I think it's wonderful you want to use your grandmother's furniture. I have a similar styled dresser and chest, and DH built around them in the master bedroom closet. I also don't care for the finish but it matters little where they are now.

I believe your grandmother would love it if you painted her furniture to look like your first picture ( which I love) so you could continue to use it. Then, when you look at it, it will fill your heart with joy, rather than disappoinment. Remember, the furniture is not your grandmother and you are honoring, not defiling, her memory to want to alter it to fit your younger taste.
Dee

Well put Dee.

~Jeana

If you love the look of the painted furniture with the stained top, then you already know what to do. I think it will look great. Plus it's a way to change things up.

I would recommend that you look into using chalk paint, as it does not require any prep or sanding. You can just paint right over the existing finish. The chalk paint can be waxed with a clear wax, which will give it a beautiful sheen and appearance. Dark wax can also be used to antique or highlight details on the piece.

Here's a picture of a piece painted in Annie Sloan's chalk paint:

It's beautiful.

I just finished a couple of vintage bedside tables in Duck Egg blue, and they turned out great.

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Keep the bail pulls with the pieces in a bottom drawer or something in case you want to put them back on some day.

Thanks for the replies. Computer problems have kept me from responding before now. I've looked into the chalk paint. I hope to swing by a distributor over the weekend when we go to OKC. I can't believe the paint holds up without sanding and prepping it.

pal, I've kept the old hardware. DH suggested that I toss it because I don't like it but I kept it just in case for the next owner or if I change my mind. Hey, it's been known to happen.

You all have made me feel much better about painting it. I don't feel to bad about painting because while they were my grandmother's pieces they aren't antique. She purchased the set when she moved to OK in 1986.

Keep the hardware (sorry, hubby). I can explain this further if you care. I was too cheap to buy new hardware for my bedroom furniture. I hated those little eagles and realized that I could break them off and just use the little brass eyelets and the handles as hardware. Love the idea of painting the bottoms of the cabinets and you may find once painted that the new hw doesn't really work that the hanging brass (even painted) may work better. Either way, good quality wood furniture can always be stripped back to the wood to restore original finish. I'd use a sander solution to prep the surface, although I hear with chalk paint you don't really need to. I wouldn't strip the piece because then the paint will get into the pores of the wood. Have fun with it.

jaysmom, I'd like to hear more about breaking off the eagles. I would much rather have the hanging handles than the ones I have because I've caught my clothing on them a few times. But I was limited on what I could use because the size was so small and I didn't want to pay more than a couple dollars for them since I had 40+ to change.

I had considered if I paint I could fill the existing holes and make new ones to fit whatever hardware I found.

Your furniture is wonderful....very 1950's to early 1960's in style and finish....good quality furniture. What youw ant to do is paint it to look like new cheap stuff made with particle board in some places.
If everyone who had their grandmother's furniture painted it and removed the hardware, we would not have any antiques.....however some sure did paint fine quality furniture and remove the hardware and replace it with some cheap newer stuff. I know because I have removed the paint and sought out old hardware to go with the old furniture I "un-painted".
If you paint it, it will look just like 1950's stuff painted. If you like that look, sell your grandmother's furniture and buy the cheap new stuff.

Clearly my post touched a nerve Linda. It is not an antique as it's a mid 80's piece of furniture. I guess I'm not one of those who won't change something because it might have value or a following in another 30-40 years. I do not like the new cheap mdf furniture as I stated already hence the reason for wanting to work with what I have. I wasn't however looking for a debate on the evil ways of painting furniture as I am well aware there are those that don't agree with painting. I was only curious as to if the look I am interested in lends to a certain style. I guess that maybe the cheap new stuff is a style?

Thank you for your input. :-)

I think the look is contemporary cottage. Meaning, an updated version of cottage, not necessarily the shabby chic cottage look. I think it's nice, and would be good for the furniture in question.

I had inherited some good quality pieces from my folks, a secretary and matching book case. They were definitely from the '70's, and in that heavy, spanish style. I painted them white and changed out the hardware and they're fresh now. I added some low end bookcases and added dentil and crown moulding to match the other piece, and now the whole wall looks like built in bookcases.

If the day comes that I want to change it out, I can strip that paint off and restain the pieces I got from my folks. They will be considered 'antiques' some day, I'm sure, but they're also from a mass produced manufacturer, so I'm not too worried about 'ruining' a fine piece of furniture. Same with most of the other pieces I've gotten, they're quality, but not the same as a fine masters piece.

I think Dee put it well. Good quality furniture is good quality furniture whether stained or painted and I don't think it will look cheap if you paint the sides. How drawers function, the depth and how far they extend out are all marks of good furniture, not just the finish. I find the cheap stuff is not good in that regard so I think it's a great idea to work with what you have and alter it to fit your present style. While good quality, they are not antiques and were mass marketed during the day. If you do as suggested and put the paint over the finish and use the wax crayons for any antiquing rather than sanding/distressing, perhaps even storing the before pics along with the original hardware, you leave your options open to restore them should you or future generations wish.

Just a quick history. The reason I went this route was because someone posted a pic of their new BR set. I realized it looked just like what I have but without those da** birds! Several people thought I was crazy and didn't understand what "eagles" I was talking about!
I had pictures of breaking off the eagles but I must have deleted them, and truthfully, posting pictures on this board is a nightmare for me-there must be an easier way but I haven't found it. First (and most important), look at the hardware. The spot in the front where the handles fit in must be 1 piece to the back. Sometimes the screw holes are in the wings and the handle fits in to another spot. The "eyelets" should be 1 piece with the eagle soldered to it. I tried several methods at first until I found the easiest one for me.
Anyway. Be careful (you don't want to snap the handle).
I took a vice grip at the edge of the wing and kept bending it until the handle released (here's where you need to be VERY careful). I took off the handle and then kept bending the wings until the eyelet released. The other side is easy because the handle is off. You then have 2 plain brass eyelets with a handle. I actually found it easier for the rest of them to attach the handle to my vice and took a little hacksaw to cut through the first eagle wing to release the handle (less chance of snapping the handle).

Does this make sense? If not, I can take a couple of pictures and post on the HGTV board, much easier to post pictures. Good luck and let me know.

To answer your original question, I agree that painted furniture (with a dark stained top) is a contemporary take on cottage/country/shabby chic. I don't know if any design book would say that, but that is what I think when I look at it.

I also really like the look of your inspiration photos, but have hesitated to do the same since I'm not sure if I only like it because it's trendy now. Also, I'm not sure if that style really fits what I want in my home...

So... in its current condition, your furniture reads "traditional." Will you not like it if your furniture reads more as "cottage" decor?

The furniture I had as a teen (many, many moons ago) was considered French Provincial. It was cream colored with a stained top, much like your inspiration picture. I hesitate to tell you that was in 1964 (really outing my age!), but I think it's still pretty. Even if it is trendy, I also think there's always room for trendy.
Dee

pesky, thank you. I kinda felt it leaned towards cottage but not shabby chic unless it was distressed. I'm not looking to distress it.

val, I agree. My furniture is still available from the manufacture with only minor changes 25 years after my grandmother purchased it. Had it been furniture from her youth or young adult years then I wouldn't consider painting only refinishing. But this furniture was bought when she was 80 years old, so it's not like it was something she had for a long time or was dear to her.

jaysmom, thanks for the how to. I'll dig out my eagles and see how they are attached.

lauren, I don't know how I feel about it as a more cottage feel. But I don't tend to follow trends. I find stuff I like and go with it. I don't expect I'll do anything for sometime to come yet. My masterbath is schedule for complete gut and remodel first. Then I'll see how the bedroom relates to the bathroom and what needs changed.

dee, some trends are classic trends like subway tiles. I'll do more soul searching before anything happens.

Appreciate all the input.

I'm 'on the cusp', Traditional with a French flair, and feel painted furniture works in quite well. I have a couple of pieces i've had painted black for a few years, but am now moving toward the blue/gray, so am considering re-painting. IMO, it's the *style* of the furniture that dictates the a decorating style, not whether it's painted or stained.

As for "painting it will make it look like 50's stuff", not true. Painting furniture is not necessarily a 50's look/style~~just my 2 cents. ;o)