by EverydayJill
The Painted Desk that would not leave!
Walter. Walter is the fellow we invited into our home. We needed him, and he needed a home. From the beginning, it was a temporary situation, “until something more my style comes along”. This was roughly 5 years ago. Something more my style DID come along, 2 years ago, and she shall be named her Helen. But we kept Walter, still needing him.
Things were getting a bit crowded! We have Walter and we have Helen, and really, we only have room for one. Two desks in one office, not practical. Time for Walter to find a new home. And so, the adventure unfolds.
Walter is a sturdy guy, vintage, great bones, not in need of any repairs. But he did need an update. Oh, sure he got some color on his drawer fronts, a while back, but he needed to be spiffed -up a bit to be noticed. He was painstakingly painted, a dark navy (Heirloom Traditions all-in-one color POLO), a darker stain was added to the moulding and the top. Original hardware was updated to a gold finish. He was quite the looker, in my opinion.
Walter was staged, photographed, and posted for sale. Crickets. He got rave reviews from those who weren’t in the market for a handsome desk. Crickets from the rest of mankind. I reached out to the furniture painting community for thoughts, encouragement, ideas. You can sometimes be vulnerable when sharing your work and asking for help. It was a pleasant experience, no criticism. Lots of ideas. “Over staged, paint the moulding on the base, change hardware for an update”.
Another update.
Walter looked great in his navy suit, so we kept that, mostly. Purchased some sleek, more modern hardware from Amazon. This means filling in old hardware holes, sanding, and painting the drawer fronts, again. Then drilling the holes for the new hardware. Cringe. As usual, I am not the greatest at this task, but my handsome assistant is! I also painted the moulding on the lower portion of the Walter.
About the top of the desk…
It was suggested that the top was a bit blotchy. Great motivation was required to make a change to the desk-top. Not gonna lie…I was not motivated. Walter sat for 2 more months. It happens- you get discouraged after putting your soul into your piece. But, really, Walter needs a new home. So, I prayed, got motivated, and I sanded. Retique It liquid wood was applied and I used a wood graining tool to give the appearance of wood grain. It turned out well. Things were looking up! But what happened next is just sad. Relying on your memory for the next step (staining) and not reading the directions. I applied a water-based stain, not a gel or Retique It stain, as suggested by the manufacturer. Some of the wood graining was lifting and streaking. Not enough liquid wood in the jar, as had used the product on two other projects, so we have to go another route. Walter, Walter, you are killing me.
Plan C
Lightly sanded the desk-top, again. I then applied a gel stain (espresso color) and a glaze. Using whisk, desk, and chip brushes, I “swept” back and forth on the top, creating strokes that look like wood grain, until I was finally satisfied.
The drawer insides were in great shape, but I noticed a stain in one drawer. How did I miss this before? I was able to scrub it out, but then scrubbing marks were showing. Ugh! At this point I lined ALL the drawers with a peel and stick paper, purchased from Amazon. Now everything was fresh, neat, and handsome. Walter is now posted for sale.
What did I learn?
Patience comes to mind first, but that is not really accurate!
Sometimes it is okay to ask for help. Fresh eyes can see what is there, so be open to what others see. Your eyes may be clouded by your vision in your head.
Sometimes just go with your gut.
Simple staging.
Stuff happens. Each “mistake” is a learning opportunity.
Walter should really be named “Murphy”.
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Tools and Products Used:
Heirloom Traditions Paint: Polo: https://amzn.to/3ZuultX
Retique It Liquid Wood: https://amzn.to/3LERCUa
NuWallpaper NUS3144 Breezy Peel & Stick Wallpaper, Grey
Drawer Pulls: goldenwarm cabinet pulls brushed brass: https://amzn.to/3ZvDZwu
Zibra Brush: palm pro https://amzn.to/3PBo0bw
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.