Hey all!
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So excited to be sharing (finally) my desk makeover! I do not have a big master bathroom in my house and really no convenient way of doing my hair and makeup so I use a vanity. I’ve had the same little glass vanity for years that I’m too tall to fit under (made more for a kid) and it had no drawers or anything. No drawers meant tacky plastic containers galore and I felt like I was in a dorm room (those were the days). I had an idea in my head so I kept an eye out for a certain type of desk for almost a year wherever I went. And then it happened….. (enter in music and lightbeams from above)… I went to First Fridays in the West Bottoms. My husband amused me and took me there and I was in heaven! Jake has a hard time with thrift store things…he seems them as junk and I see way beyond that, but since I’ve done a few pieces he is beginning to trust me on my visions.
I found this old desk in one of the stores there and talked them down in price if I remember right to $20. Someone had tried repainting it already as you can see with the white areas.
I had yet to work with chalk paint so I decided this was the right project to give it a try. I decided to use Valspar Chalky Paint Finish from Lowe’s. I’ve heard great things about Annie Sloan chalk paint, but #1 it’s harder to find and #2 it’s pricey. Now if you don’t know anything about chalk paint perhaps the greatest advantage of using it is that you don’t have to sand OR prime!! It’s really like painting for dummies. It has great coverage and sticks to most all furniture.
Step 1: Remove the handles, remove any dust, cobwebs and in this case some spiders (EEK, thank you husband) Wipe it down with a wet cloth or a Lysol wipe to remove any dirt.
Step 2: You don’t HAVE to sand but i sanded the top where the old paint was lightly with an old sheet of sandpaper I had lying around just because I’m super cautious. Then make sure all the dust is cleaned off with a damp cloth.
Step 3: Using a natural bristle brush I started painting away! This paint is a bit thicker fyi. I think I ended up doing 3 coats since I was covering that dark brown and let it dry in between coats of course.
Step 4: Distress, I have never distressed a piece before and I wanted to try just a little bit so I took a sand paper block and gently sanded around the corners of the dresser and the drawers where I wanted it a little worn looking. No method to this really, I just went for it.
Step 5: Chalky Clear Sealing Wax (affiliate link)
I spray painted the handles. One of them was broken so I had to use another handle I had just lying around. It doesn’t really match but I will replace it later on! I wanted to add some color so I bought some wrapping paper in a color and pattern I liked to match my room. I just turned the drawer upside down and measured and drew a pattern to cut out all the pieces to line the drawers. I didn’t glue them in or anything just set the paper down in them for now. With makeup and hair products going in the drawers I figured it was a good idea to have some sort of barrier for protection plus it looks fun! My cat Picasso was the first to check it out! He made himself at home right away! The mirror is actually from a dresser that Jake hung on the wall for me. And the lights up above I bought from Ikea and Jake and his brother installed those. The chair I’ve had forever, I bought it a few years ago from Kirklands, the cats love to climb all over it. I also have a really cute lime green salon chair that I use for clients if I do any hair at home for friends or family. I put it in what I call my “closet room” which is an extra bedroom we have that I have made my own, I will post about that later!
So that’s it! I absolutely LOVE the way it turned out and I use it everyday! It has held up really well, I just take a wet cloth or wipe to clean it and I’ve had fun filling all the drawers with fun makeup and hair products (sorry husband)! What do you guys think??
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