Monday, May 14, 2012

Letterhead Desk Redo

I just had to share this desk with you. I had been watching it at my local Goodwill waiting and hoping the price would drop. Eventually it hit $14.99 and I decided that was the magic number...it was mine.


It was typically dark and boring like most of the pieces I pick up, but I had a vision that was centered around a decorative letterhead paper I found at last summers Plucky Maiden Junkfest. It's weird how pieces just speak to me sometimes, I look at them and picture them finished. I can't remember my name some days, but if you ask me a furniture or paint question; I probably can remember it verbatim.


I started off by painting it with primer. This was really necessary on this piece because it had some blue ink on the top that just kept wanting to bleed through. I painted the body of the desk in bright white except for the top and the drawer fronts. I have found that the paper sticks better to the primer than the paint.




From the beginning I planned to paint the top with chalkboard paint. I have been using it a lot lately since it seems to be so popular. It looks classy black if someone chooses to just use it that way too. I covered the drawers with the letterhead paper and distressed the edges as well as the edges of the desk itself. When I put the drawers in it still looked too pristine to me, not enough character. I decided to pick up a variety of wooden letters and numbers in different fonts from the craft store and nail them to the drawer fronts. A couple of them had to be cut in half between two drawers to fit.



I finished it off with some dark wax to emphasize the distressed edges. Sorry the pictures didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. It is definitely one of a kind. It turned out even better than I had expected. Now it is time to focus on a few projects for our upcoming garden event this Saturday. I can't wait to share the unusual potting bench with you that I am working on. Have a fabulous week!




Linking up with these lovely ladies:
                                 
                                                                                                                      
Funky Junk's Saturday Nite Special




Furniture Feature FridaysPhotobucket

Redoux

giveawaysvif187
French Country Cottage

31 comments:

Rose H (UK) said...

Now that is a desk I could live with! Fabulous job :o)
Rose H

Danni@SiloHillFarm said...

Wow! That is amazing! Not to mention a great find! You really had some vision for that desk!

Tammy said...

WOW!!!! This is amazing!!! You did a great job.

Anonymous said...

Fabulous transformation! I absolutely LOVE it! Hope you have a wonderful night. :-)

andrea@townandprairie said...

I did a desk like this last year. Did it have a leather top on it? I like your choice of typography for your inspiration. Very modern and retro!

Sherry said...

This is beautiful and I love the touch typography, perfect for a desk! I found you on Kammy's Korner and I'm now following.

Erika said...

This desk turned out beautifully, it's wonderfully made, the patterns and letters are matching perfectly. Congratulations. I'ts really lovely.

Unknown said...

Fantastic! This looks amazing, great job! I'm pinning and I'm now a follower!

Debbi said...

Love it Carrie!

Unknown said...

This is a wonderful redo, and I love the chalkboard top too! I am a new reader, Tanya :)

The Style Sisters said...

OH hello! This is the coolest desk redo ever!! Love the idea of using chalkpaint on the top!! You are very creative! Come by and link up to Centerpiece Wednesday on my blog and share your idea with us.

Karin

Deb Hrabik said...

Such a great job.
Really caught my eye on the linky party!

driftwoodesign said...

Now that's very cool Carrie.
Kristy @ 4 the love of WOOD

Jen Lossing, Artistic Abode Designs said...

This is absolutely wonderful. I just love love love the way it turned out! I am your newest follower!

Michele said...

What a wonderful transformation! Your imagination is truly a marvel.

Debra@CommonGround said...

Hi Carrie, this is awe-some!!! what a clever idea, you did a great job. thanks for linking up to the party!

Peggy said...

The desk turned out amazing! I am a new follower - found you at the Shabby Art Boutique linky party!
Peggy

Connie said...

I just found your blog . . . and . . . I am so very glad that I did. This re-do is amazing. I am over the moon impressed. I'm your newest follower, please accept my warm and humble invitation to visit and hopefully to follow my blog, too. Connie :) You have a very special talent!

Liz Vickerman said...

visiting from nutmeg place and all i have to say is WOW. this piece is amazing. and now i'm your newest follower!

stop by my blog and say hi sometime www.cadeedee.blogspot.com

Meg said...

Holy cow Carrie. This. Is. Gorgeous!!

Thanks for sharing on SOS and I hope to see you again next week!

XO

Funky Junk Interiors said...

How cool, this is so creative! I love your choice of black and white and the chalkboard is the perfect touch!

Donna

Dee said...

Nice job Carrie! I love how the wooden letters ad deminsion to the piece. Dee from My Painted Stuff

Linda Leyble said...

Very beautiful, very creative - I am going shopping with you!!

Fantastic job!

Linda

Kammy's Korner said...

Another well deserved feature for you tonight, Carrie! Congrats on having the most viewed link last week on Trash 2 Treasure Tuesday on the Korner!

Kerryanne @ Shabby Art Boutique said...

Fantastic transformation Carrie. Hard to believe it is the same desk. I too love the chalkbaord top.
Thanks for linking to Shabbilcious Friday @ Shabby Art Boutique.
Hugs ~ Kerryanne

Meg said...

Featuring your desk on this weeks SOS! http://www.nutmegplace.com/2012/05/show-off-saturday-14.html

Thanks for linking up!!

XO

Unknown said...

14.99????????????
That would never happen in my neck of the woods ( Montreal ) NEVER -
What a beautiful job you did on this, love love love it!

Recaptured Charm said...

FABULOUS !!!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Art and Sand said...

I'm a year late seeing your desk project - there was a link on a blog party.

I LOVE it. I love graphics and your desk just amazes me. I will have to look some more at it and see if I can possibly create anything half as good.

Unknown said...

I can't remember my name some days, but if you ask me a furniture or paint question; I probably can remember it verbatim.
Letter headed paper