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July 24, 2011

Desk Makeover....





Months ago, a friend dropped off this old desk....she was moving and wanted it out of her house, so it came and sat...on my front porch....like a "hill-billy-house-with-a couch-on-the-front-porch"....for too many weeks!



Hubby finally said....Enough!  Get this thing out of here!  But the problem was....I was feeling uninspired!




I had spray primed it and tried spraypainting it, but it wasn't turning out like I pictured in my mind....






I let it sit....for many more weeks and then pulled out the roller and paintbrush and painted it the "old-fashioned" way!




After all of my hard work, I grabbed that sandpaper and started to distress it....



....and distress it some more!





But then....I hit this little snag...the drawers!  I had the brilliant idea to use scrapbook paper instead of fabric.  I wanted to mod podge it to the drawer....the only problem....the scrapbook paper was too short!



So....it sat some more until I finally went and bought some contact paper....so much easier to work with!




Then...I spraypainted the handles with my favorite go-to color Krylon Oil-Rubbed Bronze!


But....alas....I had drip marks....so that caused another week (month!) of delay as I tried to decide what to do....I just started over with primer and it covered my mess!


So finally......here is my desk in all her glory!  After about 5 months....I think that she turned out beautifully!









Have you ever had a project that you've been "stuck" on?

44 comments:

  1. awww! This is amazingly vintiage-ie and cute :)
    come follow us!
    www.hannahhandmade.blogspot.com

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  2. Have I ever had a project that I was stuck on?? Yeah, I have one right now . . . an outdoor chandelier that I want to adhere clear tea cups to but they wobble too much so now it sits. Waiting. Hoping I find that solution to the wobble. Ugg. And then there's the giant, vintage shadow box. I think I'm on the fourth or fifth coat of some kinds of paint/wax/distress combo. Seems most of my projects 'sit' in between 'ideas' of how to complete them! I love this desk -- glad you didn't give up on it because it is so darn cute!!

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  3. You really did this little desk justice... it looks great! I seem to stay "stuck" on most of my projects, which is why I will only do one at a time. The commitment issues make it difficult to accept a project as 'finished.'

    Carol
    antiquetexan.blogspot.com

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  4. THE DESK TURNED OUT BEAUTIFUL! love it

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  5. I love it! I am stumped myself right now on a dresser:) where will you put your new pretty desk?

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  6. Finally, I am inspired! I stumbled upon a great find at a yard sale - $3.00 for a vintage cabinet with shelves inside! Loved it but didn't love it's 5 (or more) layers of paint! I stripped the paint (still have a bit more to do) and have been mulling over what to do next. Thanks to your post, I think I now know! One day, I'll link it up here and maybe you'll see what you inspired!

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  7. love it--great job! and i love how you styled it too. I would love it if you shared this at my linky party starting Wednesday.

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  8. What a great job!!! I'm leaving totally inspired! Thank you for sharing! :)

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  9. This looks great-so it must have been worth getting stuck on it!!

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  10. looks great! starting and finishing 5 months later is better than not starting at all. I have tons of projects in my head that I just don't do :(

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  11. I'm hopping over from Creative Bloggers Part&Hop. This desk turned out great! The distressing looks beautiful... I always have a hard time knowing how much to do. Thank you for sharing!

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  12. I love this desk it turned out so good, and you can't beat free.

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  13. She's a beauty. Desks are lots of work. But your's turned out very nice.

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  14. She looks gorgeous!! Well worth the effort. And yep I have had lots of projects that I was stuck on actually I have one out in the garage at the minute lol. I think we all know that feeling!
    Tina

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  15. It's a beauty! Great idea to do the distressed look - I've always wanted to try that. It looks so good when everyone else does it! Don't feel bad that it took so long - we all have those projects!

    Stopping over from the Amaze Me Monday party @ Dittle Dattle. :)

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  16. It looks great (i want to steal it!) and I can totally relate to being stuck on projects...you should see my house and my porch and my craft room, but you've inspired me to push through it!

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  17. It's beautiful! I know exactly what you mean when you say if you're uninspired you can't do anything with it. It was worth the wait.

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  18. Great makeover! And yes, I have 2 projects sitting in the garage that I am completely stuck on! Not for lack of inspiration...but for lack of know-how! One adorable table, I counted 10 layers of paint on! I have spent hours trying to strip it, and am still struggling!
    Congrats on finishing your project! It turned out beautifully!
    Best Wishes and Blessings,
    Amanda

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  19. Sandi @ Making It Homey said...Oh have I ever been stuck on a project before. Your's turned out so beautiful, you did such a good job of distressing.

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  20. Well, for being stumped, it turned out awesome! I am painting a desk at the moment with similar pulls and wondering what they would like painted in oil rubbed bronze... yours look great, so I think I will go ahead and paint mine as well!

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  21. Your desk turned out beautiful! I love it!

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  22. Great job, Nicole! I do believe that it was well worth the wait! lol! :)

    xoxo laurie

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  23. from oh no to oh yeah...love the redo...thanks for linking it up to fridays unfolded!

    alison

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  24. Gorgeous! I love this and I have to try the oil rubbed bronze color you mention as it is the color of all the hardware in my house. What an awesome project! Sorry to hear you got snagged on this one but it happens. And your snag turned out amazing!

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  25. Ooooh, what beautiful pictures - love the paper in the drawers - such a lovely touch!

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  26. It turned out so beautiful! I have many projects waiting for me as well...I need to feel inspired and this helped:) LOVE it.

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  27. awesome transformation! love free stuff! thanks for linking up. we featured you today! please come back and grab a button!
    Amy

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  28. The desk looks great! Even though it sat for weeks, you did her justice. Love how it turned out.

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  29. It turned very nice indeed!

    I just posted about a pine desk that I painted black. Spray painted with a can no less... I took the lazy way out and it came out looking GREAT! I was so surprised. (I also linked up to this party)

    I'm hosting my first party next week and you are invited! Hope to see you :)

    xoxo Bunny Jean
    www.bunnyjeansdecorandmore.blogspot.com

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  30. love this! i love taking yard sale items and bringing them back to life. I have a sewing desk that i did the same thing.

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  31. So I have a question...I have a desk that has been sitting in our garage for ohhh about a year now...I noticed that you said nothing about sanding it...you just sprayed primer on it, really that would be awesome cuz that is what has me stuck, the sanding of the entire desk...ugh...
    Hilary

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  32. Hilary...I do not sand, I only prime! :) I would only sand if there is loose paint!

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  33. I've had TOO MANY projects I've been stuck on! I feel your pain ;-) Your finished product is gorgeous, though!

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  34. Nicole, this is beautiful :-) A Very classy and elegant makeover. Well done!
    I came over via MMS and am your newest follower :-) I'd love for you to visit my blog when you get a moment.

    Emily
    emilysummers-designer.blogpsot.com

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  35. WOW! What a transformation. Oh you give me hope that I can do this myself one day!!!! Really, WOW. I'm bookmarking so I can remember this!!

    I love transformations! I just turned my secretary into a bar area in my dining room. I really hope you'll stop by and check it out: http://niagaranovice.blogspot.com/2011/08/picture-is-worth.html

    See you soon, I hope!
    Artie

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  36. Thanks Nicole for answering my question! I am excited to try and prime without sanding! Can't wait to finally get into my house and use it!
    Hilary

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  37. This turned out gorgeous. I wish this was my work at home desk :) The burlap book covers are too cute too. Thanks for sharing! I am your newest follower and I think your blog is cute. I would appreciate it if you came to my blog and followed me too! http://milliemorganmedia.blogspot.com

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  38. It did come out beautiful! I love it. I think the time it took you was worth it.

    Tracy
    Tandy Artisan Jewelry Blog

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  39. I love the liner idea. It looks beautiful!!

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  40. I am new to your blog, but I have a question. I am redoing this little nightstand slash vanity and it seems to have the same handles as your little desk. Do your unscrew from inside the drawer or do you take the handle off and then unscrew from the front? Mine have no screws inside. I finally figured out I have to take out the handle. But it only worked for one. I tried and tried and they just won't come off. Any tips?

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  41. I have the same desk! Very vintage

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  42. I have the same desk! Very vintage

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