Ryan Fightmaster, MD

Writer. Furniture professional. Former practicing physician.

When this piece stumbled into my life, my jaw dropped. I’d never seen anything like it. And to think a major furniture manufacturer commissioned an artist to help style its’ hand-place geometric, brutalist relief?

To achieve the necessary restoration, which was really just a tune-up to its original form, I removed the finish from the top and side paneling, careful to avoid sanding through the veneer. Then, I stained the veneer with American Walnut stain from Varathane, allowed the stain to cure for 72 hours, then I followed the Mohawk way (EZ vinyl sealer, medium walnut toner, pre-cat gloss lacquer). And just like that, this piece was back to its 1970s disco glory.