Did you ever get so excited about a project that you couldn’t wait to get started and dive right in? Well, that’s what happens to me all the time when I start a piece of furniture. After I sit with it for a while and finally decide on the design, I can’t wait to get my hands on it and get started. The downside to that is that I often forget to take before pictures so that I can show you where I started. I guess I will call that a delightful “occupational hazard”.
Anyway, that is the case with this desk. Once I decided on my color scheme, I had the hardware off and the drawers out before I realized I forgot to take a picture. As a result, this is the best I could do to give you of a before snapshot. This desk looked like every other secretary desk of that era— with the yellow maple-ish finish, dated brass hardware and overall lack of character.
I wanted to give it some dimension and some warmth. Although the stain color I chose was not a drastic departure from the original, it did contain more reds to warm up the finish of the wood. The contrast with the charcoal gray paint really made the details pop. I also think that one of the most important elements to refreshing dated furniture is to eliminate a high-gloss finish. (Not that high gloss in inherently dated, but removing it from furniture does tend to give it a fresh appearance.) I sealed this piece with a flat polyacrylic and it gave it just the richness I was after.
I decided it was best to keep the same hardware since the handles were applied to the curved portion of the drawers. Replacing it may have resulted in gaps or ill-fitting hardware. I just took the existing pieces and painted them an oil rubbed bronze finish. The deep color really finishes off the look.
What do you think?
Hold my wine, I’ve got this…
Amy
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