It looks regency to me, because of the flanking columns and perhaps a bespoke craftsman made it to a clients order. If it's a mahogany veneer, is the inlay detail real or painted? I would think painted for this style. it is a nice serpentine, although rather than being of one style, it may just be as they wanted it. It was commonplace in the 40-50s to have quality furniture made to order as we now do with joinery. queen Anne was popular at his time, and you can see an influence there.

Howard's have a product called Restor a finish. You can also get feed and wax. I have seen some lovely handles from Anthropologie online (they ship to Australia!) You could also use the keys and put large tassels on them as a display in the keyholes. This often looks lovely and very French! I'd take off and remove a lot of the ornaments you have on top and put French Provinical style things there. You could have a vignette of things that relate to that style you like. Or why not try a vignette of older styling of the things you already have?

Very nice. I believe now you can buy paint which you can just simply paint directly over stained furniture and then finish off with a colour. For when our extension is done, which will increase the kitchen size, whilst adding a sun room, I plan to buy a second hand tall buffet with upper glass doors, for extra storage and display of my fav pottery or crockery. I hope to paint it black with pale lime green interior to match our island bench, already in our kitchen, which has an attached tall paintry, both are clad in vj, the rest of our kitchen is white with grey bench tops and classic black metal handles throughout. Everyone comments on it's uniqueness. We have never been afraid of colour.

I have used Annie Sloan chalk paint on a table. I did a progressive story here on Houzz, 'painting a table', I have also painted a tv unit and a small desk in the chalk paint and wax. A site called the purple lady shows good techniques etc. I buy the paint on line from a shop in Perth as I live in country WA. Some before images Image 1 and 2 are before, Image 3 after Image 4 in situ with the painted table (that has its own story) :)