From Dark & Moody to Blonde Beauty: Restoring My Heywood-Wakefield Kohinoor Vanity
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I have a soft spot for mid-century furniture — especially anything with those signature Heywood-Wakefield curves. This summer, I finally got my hands on a Kohinoor vanity, and what a ride it’s been.
I found it on Facebook Marketplace — half-stripped, missing shelves, and with it’s tambour door in pieces. I actually recognized it from an older listing I’d saved months before when it was painted completely black. The giveaway? Those same concave plastic shelves — and yes, I definitely have a bit of a furniture detective streak.
Loading it up was a bit of a laugh. While Chad and I were trying to wrestle this beauty into the truck, a little kid rolled by on his scooter and menacingly blurted out, “Bend over so I can take a picture!” 😳 His mom immediately scolded him, and Chad and I tried not to drop it! Now, it’s our little inside joke — and we still say it to each other randomly.
Once we got it home, mornings & evenings in the garage became my ritual — coffee (or tea) in hand, mouse sander buzzing like a tiny, precise lawn mower. I worked from 80-grit to 220, sanding by hand where the sander couldn’t reach, chasing every stubborn trace of black paint. There’s something deeply satisfying about revealing that original wood grain. It’s like uncovering a little secret.
The shelves needed some serious help, too. Those flimsy plastic ones were toast, so I used them as templates and had tempered glass shelves cut at Alamo Glass ($150 well spent — sturdy and shiny). For the stain, I went with Ipswich Pine to match my guest room headboard, then sealed everything with two coats of spray polyurethane for that soft satin glow.
The tambour door was an adventure in patience. I rebuilt it using duck cloth and hide glue, using the old piece as a guide. I’m missing two of the original slats, and there’s a little gap in the back, but honestly? I don’t mind — it just adds character. Sliding it into place and having it mostly work? That was my little DIY triumph dance moment.
On the back, it’s still stamped “Wheat”, a sweet nod to its original finish and history. The matching stool is still on my hunt list, but even without it, this vanity feels like a little crown jewel in our furniture collection.
A Little Heywood-Wakefield History
Heywood-Wakefield furniture has a cult following for a reason. The company started in the 1800s when Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Rattan Company merged, and by the 1940s–50s, their sleek blonde birch designs became icons of American mid-century modern style.
The Kohinoor line — named after the famous diamond — featured elegant curves, sculptural legs, and that signature warm finish of Wheat or Champagne. These pieces weren’t just furniture; they were statement pieces. Even decades later, they still turn heads for their craftsmanship and timeless style.
Restoring this vanity wasn’t just a DIY project — it was like giving a little piece of design history a second chance to shine. Missing a few slats with a gap in the back? That just proves it’s lived a life, and I love it all the more for it.
