Is there a way to remove paint from a piece of old wooden furniture without damaging the stained wood beneath?

by unknowing

When I was a child I painted my great grandmothers corner shelf with pink paint (latex I think.) Now that I'm older, I know how terrible it was to paint it. The shelf is solid wood. But, I don't know the type of wood. It was stained with a dark stain before I covered it with paint. Now I would like to try and return it to the original condition if it is possible to do so.

I'm hoping that someone can tell me how to remove the paint.

ANSWER

You will need to remove all the paint by either sanding or with a paint remover that you brush on and scrape off, but in either case the old stain will come off also. Your best bet is to try and re-stain the furniture to its original color then varnish it. Just remember that stain darkens with age so you may not be able to match it exactly.