When I came across this set, I hadn’t heard of Craddock Furniture from Evansville, Indiana. Thanks to some helpful refinishers (that could also double as amateur sleuths!), I was able to learn more about the company.
Materials:
- Annie Sloan’s Athenian Black chalk paint
- Annie Sloan’s clear wax
- Walrus Oil’s Furniture Butter
- Howard Products Feed-N-Wax
How I refinished this piece:
I started by cleaning this piece with Rustoleum’s Krud Kutter. It’s incredible how much dirt and grime can build up unnoticed! I spray, wipe with warm water and then clean. Following this, I change the water and with a new cloth, wipe any remaining residue.
The biggest learning was when I started sanding and uncovered the GORGEOUS wood grain. The whole piece is solidly built with different wood varieties. I’m in awe of its incredible construction.
There were a few areas that I knew would look good painted to highlight both the shape of the piece and the grain. I used Annie Sloan’s Athenian Black. Prior to painting, I taped and used General Finishes high-performance topcoat to seal the edges. This gives crisp lines after painting when the tape is removed. For the hard to reach spots, I used a small paint brush and for the rest, I used my Zibra Paint round brush. So satisfying when the tape is removed 
The wood was brought back to life with Walrus Oil’s Furniture Butter. I applied in a circular motion with a final pass in a straight line to remove the excess. After 24 hours, I repeated the process. I just LOVE this product and it provides amazing protection once cured.
The handles were actually two pieces! I removed the back plate and cleaned up the pulls. For this, I used a 1:1 ratio of water to white vinegar with a couple drops of blue Dawn dish soap. I brought to a boil, dropped in the hardware and let simmer for 10 minutes. I gently removed piece by piece with tongs and scrubbed using fine steel wool. I gave them final rinse and dried. Look how they shine now 
Once assembled, this piece has now been given an updated look and can be enjoyed for many more years!
I'd love to know what you think!