You are fighting the natural color of wood trying to take a warm wood and make it cool grey. Paint is the easiest option. I do have to question why you want to do it to such a nice piece of furniture.

Yes, I do recognize. It’s a big change. So I should probably use a chalk paint or milk paint in a gray color and then maybe a darker glaze over it to give it a weathered look?

I want to make it a driftwood gray color to match some other pieces in my cottage master bedroom