I can't see anything missing but you're not going to find it at HD. It would be a shame to paint it - see how the grain forms a "V" in the center? That's book matched mahogany veneer. Why don't you let it stand out as the "star" of the room?

I see now - the scroll at the bottom of the footboard has a piece missing. Can't tell if there is something missing from the top center of the headboard since the photo is cut off. I'd just put a bench or something at the foot of the bed to hide the missing piece and touch up the scratches on the FB as best you can. That's assuming you're even planning to use the FB. I think $75 was a good price - at least around here it would be.

What a great find! It is beautiful. I am not bothered at all by old pieces that show a little bit of their age- I do too :)

I think it is a great bed. IMO I wouldn't paint it either.
Enjoy

Oh my God, that is gorgeous. I wouldn't paint it, I wouldn't fix the scroll either. I'd get some of that restore a finish, clean it up and enjoy it just the way it is. You got a great deal if you only paid 75.00 for it, an antique store would charge double that.

Please don't paint that bed frame. Clean it, leave it alone and, as lukkiirish said, just enjoy it!

That is a beautiful bed and well worth the price. I have been very happy with the wood pieces I've used Restor-A-Finish on, it really does a good job. There's no harm in using it first, seeing if you're satisfied with the look of the wood, and if you're not, you can still paint.

Although, being raised by a woodworker, I am another one who feels it's a shame to cover up that beautiful wood!

I too would stick with cleaning up the wood. Maybe ask your DD what she would like...she might even be interested in helping with the project. Great price and it is beautiful.

Another who says don't paint that lovely wood grain.....and if the missing piece bothers you you can get some wood putty and mold a piece and glue it in place and paint it to match the wood.....won't be perfect, but it'll make the missing piece less obvious without doing anything to the value of the piece.
You got a buy at $75....if you paint it it will be worth about $25 as just another piece of used furniture.
Linda C

Let me add another vote for keeping the wood grain showing. The woodgrain is what really makes the piece. Once you clean it up and have bed linens on it it will look great. Showing it stacked in a garage does not do it justice. Your DD will love it. $75 is a steal even with the missing piece.

I agree $75 is a great price for the bed. It's lovely and the little piece of missing trim is barely noticeable. That bed should clean up very nicely with some Restore-A-Finish. I'm in the process of redecorating my DD's room--also with vintage mahogany furniture. Some of the pieces I am painting white (but they don't look as nice as your bedframe), but we've decided to leave the nightstands mahogany. The advice I received here was that it is OK to mix painted and stained furniture, but to do it in a 1/3 to 2/3 ratio--not 50/50. I have also mixed things up a bit more by using a metal bedframe and coat rack.

I think you will be very happy with the results from Restore-A-Finish. If you've never done it before, what you want to do is clean the piece first with mineral spirits and then use 0000 steel wool to rub in the restore-a-finish. Howard's also sells a Bees Wax (Wax 'n Feed) which you can also use to give it some gloss as well as some water resistance.

Just wanted to add that I think the bed left stained would pair very nicely with her other furniture painted in cream. I choose BM Bavarian Cream for my DD's furniture.

Thank you for all your opinions and advice! I am anxious to get this home and see what it looks like in real life. I think I will leave it stained (see how R-A-F cleans it up) and then paint her existing furniture a cream colour (thanks for the tip valinsv on the paint colour & on how to mix painted & stained furniture).

I will post again once I get it home and in her room. I think I'm going to need your creative minds again, I'm a bit concerned that her dresser, nightstand & desk are more modern looking than this and may need advice on how to tie them all together (they'll be painted cream, but maybe could tie them in with knobs, a glaze or finish, etc). Or perhaps I need to start looking for furniture to match (CL here I come again!)

Thanks again for your help!

I love that bed, what a great price! I absolutely would not paint it!

Just to give you an idea, it might be fun to paint your other pieces in a color, instead of white. You could choose a color in the bedding that you pick. Just to give you an idea, I saw this:

Here is a link that might be useful: Wood headboard, pink nightstand

Same here - I would never paint that. Wow it is beautiful. A little cleaning and scratch repairs and that is stunning and for $75! It's fabulous!

Had the opportunity to pick up a bed like that 25 years ago for $75. Passed it up because that was too big a chunk out of our meagre budget at the time. Always regretted that bed....

Red

I love painted furniture, but don't you dare paint that.

Yes it would be gorgeous painted...that lovely Swedish look...but I would also vote to use the RAF and watch it glow. We did our girls room in a beachy look with aqua walls /white beadboard, white desk and shutters, but left the antique cherry fourposter. It's what makes the room special.
You got a deal!

Make a mold of the scroll from the footboard in that shrink-free modeling stuff you bake.

Then mold and bake the missing piece, glue it on and paint over it.

It's a nice bed, but painting a 1920s veneered mass-market bed is not a sin.

I've changed my answer this morning and I am going to agree with Leahcate. The bed is not a priceless antique, and quite candidly, if you were to paint it and resale it, it would be worth more. But I realize your not going to sale it, but rather use it. I would shabby chic it in white, and buy some wonderful linens for your daughter's bedroom.

....Jane

Note: Allison you've seen these kind of beds shabby chic---ed at Hannah's antiques. And they look very pretty, don't you think?

Fantastic bed & amazing price! I had DH stop and price something similar at our local junk hole for DD and the guy was firm at $175 for one and $200 for the other. Both needed repairs beyond a missing piece of carving.

I wouldn't paint it either (and I'm one to slap paint on just about anything w/in reason).

As for the missing piece - I guess I feel the same as Homebody - I think it gives it character. If you really want to replace it just call a local furniture repairer. They can just make a mold of an existing piece and make a new one for you and plop it on.

Wow. First off, I think you got a great deal. If your daughter wants it painted, by all means, paint it. That's what you bought it for! Don't feel guilty about it for one second. I think it will be gorgeous that way. The shape and the scroll detail is so feminine, I think painting it a soft shade of white or cream would add to it.

I personally think just giving it new life and a new home where it will become a treasured piece of furniture is enough to make it invaluable, not restoring it to its original condition. But, that's me. My two cents. Your mileage may vary...

I think it was a great deal and I would already picking out the paint if it were mine. It is not a great antique so painting will only enhance it! The carvings will really stand out and any missing scrollwork will be added charm.

I would paint that bed frame in a heartbeat for a more feminine, shabby chic look. My 15 year old DD's bed frame (and vanity) were in a very similar condition before being painted. This is how they turned out. I am actually posting other photos on a separate thread because I would love input regarding curtains for her room.

We bought the pieces online and they painted them before shipping them to us. But they did a horrible paint job. So we had to have them re-painted. It was okay because a local incredible antique lamp and vintage clothing/furniture store referred us to a local furniture painter. He primed the pieces and then did two finish coats for $165.00. We are in love with her new furniture! Now we need to find a chifferobe to paint and add to the room.

Either way that is a beautiful bed. I personally would love it more if it were white ; )

I was going to refer you to judydel's posting as well. I think it shows just how beautiful your bed can be!

filagirl, I am so happy to hear you are going to use RAF on that beautiful bed. Sorry Judy but I think all the charm and details are removed from a bed like that when it's all white.