Help me find furniture that looks like this

November 2, 2016 6:33 AM

I saw this credenza on curbed and kind of love it. The coffee table as well. However at 7000 GBP it is probably more than we are looking to spend. I appreciate that quality case goods are expensive tho and am pretty open to other ideas. Does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts of other producers I should be looking at if I like this? Specifically what I like about it is the geometric nature of the pattern combined with the modern silhouettes.
posted by JPD to Home & Garden (9 answers total)

The brass inlay is what takes it from, say, 1000 GBP (at the outside) to 7k. Maybe the designer name too? Would you be willing to get a vintage or vintage style MCM credenza and DIY with metallic paint? Herman Miller comes to mind for vintage labels that are very much in this style (minus the color wash and brass).
posted by supercres at 6:49 AM on November 2, 2016

Response by poster: I would be open to paying someone to do that. I'm completely incompetent at fine detail work like that. How would I find someone like that? A decorative painter?
posted by JPD at 6:52 AM on November 2, 2016

Yeah, DIY is my first thought too. You should be able to find a piece with a similar shape at an antiques store, and then you can paint it yourself to include the pattern. You could probably use a stencil.
posted by kevinbelt at 6:57 AM on November 2, 2016

Look around Etsy to find woodworkers and/or furniture painters. Try messaging this shop about the feasibility of recreating it.
posted by Drosera at 7:11 AM on November 2, 2016

It's really gorgeous. Look in your area for a faux finisher. Ask to see some things they've done to check their skill level. It would take a lot of patience to do this exacting sort of work yourself but it can be done, especially if you don't mind a more freehand look. Basically you would buy a MCM dresser and

1. Call the faux finisher.

or

2. Do it yourself freehand: prime the entire thing in white. Spray the legs with bright brass metallic spray paint (or gold, whatever your preference). Easiest would be to then sponge paint the entire dresser in green, and then stencil gold. You could also paint the dresser metallic gold and use a green stencil over it, but the metallic may show through the green and give an off-tinge. It will also be more expensive paint-wise. Doing it all gold and then stencilling it green will give more of a brass inlay look though, since the metallic paint will be going on first, it will look "inlaid". There is surface prep required, especially if any part of the piece is veneer and not solid wood. When dry the piece can be lacquered via your choice of clear varnish treatment. Search google for "scallop stencil".
posted by the webmistress at 7:21 AM on November 2, 2016 [3 favorites]

The brass isn't even inlaid; it's an overlay, i.e. a thin layer sitting on top. I wouldn't bet on its staying put for all that long.

A stencil seems like a good way to go. Maybe find someone with a TechShop membership who can laser cut it for you?
posted by jon1270 at 7:23 AM on November 2, 2016

I'm a decorative painter. I'm not your decorative painter. Unfortunately, because I'd have loved to tackle this project!

I would certainly not paint/prime/sponge the surface, as this will not leave the wood grain visible. Instead, I would stain it with a transparent stain, adding more coats to the lower parts to create the ombre effect. Gold or bronze painted or stencilled lines over that, to add the look of the inlaid metal grid. Painted will look neater. Yes, that's tedious. Yes, that's why this cannot be done cheaply.

Good luck, I hope you find a solution that makes you happy!
posted by Too-Ticky at 7:50 AM on November 2, 2016 [4 favorites]

You can also get thin metal sheets with a similar detail from Amazon for $10 each and glue them to a stained cabinet.

Done that way, you could knock this project out in an afternoon once the credenza was stripped and ready for staining. Spray paint the metal sheets the appropriate shade of gold and seal them with a clear coat of spray paint. Done and done.
posted by jbenben at 9:44 AM on November 2, 2016

How about an ikea cabinet with the gorgeous doors and feet from Superfront? Plenty of brass accents and scalloped edges to be had! and you could start with a blue front and only fill in ( or have someone fill in) the milled scalloped details with gold paint? You could also contact a decal company that could cut a custom pattern out of gold adhesive sticker material and apply that on a (stained) wooden credenza.

Gorgeous piece, thanks for sharing!
posted by PardonMyFrench at 11:55 AM on November 2, 2016 [4 favorites]