Charlotte

One of my neighbors was having a yard sale and I scored this tired old Queen Anne style desk for $10! It was in really good shape, and I knew it could be super cute with a little TLC!

Before I get into the details, here is Charlotte after her makeover.

I sanded the original stain off of the top and restained it with Varathane Sunbleached. I sealed it with two coats of clear matte top coat to protect it.

The rest of the desk was painted with latex paint in a Pittsburgh Paint color called Cavalry. I used a Prima Re-design Stick & Style stencil and black chalk paint to apply the Damask pattern on the sides and drawer fronts. I liked the design but thought the black was too sharp a contrast to the Cavalry. I wanted the pattern to be a little more understated. I decided to soften the black by using a 50/50 blend of Cavalry and water to make a wash that I dry brushed over the design using a chip brush. It just gave it more of a faded look that I liked much better!

The keyhole applique was made with air-dry clay and a keyhole mold. When it dried, I painted it with acrylic craft paint in Antique Brass. I glued it to the drawer front with wood glue. The scroll accents on the legs were accented with the brass paint as well.

The original hardware was replaced with knobs from Hobby Lobby. I just love the look of those glass drop pulls on the lower drawers, so fancy! The insides of the drawers were in such good condition I didn’t even need to paint them.