Maybe refinish but don't paint

Looking at the images, these have a simulated "bamboo" exterior, or is it real? Growing up my parents had a Bamboo looking credenza, mom was tired of the bamboo look so dad painted it with a high gloss white lacquer.
It gave the piece a much higher end look. I can't tell what the drawer front it exactly , but if that is some other fabric of finish, that might be the opportunity to add color or a unique finish. Hope that experience helps!

These tables are becoming quite vogue in furniture stores. Put unusual lamps on top and a few books for accent and maybe you'll like them. I think they are quite nice and unusual.. I would not paint. Paint is hard to dust and keep clean.

HI -- I don't think any paint is going to help these .Gorgeous --- "Not". I don't think they were ever meant to be painted . True you can paint anything these days , but........ I wouldn't paint them. They are strange and kind of quirky and that might be reason enough for you to keep them . So it's up to you I guess , wether to paint, or not ,or get rid of them . I am waiting to see what others say !

I was immediately attracted to these tables. To me they have an Asian influence, I would not paint them and would be happy to take them off your hands ;)

I think they are cool and would use, as is. However, having said that, it appears that the legs are not as "beefy" as the rest of the table. Maybe that is what you are not liking.

I thank you for all of your comments! I will leave them as is for awhile at least, and consider the changing out the handles. And Margo, if I ever consider getting rid of will try to contact you. You guys are great and and I appreciate all of the varied ideas.

I wasnt certain if these were tables , foot rests or seats so I'm glad to see the consensus is "table". I think the bamboo is lovely. I wouldnt paint them.

I would not paint them. Clean them up and put pretty lamps on them. Maybe a ivy plant on one, figurine, candle sticks etc. on the other. I would suggest glass on top to span the top part but not sure that would look right I think when you get them polished, and sitting in place, they will look altogether different. Looks like fabric on the doors....right? If so, change out the fabric and the pulls and give them a different look. I see a lot of possibilities..

thank you Erin...I might have to try that with the glass. The drawers are metal fronts.

I am with lefty47. I like Asian and I like different; I don’t think these two pieces are either. Something is off with the style, a little 50’s and little deco, and just kind of weird.

(Now watch, now that I have said this, some appraiser is going to say they are from a high end manufacturer and are worth millions:>)

Is there any kind of identifying stamp or label?

The skinny legs holding up the stools looks bizarre and now I am on the hunt for something that looks like the style you have there and I found this....so, already I am wrong about the looks.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Rattan-Bamboo-Table-/370573582320

I think they are stools. What if you send the picture on to places like 1stdibs.com and see if anyone recognizes them.

I agree, stools; funky, odd and fun, but not gorgeous...don't paint

Very quirky Asian stools. Don't paint them. I would get round glass tops and fashion them into side tables for indoors or outdoors. Add greenery or a potted orchid and you instantly get new life out of these

Must be Asian if they are stools ;)

No paint.

Thank you all! haha, no paint it is. I think they are stools, cuz I think that little dip is for the seat. but they are pretty low to the ground.

I think these are great pieces. It depends on the space you are using them in. Great as is with maybe a glass overlay, however if the décor is more clean-line and modern then I would paint them.

HI -- Interesting responses --- you could just paint the leg base , either white or black , and leave the top as is. But to tell you the truth -- I think they are ugly and I like Asian style furniture ,-but these are not Asian but rather tacky Polynesian or Hawaiian import stuff . I don't think they are valuable at all . More Tikki style I think . Asian furniture is not known for comfort .

Have you inspected the pieces of furniture closely to see if there is a marking?

OOH, I rather like that idea from lefty47...I would opt for the black to make the bottom appear more weighty and would keep with the Asian look ;)

try a thin cushion on top and 'line' the scrolly section underneath the seat with the same fabric -- brighter, happier, and still retains lovely wood intricacy.... (if not for sitting, then use foam cushion to 'fill' the curvey top with color to a height you put a board across ...with a placemat cover like the current top of the tables/seats CostPlus World Market might have that type of placemat

Hi Lefty, thank you for that good idea. I think I like it! Maybe I will line the drawers in a print. Gives me more to think about.

another question. Is the metal hardware a drawer pull?

Yes, the metal (or tin) pressed metal fronts are drawers with pulls. I keep my various chargers in them.

lefty47- for shame you call these beauties ugly and tacky. You have got to have a vision...I see them as the belle of the ball- guess the old saying applies * beauty is in the eye of the beholder* but I have been losing my vision with age :)

These are made in China. Obviously just a couple of pieces I was taken by... Margo, you are right, we all have different ideas of beauty or not! Anyway, besides consigning these to the garage, and since I have received a few comments, what would you do for this room. Be brutally honest! I plan to corral all the small stuff and relocate to a more suitable spot but most of the little things were gifts.

maybe the stools are placed too close together? How would they looked if each piece was moved over a little to their respective side?

OK- now you guys will probably think I am really a whack job, but if you are on the fence about keeping the 2 polynesian stools, why not cut the base off and put the top halves of them on top the book shelves (one on each bookcase top). I can see it...can you?

I would paint them with Annie Sloan chalk paint it some great color like Provence mixed with old white.

Margo, now that is an idea! You have got your think in' hat on , on a Saturday night. Thank you guys so much for commenting. Will you mind if I ask your help on my whole house? It is only a small, little house in Houston suburbs.

Xmjb... Shoot, I like it.

Would they work as footstools? Put one in front of one of the black chairs, and put a pillow or folded blanket on top and see if that's comfortable. If it is, you could have cushions made to fit. I'd like them more painted in a bold color. They are "almost Asian" looking, and you could play that up with red lacquer.

I know I specialize in choosing colors every day.. but honestly I would NOT paint them. The original color and the original design is part of their beauty.

Or an unusual coffee table. turn both so that they are back2back with drawers facing out. Put a tempered piece of glass /or acrylic top. let the intricate weaving peep through

I was thinking coffee table, too, but I was just thinking side by side in place of the current one, but I think that idea of back to back with some glass sounds great. I also like the idea of them on top of the bookcases, but I wouldn't cut anything off of them. In fact, before I did anything to them, I think I'd get them appraised just to make sure that I wasn't going to damage something that was really rare and turned out to be valuable. Chances are that they are just an unusual item, but there's nothing that makes one sicker than to realize that you had something of value and did away with it. I'm a middle-aged lady, and I had a Beatle lunchbox when I was a kid, that my mom threw away when the thermos bottle broke. I almost fainted a few years ago when I was watching a show where this guy collects old lunchboxes-I believe the company that made them was named Aladin-and found out that my old lunchbox would have been worth $3000! To add insult to injury, even the broken thermos would have been worth at least a thousand dollars. Obviously it never occurred to us that the Beatle stuff would be valuable some day. So, you never know when something might turn out to be valuable, So, unless you already know that they are just unusual, but not valuable, I wouldn't paint them, and certainly wouldn't do surgery on them.

O K...which one of us is “my dear”? I’m too old, so I’m out of the Serious Relationship before I got into it!

Put a pillow on them and use as a footstool. Don't paint.

how do you report someone? Thank you!

Omg. Houzz has turned into a dating site?? It's funny but creepy. I've never seen this person before, has anyone? To report go to my Houzz you can send a message to them.

I have also sent email to Houzz. Above poster has 60 of the same posts to others.

Boy, Ciata gets around, doesn't she? But, back to the stools. I was wondering what they might look like without the drawers, and that vacated space painted? That is, if they aren't really valuable. And if that is the case, also like taking the legs off and putting them on top of the bookcases. That is a cool idea.

They seem too tall for stools or a footstool unless you remove the legs and opt for shorter bamboo legs. Oh, I didn't see the Julie's photo above. Just put a pillow on them and call them good.

Yes, I tried them with chairs and I would need to cut down legs. Maybe I could remove the curli-cues (sp?) while I am at it.

Put them under a window, with a soft cushion. Instant cat bed :D

I think Margo's idea of citing off the legs and putting hem on top of the bookshelves is spot on!

Sorry for the typos...dumb predictive text!

Also, once you cut off the legs, you could put a piece of granite, wood slab, cushion, whatever on the legs and make them foot stools or plant stands or something...