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 cubbies and those elegant cabriole legs are now the stars of the show. The matte finish helps highlight the shadows and curves of the woodwork rather than distracting from them.
This desk has evolved from a "shabby chic" cast-off into a timeless workspace that would look right at home in a modern office or a cozy bedroom nook.
I had a very good customer who was moving to Scotland and offered me many of her furniture pieces to relove. This desk was a definite yes because it’s the perfect size for so many people. French provincial style is always appealing, and those glass knobs are so pretty. Thanks, Georgina, for this beautiful piece!
The drawer pull out stoppers were carefully removed with a flat head screwdriver in order to get the drawer out.
Once the drawer was removed the remaining screws at the front edge could be taken out with my Dewalt cordless drill. The underside alo reveals the drawer was not removed during the previous paint job.
It is now obvious that this replica desk is made of MDF which is visible in the screw holes. Originaly I hoped to strip the top but this changes the plans.
Using my wider carbide scraper I scraped as much of the pink paint on the desk top off which helped to also smooth any brush marks and create a smooth surface.
This step again smooths any previous brush marks as well as gives the old paint a bit of texture for the new paint to stick better to.
I tried this paint with a rag technique on my Instagram account but was not a huge fan in the end.
The first coat of gray complete.
The next day I set the pieces together to see the whole look and love it.
After the first coat of paint was dry, the medium/fine sanding sponge was used to smooth the first coat. A second coat of gray paint was brushed on then and after this coat, it was sanded with a super fine sanding sponge.
This brush is perfect for getting in all the nooks and crannies. The butta comes in different scents or unscented which also freshens a piece aromatically as well.
The finished base was flipped upside down on a soft carpet and the drawer stops put back in place.
NOTE TO SELF - this step needed to be done AFTER the top was screwed back in place at the front as access was covered. So they were removed and put back in place fro the underside after screwing the top to base firmly.
Once it was put together and brought into the staging area, areas that needed attention such as the upper drawer edges were removed with a metal putty knife then paint touch ups done as well as a full coat on the top again.
This desk looks fresh and lovely. It was actually called even before I finished it. My sister in law was looking for a desk exactly like this and the color was perfect for her home. Win Win!
The glass knobs sparkle against this soft grey color.
My sister in law sent this lovely photo of the desk in its new home <3
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I agree--this transformation really makes those French provincial lines stand out so beautifully. Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing this post with all of us at the Will Blog for Comments #76 linkup. We look forward to more shares at #77 when it opens next Monday (now 2 hours earlier). Wishing you a lovely week ahead.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jennifer, I appreciate your kind words!
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