This pretty desk didn’t always look so pretty.  It was well worn and had lost it’s charm.  The top was not the original, it was laminated plywood and didn’t match the desk at all.  Overall it had good bones and the top would be an easy fix.

I had taken before pictures of this desk but unfortunately I am unable to locate them…ugh!  It is almost exactly the same as the desk I did a few months ago.  (click here to view)

The lady I did this desk for is also the same lady who had me do her primitive cupboard. (A definite MUST SEE!!  Click here to view!)

She had seen the first desk I updated and was wanting one like that for herself.  Unfortunately the first one was already sold.  So she asked me to keep my eyes open for another to custom paint for her, and to my luck I found one almost exactly the same but a teensy bit smaller.

After a bit of indecisiveness as to what color to paint it, she chose to go with a (very classy) antiqued distressed linen finish.  I love this finish because it always turns out so pretty no matter what it is painted on…and it is a neutral so no matter where she moves (home wise) it will match any room.

I used a mix of the old pulls with some new round pulls for the drawers.  Both were painted in a deep chocolate color and give the piece that extra feel of richness.

The body of the desk was given a good sanding followed by 2 coats of Miss Mustard Seed’s Linen Milk Paint.  I did not want the paint finish chippy so I added bonding agent to my paint.  When it was dry I went over it with a fine grit sandpaper distressing it just on the outer edges to bring out the details and lines of the piece.  After a thorough wipe down, I went over the entire piece with MMS Dark wax to antique the linen color.

Since the top the desk came with was not appropriate to reuse, I replaced it with a lovely piece of wood with a real birch veneer.  I sanded and stained the new top with a deep colored chocolate stain protecting it with a varathane finish.

Now, no desk is complete without a matching chair.  I decided that in keeping with the shabbiness of the distressed desk, that the chair too should be shabby.  I painted the chair in the same linen color only I decided that this time I would leave the bonding agent out in order to allow it to become chippy looking.  I love the way it turned out!  It may be a little too chippy for some but for me I love it. It too got a nice coat of dark wax in order to seal the paint from further chipping.

I upholstered the seat in a striped linen that would compliment the browns in the desk top and hardware and bring out the color in the dark wax as well.

Another “broken” turned Beautiful!

… and I couldn’t be more pleased! :0)

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Have a fantastic weekend all!

Smiles!

Terry

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