plate and toe-nailed a screw in the underside, putting it back together. I used the wood filler to fill in the small saw line and then proceeded to fill in any other imperfections on the piece. Due to the fact that one of the drawer pulls was missing, I had to purchase (2) new knobs for the top smaller drawers. So, I filled in the existing hardware holes with the filler and drilled a new hole directly in the center, for the new knob.

Once the filler was dried, it was time to sand all the pieces down. I used a 60 grit, to get as far down to the the wood as possible. I used my power sander on the top and sides and did the rest by hand. 

Once the wood was free of stain, I wiped it down and began to paint, masking off the kick plate to preserve the nickel look. I used Chantilly Lace paint on the top and edges and Raindance paint on the sides and drawers. Applying the paint in long horizontal strokes looks clean and allows some of the wood grain to pop through the paint (I just love that look!). I applied about 3 coats of each. 

Allowing the paint to dry a couple of hours, I returned with the 80 grit sandpaper and began sanding the edges, giving it the distressed look. To add the darkened edges, I used a Q-tip soaked in Ebony stain and carefully went over each raw edge, immediately wiping the excess into the wood. This allows the dark color to blend into the paint better. 

The painting is complete... now onto the finishing details... I installed the hardware and then sealed the entire piece with a clear satin sealer, applied with a sponge brush. Viola!  Done! 

Total investment: $50
Time investment: 10 hours