I think a glossy yellow would be great!

Or some color of pink would be good with the gray. You can also pick out the details in white after you paint it a color, if you like.

i'd put it in place in the dining room and live with it for a while before deciding.

If you have some colorful art to hang over it, gray would make it pop.

I just had a similar piece done in laquer turquoise.... the other possibility was laquer orange. It is gorgeous.

Yellow or white would both work, I think. But, if I had to choose, I would say white is more timeless and just go with a fresh, glossy coat.

I love the Citrine color, or a nice fresh grassy green. I also like th lacuqered stop-sign red, that is very traditional to Japanese furniture.

Good luck!!!

if the only yellow in the room is in the rug, I would accent it by painting the piece yellow.

When I saw it I thought of a really nice banana leaf green, like Lisa. You could tape it off and paint the raised trim an accent color, too. Please show us pictures when you're done with it!

My first thought was a deep, rustic red. Nothing too glossy - I don't think you want this piece as the focal point in the room - but I think a deep red could act as a nice grounding neutral (like the walnut table) in your yellow/gray/white color palate. You could even paint the top with a faux dark-gray marble finish to tie in with the color theme.

http://www.fromtherightbank.com/2009/04/yellow-gray-and-red/

I think yellow would be fabulous! It's just paint, and you can repaint it if you get tired of it down the road. Whatever color you go with, pick it up in a few accents around the room!

Off-white.

What about the green that you have in the upholstered bench by the front door? Similar to the banana leaf green others are calling for. Also, it looks like the hardware was painted white. Maybe strip the paint off, or change the hardware to something to match your other metallic accents.

I thought yellow until I saw the dining table so I think off white and add gold/navy/yellow accents that will work with the rug.

I would get a large vintage bamboo style mirror and paint the frame laq. yellow or bronze gold and place on top of dreesser. Love the piece.

The girl from High Heel Foot in the Door painted a very similar style desk in bright Kate Spade green - paint color was Shamrock by Behr. It looked RAD.

http://high-heelfootinthedoor.blogspot.com/2010/07/weekend-recap-work-work-more-work.html

High gloss orange for the bamboo dresser. Ohhhh yeeaaaaahhhhhh.....

yellow would be gorgeous! Nice find BTW,
post pictures when it is done and in the room.

I painted a similar piece (more like a bachelor's chest - I use it in my living room) French Bulldog Black by Martha Stewart. I don't think they make that anymore; it's a subtle black but unmistakably black. Then I put a few thin coats of water-based poly all over it in a satin sheen (not too glossy).

I get tons of compliments on it and everyone wants to know where I got it. The black works and it's versatile and the look is exactly what I wanted. What's so funny is that it really is a 30 year old cheap piece of furniture.

So, several coats of black you love followed by a few coats of low-sheen water-based poly. I like the suggestions of color like yellow, turquoise, orange, green, etc. If you go that route really think hard about it, because as straightforward and rewarding as this project is it still takes a good bit of time and effort. Before I decided on black, I primed the top of the piece and painted a few areas in different colors from sample pots.

Good luck.

whatever color you use, make it bright + glossy! i think pale, muted or flat colors make a piece like this (which is so fun) look dated + depressing. can't wait to see what you do!

Another idea came to me - what if you picked a solid color for the base (white, gray, yellow) and went with a walnut finish for the details? That would be a great tie-in with the table without being boring or plain.

if you're looking for an easy project, one uniform color would be great.

but if this is planning to be the focal point of the room, why not paint with bamboo border white and the main parts of the piece a color?

I love the idea of a punchy glossy paint job and I think any of the colors above would be great. Maybe you could find some cool new hardware to spruce it up, too.

I very much like the idea of black or turquoise, but my instinct is to lacquer in opaque white and strip the metal hardware. The piece is great but needs some contrast. Great find!

I like glossy black for this style of bamboo furniture because it brings out the Paris Apartment style inherent in anything Chinoiserie.

So - the day has finally come when my childhood dresser is called "vintage". Paint it yellow and send it back in time to go with my yellow shag rug with blue, pink and white flecks and the ballerina wallpaper.

Personally, I would paint it a candy apple green or a natural bamboo green.

Maybe, since it's the dining room and red supposedly a color that appeals to the appetite, you can paint it red.

I like to orange or red suggestions.

Two ideas:

1. I've noticed a very new trend for cheap old furniture stripped back to the base wood and then left alone. It looks very raw and earthy. Of course this only works with solid wood, so if this piece is particleboard or veneer then forget it.

2. Glaring colours like mimosa and turquoise are getting a little old. Flick through a paint chart and find colours that are a subtle blend of mainstream colours, like amber rather than yellow or orange.

My mother still has this set she bought with her first paycheck back in the 60s! The original finish was buttery yellow with tiny golden yellow streaks like a brushed faux-finish. Where the bamboo joins meet is creamy white.