GCSciencechick, the Empire period was around 1815-1840. That means that Empire furniture is coming up on 200 years old now. As said, an Empire renaissance is coming, with appreciation for itincreasing dramatically--along with its price. If only I'd liked Empire more, I'd have been collecting it for decades as for most of my life it's been the only genuinely antique, fine quality furniture I can afford good pieces of. That said, yours is in poor condition, which will probably severely limit its price and restoration appeal for another few decades--until the good-condition stuff becomes prohibitively expensive for most people. AND you don't like it. Someone may have suggested this, but if you don't pass it on to someone who does want it, you might consider applying a coat of something removable to protect what is left of the original finish and the wood, then go ahead and fill and paint over that. Turning that homely, beat-up old thing into something that would be appreciated and cared for over these coming decades is not the worst thing that could happen to it by far.

Ditto the advice on purging. But only if you have the time. I did a major downsizing a few years ago, moving from a house (1400sf) my ex and I had lived in for 20+ years to a tiny beach cottage (700sf). Boy, can you accumulate a lot of junk in more than 20 years in the same place! Plus my parents had passed a few years before and I still had boxes of stuff cleared from their house that I hadn't addressed. It took me about a month to go through everything and toss what I was sure I would no longer need. I was ruthless - anything I hadn't used in the last couple of years went. As well as a few things that were reminders of an unhappy marriage (treated myself to a new set of dishes and a bunch of new linens!!) Anything usable went to charity, the rest I took to the dump (thank God for pick-ups!!). I packed everything myself, using some of the great tips already mentioned. And I did have the luxury of moving gradually, taking boxes to the new place whenever I could (usually a trip a week). I had family help on moving day with all the furniture and whatever remaining boxes there were. Garbage bags can be your friends :-)) I used them for all sorts of soft stuff - pillows, linens, even clothes. They make great padding/stuffing between the furniture, etc. Moving day was stressful enough that I opted not to spend that night in the new place but stayed in a hotel and indulged myself. Plus I still had a lot of clean up to do in the old place so staying close to the old location was just more practical. The one issue that hasn't been addressed is moving any outdoor stuff. I am a serious gardener and had a lot of garden supplies, tools, ornaments and plants in containers that I just could not/didn't want to part with. And houseplants! These all took a full box truck on their own. That was my last move on my own or with family and friends helping. If/when I ever move again, I will pack all my stuff (just need that sense of control and attention) but I will hire someone to do all the loading and unloading under my supervision. It's all doable. Just take a deep breath, make lots of lists and cross off chores as you accomplish them. Get whatever help you can and remember to take some time for yourself, whether it just be a long soak in the tub or indulging in a mani-pedi or a leisurely lunch with girl friends. It will be all over soon :-)

net,,,it you can't sand, then get a paint deglosser. you have 15 mins after application to paint. but you will need a primer first before applying the paint. I use Zinsser oil base primer in the spray can, or if the furniture is really glossy, even after de-glossing, then try this one you will have to use one of those sponge block sanders after priming. use your hand to feel for rough spots. once it feels smooth, blow off any dust w/vacuum or small blower. then wipe clean w/damp cloth or tack cloth. make sure wherever you paint is free of dust. throw down a sheet or paint cloth. I use a spray bottle on mist w/water and mist all around the piece to keep lint and dust from flying up on the fresh paint. use Advance paint or General Finishes milk paint. these are both great for furniture that gray color you like is Driftwood Gray or SeaGullget the best brush you can afford. Purdy or wooster. 3" and a smaller angled brush for painting around the moldings. thin w/a bit of water if the paint is too thick. brush on, and do not go back and forth. once dry, fine sand w/wet sandpaper at 600 grit. I'd use this on the top portion where you will have brush marks. lightly wet/sand to knock down the high edges. wipe w/water. paint 2nd coat.

I don't think this is an extremely old piece. The thing about basing "age" on ownership by a grandparent or even great grandparent is that they might not have stopped buying at a certain point in time. Even if you are basing solely on his "age, he would have bee purchasing it presumably during his marriage which would have been sometime in the late 1920's or 1930's presumably. My mother was born slighty later than your Great Grandfather as she was born in 1919. She started furnishing a home in the 1950's and there would be no way to "date" the items in her home based on her year of birth since they included MCM, Victorian, Art Deco, 1970's and 1980's of various styles including reproductions - e.g. a painted secretary in what was probably a vaguely French Provincial style. I think she probably bought a few items in faux or authentic Heywood Wakefield style when she was first setting up her home as she was nostalgic about that style. She bought at various times in her life and from various sources including new, antique stores and estate sales. Based on the wood and the style my semi-educated guess would be that your piece is from the 1920's or 1930's. Really the question is whether you like it enough to spend a considerable amount of money to have it refinished? I had (or have) a vintage bedroom suite from the 1930's in the Waterfall style. When I remodeled I decided I still liked the style enough to use some parts of it in my new bedroom and so I had the armoire and dresser refinished. I had the vanity turned into two end tables which were also refinished. I think the actual construction my furniture is a bit like yours as mine has the "fancy" wood but it is a veneer and also has some other touches typical of that style. The company that did the job did a beautiful job but it was as expensive as my buying high end new furniture. I did it because after looking at new stuff I realized that I liked the old furniture more than what I was seeing. FWIW the same company also refinished a solid Art Deco solid wood "bar" and did a custom dining room table that was based on a French Art Deco table. I have a somewhat dinged up Chnese Deco which is in its chipped "shabby chic" state because I still love it but I don't see how it could possibly be restored given the intricate nature of its design. Find out how much a good professional refinish will be and then decide whether you love the piece enough to spend that amount. Or if you want to just keep using it in its current condition and not spend the money.