DIY Desk Makeover

Hello loverlies!
I have DIY desk makeover to share with you today for Another Loverly Blog Hop.

This poor neglected desk was completely transformed with a bit of paint (and a lot of primer).

The top had seen better days. You can also see the wear around the drawers and the legs. I love the shape of the desk and the little scallop detail beneath the center drawer.

It is simply charming.

A bit of paint will brighten it up.
I want to paint it a soft white with a complimentary color.

White, ah white paint, some people think this is the easiest color to paint with.

I hate to burst your bubble, but the truth is any shade of white is just about THE WORST color to paint with.

If you are taking on a project like this, I need you to remember something very important – PREP.

Let’s say it so you hear me PREP YOUR PIECE.

I don’t care what brand of white paint you use, you need to test for bleed and adjust accordingly. This little bit of prep will save you from heartache.

It is so frustrating when you spend hours painting and prepping a piece and the original stain starts seeping thru the paint. UGH!

When you paint white over a darker base, especially one that has been stained, you will want to prime it with a couple of coats first.

Now, with this primer, you don’t NEED to sand for better adhesion. Better adhesion is only one of the reasons to sand a piece of furniture. I wanted this piece satin smooth, so it was sanded to remove any deep gouges and level the surface before priming.

I love the Kilz Max primer because it works like and oil based primer but is water based. This means it is low odor so you can use it when you are painting inside. It also dries in about an hour, so you can check for bleed and add additional coats as needed.

The desk is all sealed, #KILZDIT.

It’s time to start with our soft white. For this project I used Fusion Mineral Paint in Raw Silk & Champness.

Raw Silk is a beautiful soft white and Champness is a muted blue with grey undertones. I think that Champness will be a gorgeous accent color against Raw Silk.

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Just in case this was going to be used as a vanity, I didn’t want a white top. Even thought Fusion Mineral Paint is really durable, make up is rough on painted furniture.

I love that the Kilz Max Primer sealed in the 1940’s stain creating the perfect base for this beauty. I cleaned up the hardware so that I could reuse it, but dry brushed it a bit with pewter to play off the grey undertone of Champness. The paint just needed a light distressing with a 200 grit sandpaper for character.

TIP: Fusion Mineral Paint is pretty durable once cured. If you want to distress your furniture piece, you should do it after the paint is dry. It will save you some work 🙂

Pretty elegant, don’t you think?

It is quite a bit different that what I started with. The transformation is so light and airy and elegant.

She didn’t last long at the Loverly Cottage and her next home she will serve as an loverly vanity.

I am so glad I went with a color on top. It’s amazing what a little paint [and primer] can do!

What projects are you working on?
I would love to hear about it in the comments.

Don’t forget to Pin the project for later!

Speaking of projects, I am hopping along with my friends for a Another Loverly Blog Hop – DIY Projects.

If you are a blogger, you are more than welcomed to share a post or 2 to the link party.

The theme this week is DIY Projects – home, home decor & seasonal related posts only, please.

No Affiliate Shopping Posts
* inappropriate posts will be removed

Kindly follow the hostess on social media and engaging with some of the posts that are included in the hop would be greatly appreciated.