Lee, before.
I began by removing the top from the base. To the base, I removed rust and dirt build up with CLR. It still felt dull to me, so I used a Rust-oleum metallic spray in brass to liven it up. For the top, I sanded it and made some minor repairs. I then applied several coats of red latex paint, leaving those awesome stripes to expose the wood. There you have it!
