Do you have outdated furniture that’s in good condition, but you’re not happy with how it looks anymore?
Why not give it a little makeover!
Updating your furniture can be so easy.
You’ll be in awe at this desk makeover.
See how we took this from a thrift store find to a beautiful piece in our home.
If you love to re-imagine old furniture pieces like us, then you’ll love our Modern Desk Makeover too!
And if you like a modern industrial look, take a look at this desk we built.
One of our favorite transformations is with grandpa’s old makeover with paint and cane.
Who else loves hunting for their next treasure to fix up from the thrift store?
Usually we happen upon the greatest finds when we’re not really looking for anything specific. This happened to be one of those occasions!
We’d recently moved into our first home and I came across this Pottery Barn desk for $20! There was no way I was letting it out of my sight! I quickly paid for it and brought it home to use as my craft table.
I used it just the way it was for many years. The wood had many scratches and gouges in it, especially on the desk top and around the legs.
That didn’t bother me. I’d snatched this sturdy name brand piece for such a great deal! Using it as a craft table I wasn’t too worried about getting glue or other materials on the wood in it’s current condition.
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Desk Makeover Step 1: Sanding
Within a year of moving into our new home, we finally had a room dedicated as an office/craft room! This was such a dream come true for me! Finally a space to store all of my craft supplies.
Once the room was finished I decided it was high time to give this Pottery Barn desk a makeover!
The first step to getting this desk into better shape required a light sanding to remove all of the scratches and gouges. Using a palm sander it didn’t take much time at all.
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Desk Makeover Step 2: Applying Stain
The desk makeover color scheme was chosen to mimic my sewing station in the craft room. The sewing station is made from white storage units as the base and a black counter top.
The wood grain on this desk is really beautiful and I wanted to keep that visible in the finished makeover. For that reason, I chose to use Minwax Ebony stain rather than a black paint.
(A tour of this room is coming soon.)
Applying stain is really simple to do. The surface needs to be free from any top coat or varnish to allow the stain to penetrate the wood.
Once the top had been sanded and the dust wiped off with a tack cloth, the Ebony stain was applied using a scrap of cotton fabric. There were a couple areas where the grain ran the opposite direction on this piece, make sure to apply the stain in the same direction as the wood grain.
Be sure to follow the directions on your specific brand of stain. Generally the stain is left to soak into the wood for a given amount of time and then the excess is wiped away.
The desk top has small grooves along the perimeter. We weren’t able to get that area sanded since it was so narrow. As a result the stain did not take to the grooved areas.
To fix this problem, we watered down a little black paint and dry brushed the areas that didn’t take the stain. After letting it sit for a minute,we wiped away any excess paint. The finished desk top looks great! You wouldn’t even know we touched up the grooves.
Desk Makeover Step 3: Applying Paint
After the stain had been applied to the desk top, we applied a coat of chalk paint to the apron and legs. This is such a simple step. Again, just be sure to apply the paint in the direction of the wood grain.
Whenever this Little Miss hears the word “paint” she always wants to be part of the process! She’s our little prodigy, it makes me so happy that she’s already developing an interest in the same things as us! It’s fun to have her by our side as we work together.
If you’re new here, welcome! We’re so glad you’re here.
Let us introduce ourselves, we’re Michelle and Steph, a mom and daughter team who love to DIY and decorate our homes.
Not only are we passionate about making our homes warm, comfortable and unique, but it’s our mission to help you create that same feeling in your own home.
You’ll find ideas for repurposing, creating, decorating and making your home truly yours, while always mindful of a tight budget.
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Plus you’ll also find a recipe or two as we share our family favorites with you.
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Desk Makeover Step 4: Distressing
Once the paint had fully cured, I again took the palm sander to the desk and distressed the edges.
I love all things that look weathered, worn and old! Distressing the painted areas was just what this desk makeover needed!
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Desk Makeover Step 5: Applying Sealer
Lastly the entire desk makeover needs a top coat. We applied 3 coats of Wipe-On Poly by Minwax to the entire desk, the top, legs, and apron. The Poly was applied using a scrap of cotton fabric.
A light sanding with a fine steel wool pad was completed in-between the 1st and 2nd coat. This helps ensure a nice smooth surface, while applying 3 coats gives it the protection it needs as a desk top work space.
I love the way this desk makeover turned out! It fits in perfectly with the rest of the office space! (I can’t wait to bring you on a tour!)
It’s a great spot to sit and craft, sew, do homework…and lately it’s been a great space for Dan to work from home while this crazy C-virus rocks our world.
Our home office really has been a life saver for us the last couple of weeks! I’m so grateful we have this dedicated work space.
What has helped you make the transition to work from home during this time of change? Are there any elements you’d like help with? Maybe getting your home office organized, or creating a dedicated space rather than sprawling out over the kitchen table?
These have been unique circumstances for sure! We’d love to hear how you’ve been coping. Drop us a comment down below.
We hope you found some inspiration for your home today.
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DISCLAIMER
This blog’s content is for entertainment purposes only and is not professional advice. By reading this blog and attempting to recreate a project, you assume all responsibility for any injuries or damages incurred. Read my full disclaimer here.
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Retailers We Love
- Anthropologie
- Birch Lane
- Crate & Barrel
- Joss and Main
- Lampsplus
- Mark & Graham
- One Kings Lane
- Pottery Barn
- Rejuvenation
- Serena & Lily
- Wayfair
- West Elm
- Williams Sonoma
- World Market
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You will also find our video tutorials on our YouTube channel.
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