Two coats of Zinsser 123 primer/undercoat. You might not even need to sand it before you begin, the primer sticks to anything so you don't really need a key. Only sand at the start if the current surface is a bit knackered. Sand in between coats with a 240 grit/superfine sand paper. Top coat, get the best paint you can afford, a trade paint is recommended. Go to a decorators merchants and ask them. Though any trade paint for interior wood would do, egg shell, mid sheen, whatever finish you like. Two coats of this, sand in between with the superfine. If you can be bothered try rollering the majority of the paint on, with a mini roller suitable for the paint your using. If done right it gives a good finish. Cut in any of the detailing, edges with a brush. Sounds like a lot to do but its pretty simple really.

I'm in agreement with the first comment but equally it may be decades until this style and colour of furniture is fully appreciated once more. I loved the 'Nocturne' range of furniture which Stag manufactured. Back in the early 1980's when I set up my first home my parents gave me their bedroom furniture. It wasn't too dissimilar to yours but I decided it needed modernising and, following the fashion of the day, which wasn't to paint furniture (so 1970's!), I stained it a different colour. We did quite a reasonable job but it never looked completely right. Eventually we got rid of it and bought something more modern for too much money on hire purchase. Idiots. Now, given the trend for 'mid-century' furniture Mum & Dad's old furniture would have been much sought after. As would all their old sideboards, wall units etc. which all ended their days as firewood. So we all do it. Some may have regrets but unless you've got room to store it until values increase, you've just got to do what suits you best. If it were mine I'd embrace the darker furniture look and not paint it but decorate your walls to show off the look and enhance the craftsmanship and design ethos that went into the dressing table originally rather than trying to change it too radically because it just becomes a piece of painted wood then. But that's my taste, not yours. Whatever you decide to do I hope you will continue to use this furniture for many years and be grateful for its quality, painted or otherwise.

No probs Claire. Quick search on google and found this which should hopefully help you: https://www.diypassion.com/2017/08/30/the-trick-to-removing-veneer-from-wood-furniture/ After some more research the cracked lines is something called checking which you sometimes get when when veneer is laid on top of wood where the grain is running in the same direction. Just my theory but exposure to heat (next to a sunny window for eg.) or humidity would cause the wood underneath to swell and contract more and over the years that movement would cause the veneer to lift crack and bubble. Although looking at the photos again I wonder if its been coated in some sort of resin. Either way you would need heat to remove it. Best of luck and hope all goes well. X

An off cut of quartz? It’ll be heavy and not sure how you would attach it, but it is resistant to scratching.