Worn and weathered kitchen step stool in Annie Sloan Florence

From Dated to Designer: The Secretary Desk Refresh

This transformation takes a dated, two-tone secretary desk and turns it into a sophisticated, modern statement piece. By trading the aged pink and cream for a uniform, soft neutral, the beautiful French provincial lines of the piece truly get to shine. From Dated to Designer: The Secretary Desk Refresh This project is a perfect example of how a monochromatic color palette can completely change the "vibe" of furniture. The original piece had a charming silhouette, but the mismatched pink and cream finish felt a bit scattered. The Transformation Details: The Palette: We moved away from the high-contrast two-tone look and opted for a cool, soft gray . This single-color approach streamlines the desk's appearance, making it look more expensive and cohesive. The Hardware: We kept the original crystal-style knobs . Against the new gray finish, they sparkle much more effectively, adding a touch of "jewelry" to the finished piece. The Features: The hutch’s intricate ...

When we moved to our new house just over 7 years ago I gave my little farmhouse step stool a paint job in bold turquoise along with 3 bar stools.

Over the years of use the finish needed a fresh coat of wax but I decided to change it up completely.

The entire outside was power sanded back to raw wood for a fresh start. The inside was power sanded where it could reach then hand sanded but not completely to bare wood.

To rehydrate the wood and seal it I applied Homestead House's natural stain and oil finish

Keeping some of the original turquoise on the inside I dry brushed on some angora white from House & Canvas then Annie Sloan's Florence. I used Florence on this ornate mirror too.