Happy Thursday, friends! Have you ever bought an old, dated desk and wondered how to refinish it? If so, come on over and see this amazing DIY project my son did for his wife’s new office! How to Refinish a Desk!
If you follow along, you know our son, Chase, his wife and infant son moved to our area about a month ago. (YAY!) They purchased a beautiful new home and have been busy moving in and decorating ever since! This is their first home purchase after years of renting in the New York City area, and it’s quite a bit larger than their previous apartment. Suffice it to say, they needed several big ticket items for their new place. A desk being one of them! So, while they were awaiting the arrival of their furniture, they started desk shopping!
As luck would have it, they found the perfect desk at the first antique store they visited! The size and scale were right and the price was right too! For less than $100 they found this beauty. I wish we had taken a true “before” picture but my son was so anxious to get started, we both forgot! But, you can see, the original finish on the desk was a light oak color. Chase decided the best way to update the desk was to refinish it by staining the top and painting the base. He began by sanding the top using an electric palm sander.
So, he sanded…
And sanded…
And sanded some more! It took nearly two hours to sand the entire top surface of the desk. Now that the old stain was removed, the desk top was restored to it’s original state. Time to prep and stain! Chase gave the top a light once over with fine-grit sandpaper, then wiped it clean with a slightly damp cloth.
Chase stained the top of the desk in a dark, espresso finish I had in the garage. He then painted the base in a flat, white chalk paint. It took a several coats of white paint to cover the original, oak finish. The nice thing about chalk paint is no sanding required! Don’t you love the contrast between the espresso stain and white paint?
The desk already looked fabulous, but Chase didn’t stop there! He wanted to add a bit more detail to further dress up the desk. More is more, right?
I had these pretty wooden onlays in my treasure room and Chase thought they would give the desk more detail and elegance. He chose one long, decorative piece for the center of the desk and four round ones for the back and sides. He painted them white as well and used wood glue and a nail gun to attach them securely to the desk.
When the desk was moved from our garage to the new house, Chase gave the top of the desk a few light coats of polyurethane in a matte finish to protect the finish. I think it turned out beautifully!
The desk floats in the middle of the office so you can see the pretty details from the foyer. My lovely DIL is back to work from maternity leave and her new desk is ready for action! Her office is shaping up nicely with a pretty new rug and a few accessories. The mantle, mirror and books provide a beautiful backdrop for her Zoom calls with co-workers and clients. Classic and professional! (And there may or may not be a sparkly chandelier coming to this space soon! Stay tuned!)
I think my son did an amazing job on this desk! (He also gets photo credit for this photo and the last.) See what a difference a fresh perspective makes? A bit of paint, stain, and wooden onlays and the difference is incredible! The desk is now updated and polished, befitting of a young, professional working Mom! I love the fact our son is able to find a piece of forgotten furniture and turn it from an ugly duckling into a swan with a bit of elbow grease and creativity! Great job, Chase! I’m a proud Momma right now! What a gorgeous work space already!
Before I sign off, on a sad note, my husband and I went to a funeral today for one of my husband’s beloved Aunts. Her passing was sudden, and the family taken by surprise. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. So, during these difficult and uncertain times, please, let’s all take a moment and cherish our loved ones and remember how important we are to one another. God bless each and every one of you. I am grateful for your support and love and I love you back. xoxo Dell
