Art Deco Sideboard, 1930s Beautility Oak Sideboard

This sideboard really caught our attention!  Its Deco details are so striking,  We absolutely love the circular design on the front, its beautiful decorative mouldings and classic elegant shape.   This stunning 1930s Art Deco sideboard is by Beautility Furniture, London.  It was designed by Ronald Sadow (the eldest son of the owner and founder of Beautility) between 1935 and 1937 and is a very desirable and attractive piece of furniture.  
 
Not only is it fabulous to look at, it's also hugely practical.  The central cupboard is spacious, with a fixed shelf and two drawers, so plenty of storage.  Both of the sides open up to reveal additional storage space.  On the left side there is a swing-out drawer and underneath is a cupboard with a removable shelf.  On the right side there is a swing-out drawer at the top, underneath is a cupboard with a pull-down door which has glass on the back, perfect for preparing a drink.  Underneath that is another pull-down door with a cupboard.  The main cupboard area has room for bottles on the fixed shelf and also in the cupboard on the left side of the sideboard.
 
When we found this sideboard, it was in quite a sorry state, but we knew that despite its condition, it was a real treasure.  First of all we gave the sideboard a thorough clean and undertook some necessary repairs.  We then removed layers of its dark shellac finish to reveal the mellow oak underneath.  As there was damage to the veneers on the circular detail, we painted this.  We chose a gorgeous green called Bayberry, by Fusion Mineral Paint.  This green works so wonderfully with the oak's mellow tones and adds a real touch of elegance and sophistication to an already stylish piece. The surface of the knobs on the front were very worn and so we dipped these into a Byzantine Gold pigment by Posh Chalk and added layers of a gloss varnish.  The veneer on the top of the sideboard had extensive damage and so this was removed and the top painted.  The bottom side panels required lots of filling and so these were also painted.  The knobs on the side drawers and cupboards were not original and were completely different to the knobs on the front; there was also one missing.  We carefully sourced satin brass replacements that would work with the circular design on the doors and also complement the knobs on the front.  

Beautility are well known for their mid-century, walnut finish cabinets, but we absolutely love this oak finish, which was used on some of their earlier cabinets. There are a number of different tones and grains to the oak veneers used, with varying mellow tones and shades, rather than one uniform colour. As you would expect from an item of furniture dating back to the 1930s there is age-related wear and tear with some dinks and knocks. This is an inherent part of its story and character. There were areas where the veneer was missing and these have been filled; the repairs had colour tints applied to blend them in. The sideboard has been thoroughly cleaned, sanded and refinished inside and out.  Inside we used a gloss varnish to the wood and a matt varnish to the painted drawers.  The outside has been finished with a matt varnish to protect it and enhance its beautiful golden glow.  The painted areas have also been finished with a matt varnish to give added protection. The drawers have been lined with a wipe clean liner with a William Morris design – pink and rose – in sage green.
 
This rare sideboard is a beautiful item of furniture that would fit perfectly into a vintage home, but would work equally well in a more contemporary setting. It truly is a solid, stunning piece of 1930s history!
 
Please read the condition report in full below for additional information.
 
Dimensions:
 
Height: 100cms
Width: 122cms
Depth: 45.5cms
 
Additional dimensions:
 
Height includes back rail.  The main cupboard  has a total height of 38.5cms above the fixed shelf, a depth of 34cms and a width of 93cms.  The height underneath the closed swing-out drawers is 30cms.  The area under the fixed shelf has a height of 30.2cms, width of 47.2cms and depth of 40.5 cms.  The internal dimensions of the drawers are 11cms high, depth is 31 cms and 35.5 cms width.  The cupboard on the left side of the sideboard has a total height of 57.5 cms, width of 38.5cms and depth of 11.8cms.  The right side top cupboard is 28.8cms high, width is 39cms and depth 9.12cms. The right side lower cupboard is 28.8cms high, width is 39cms and depth is 10.5cms.  
 
Condition report:
 
We are always delighted to be able to rescue and refinish beautiful, good quality, vintage, furniture. We lavish them with care and attention, clean them thoroughly and breathe new life into them, but we can't make them look like new - and we don't want to!  These are character items and their imperfections are an integral part of their story. As a vintage piece from the 1930s it does show signs of use and age, but these do not detract from its style and practicality. 
 
It's always a balance when refinishing pieces; we want to make them look attractive again without compromising the integrity of the piece and its inherited patina and character. We have thoroughly cleaned and refinished the sideboard inside and out and made good the areas that needed repair, but have not tried to erase all signs of its previous life and use. Some areas of the oak veneer were missing and we filled the larger areas and then tinted with acrylics to blend in.  The sideboard is made with oak veneers which have natural variations in tone and grain, so it is not one uniform colour.   There is some wear to the backplate of the front knobs.  There is a small dink to the edge of the glass on the back of the side cupboard door (pic included).  There are some dinks and areas of wear and tear and discolouration to the wood, as you would expect from a sideboard that is over 90 years old, but there is plenty of life left in this gorgeous piece.  Please note that you can see the grain/texture of the wood beneath the painted areas.  
 
If you are looking for an off the shelf, mass produced, item with a perfect factory finish, this isn't the piece for you, but if you want a special and unique one-off, that you definitely won't find anywhere else - you've found your perfect match!  If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch.