An awful lot of work goes on between these 'before' and 'after' photos. 
When I get a new piece I clean thoroughly & inspect it carefully so I can see what needs to be fixed (gluing, replacing etc). 

Then a good sand and filling of dings & scratches is the next step. 

If I plan to use lighter colours I ALWAYS apply a primer/sealer/undercoat in case of tannin blead. 

Then 2 or 3 coats of paint and often varnish for extra protection. 

Then comes the fun part: the finishing touches such as adding stencils, transfers, metallic paint, gold leaf, decoupage etc. 

With lots of waiting in between for things to dry. 

Once finished I also leave time for paint & varnish to cure before listing for sale.

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As you can see a lot of these pieces are damaged & quite ugly before their make over: but if they have good lines and are well made and 100% wood they are SO WORTH SAVING!