Thursday, September 9, 2010

Refinishing Furniture is EASY!

I am finished with the desk that I posted about a few days ago. I am honestly having the hardest time deciding if I should sell it or keep it. :( I want it. In fact...it would go perfectly in my spare bedroom. It matches so well!! So, I think I'll hold onto it for now. SHHHH... try not to spill the beans to my hubby. :)

Here is a reminder of the "before" picture. This desk was given to me by a friend. It is a great piece of furniture and is well made. It has been in a garage for a few months, waiting for some love, affection, and attention. 
Here she is AFTER ! Really, refinishing furniture is super easy. All you need is a little paint, patience, and perseverance. The three P's. :)


Here are the details of her transformation:
I took the drawers out and primed and painted them. I used KILZ spray primer (as usual) and used Krylon Ivory gloss for the paint.
I decided that the drawers were a little too plain for me, so I got out my paintable wall paper that I bought at LOWES a while back. I used it on my Window Valance project, and I have a TON left. With some precise measuring and cutting with my OLFA cutter, the wall paper created a GREAT result! After the wall paper dried, I painted it with the same ivory gloss Krylon spray paint, and then glazed it when it was dry.
The inside of the drawers had a picture that someone had drawn, so I decided to put some fabric on the drawers to cover up the sketches. I used spray adhesive to glue down the fabric.
I also sprayed the top of the desk with Chalkboard paint that I picked up at Home Depot. Yes...chalk board paint comes in the SPRAY can! :) I then sprayed the GREAT pink hardware with my trusty oil rubbed bronze spray paint, and VIOLA, she looks brand, spankin' new!

I decided to write a to do list on the top to give her a try. I LOVE doodling, and "to do" lists are a MUST in this household. This is when I fell in too deep to sell her.
 Doesn't she look GREAT!?!?
I can already picture all of my sewing stuff in her drawers. :) What do you think? Should I keep her, or sell her?

57 comments:

Life Is Crazy Beautiful said...

She's a beauty...I don't think I could let her go if I had room for her :)

Amanda @ Heart Tree Home said...

I say sell it! It will give you an excuse to get another dresser and refinish it! Projects = <3

Cher said...

Sell it...to me!! I have no place for it but I am in LOVE!!

Katie said...

Adorable! just adorable!

Jessica said...

If I were you I would keep it. But then it would be awesome to have a desk like that in my home as well.
Beautiful job as always!

justenoughstyle.blogspot.com

Sharps said...

Brooke! I love it. The wallpaper added SO MUCH> so cute.

amber said...

i love this desk!! you do such amazing work! i am going to attempt my first refinish tonight using your spray paint and glaze techniques. i am re-doing two frames. wish me luck! (i'll need it! ha)

Kim @The Little Things said...

Keep her! She is too beautiful to let go of. The paintable wall paper is an excellent touch. I am still a novice at glazing and would be afraid to glaze it after attaching it to the piece of furniture. Would it be possible to do it before?

darlenemc817 said...

Oh, I'd definitely have to keep her. She's a beauty. I have a similar style desk that I'm trying to get up enough nerve to redo. You have inspired me!

Andrea said...

If this was facebook, I'd "like" this :D It looks wonderful!

LNich said...

This is a great furniture rehab. I love the paintable wallpaper. It adds such a chic touch! I featured you on my blog today. great work. :) http://concretejunglecrafts.blogspot.com/2010/09/thrifty-thursday.html

Jen said...

It looks great! I am looking for a desk to redo at the moment. That is at the top of my to-do list. I used chalkboard paint to do a backsplash in my kitchen and LOVE it!

Keri said...

The desk looks awesome! Hopefully, my husband and I will be looking into getting our own home soon and I've been trying to find blogs of people who do things like this. Your site is awesome!!

ChRiS said...

if you sell it your always wish you kept it...

Rhiannon said...

it looks great! that wall paper is the perfect touch! i think you should give her to me ;-) wink hehehe
btw, i like that you remind yourself to shower! LOL

Katie Carranza said...

sell her to me..my husband and i just got our first place and the only furniture we have is our bed, and we are trying to save up to buy furniture. but i'm definitely going to try the DI out here because of you! thanks for all the inspiration and tutorials!

Tamara said...

I think if you sold it, you would regret it every time you saw these pictures - it is just a great looking desk - looks Ballard'ish or Pier One-ish - really simple lines but just enough pizzazz to make it unique and have some funky flair to it. Love the B&W - it is a piece that you could refinish over and over as your life and likes changed... KEEPER in my book.

Janice said...

I love this desk! From the houndstooth fabric to the glazed wallpaper, this desk is fabulous. Great job, it's adorable.

andiadams said...

You always amaze me! That desk is beautiful! When I saw the picture I said "That is Awesome!" Great job!

andiadams said...

You always amaze me! That desk is beautiful! When I saw the picture I said "That is Awesome!" Great job!

Sue@Uniquely Chic said...

OMG I am in love with this piece. You are amazing....love the chalkboard top, the fabric drawers and especially the wall paper thing. Could you elaborate on how you did this in a future post, pretty please!?

Page@ThriftyNiftyWise said...

I love this! I'm a new follower and I've been so impressed. This looks really great, thanks for sharing :)

Melanie {The Tiny Tudor} said...

It's so cute! Keep it! You might regret it if you don't and you can always sell it later...

Alysa said...

it's a KEEPER. for snippity snap sure. seriously, you must keep it. perhaps one of my favorite pieces you've done. great job!

Lynn Cooper said...

Keep her! You put so much work and creativity into it. I did the same thing - bought a chest of drawers to repaint, distress, and then sell and kept it for myself!

Carly Aliene said...

You should keep her but if you don't want her anymore I will defiantly take it off your hands and buy it from you!

Nicole said...

GORGEOUS! I love the wall paper on the drawers! Now I will have to find something and copy you! Thanks for all the great ideas!

Kristin said...

Keep her! It's adorable!!!
This post is great timing b/c my mom is bringing over an old desk for my first grader, so now I can copy this technique. Whoo-hoo!

Amy Kinser said...

You have to keep it. What a great piece.

Amanda said...

My five year old son just told me he wants it for his legos!

Janeal @ decorative deals said...

Absolutely darling...I love it!!! You know you should keep it! :)

The Heskew Happenings said...

You put the subject of this post as "... is easy"!! It has not been easy for me! I bought a huge dresser for $13 at Goodwill and it is amazing. However, I primed it then rolled the paint on (way too big to spray paint). It looked horrible. SO I am going to sand and brush the paint on. So you my friend have a talent for this stuff! Cuz it sure doesn't come easy to me! The desk is beautiful!

pollyesthertp said...

I painted my first project this week and it turned out pretty good. The dresser is pretty plain, but thanks for all the awesome tips!

Barbara Jean said...

sweet!!

Megs said...

W.O.W....I can hardly believe that it is the same desk! Brooke, you have an AMAZING talent for seeing the potential in any piece of furniture/wood/project/item/room/can-o-spray paint! I {heart} this desk, I am sure that if it was mine I would struggle mightily with selling a piece with SUCH personality!!! :) Love it!

Mrs. DeVore said...

Keep it! Love the details and the chalkboard top!

Julie said...

Sell it!!! It would be perfect in my house. I'll come pick it up today!! No seriously, if you think about selling it, I'm first in line. Really. :)

The Yoder's Four said...

LOVE IT!!!! I would totally keep it if I were you. The drawers are fabulous. Since someone gave it to you for free, it's not like you would lose out on $$. Great job, as always! Move your sewing stuff in there before you have a chance to change your mind!!

While Mr.Onesock Tugs My Apron Strings said...

LOVE it! I'd keep it if I were you! How'd you paint the wallpaper just on the raised parts? That is sooo cute!

the cape on the corner said...

that is a fantastic redo, and i L.O.V.E the chalkboard paint!

jen @ {decor junkie} said...

LOVE! Seriously. What a great idea using paintable wall paper in those little spaces. She's a beauty!

Michelle said...

I love the paintable wallpaper! Wonderful touch. I would sell her, you can always make another one, right?

www.thrifty101.blogspot.com

Michelle said...

I love the paintable wallpaper! Great touch. I would sell her, you can always make another one right?

www.thrifty101.blogspot.com

Bonnie said...

I am a new follower and love your blog! This dresser is so cute and I am now excited to play with wallpaper more! I do all types of crafts and have recently decided to add furniture rehab to my skills. After reading so many great blogs like yours I decided to even start one of my own to share my projects with friends and family.

www.creationsbybonnybee.blogspot.com

Thanks for the inspiration!
*Bonnie

Amanda, Jack, Corban, and Gabe said...

I LOVE that you have "don't forget to shower!" on the to-do list! ha ha. so me.

Joseph's Grainery Recipes said...

ooooh, pretty! She does go perfectly in the guest room!

JoEllen said...

This turned out to be a beautiful piece!! I think you should keep it, it would be so hard to let go...

I can not believe your result with the paintable wall paper. It is truly amazing!!

Mary @ RoomPolish said...

fabulous! and my favorite touch is the houndstooth lining.....awesome project!

TheValenti's said...

When you refinish furniture, is it necessary to sand it, or can you always just use primer??

countryhomemaker said...

Keep, Keep, Keep! If it is that dear to your heart, don't dare sell it! I wouldn't!

Rachel@oneprettything.com said...

I don't think I could let it go. I love it! Thanks so much for sharing this, I'll be linking.

Michelle said...

LOVE this! I am linking it to my latest post which is all about CHALKBOARD PAINT PROJECTS! Check it out:

http://sustainablychicdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/09/chalk-board-paint-projects-some.html

Thanks for sharing! BEAUTIFUL!

acognitusinterruptus said...

sell! sell! sell! i would buy it from you myself :)


pshleyanvelt@yahoo.com

-ashley

Sheri said...

This desk is amazing! I have had fun looking through your blog this morning. Also picked up helpful tips on spray painting furniture. Follow me @ http://designingdreams-sheri.blogspot.com :)

Smith said...

So pretty! Keep it! I'd personally use it near the entryway or hallway as we could leave speedy notes to one another as we are always on the go. If I used it for anything other I'd prob get chalk all over my arms lol! Beautiful work and great blog to inspire!

Mom to Many said...

I love it! It's so much like the one I have. I am just itching to paint mine. How did you paint the wall paper?

Love it!
Hope you don't mind I put a pic of your desk on my blog. :o)

Cheryl

Venassa said...

I found you through Pinterest. This is absolutely gorgeous! I hope you ended up keeping it, at least for awhile :p


vb-creations.blogspot.com