Sunday, May 20, 2012

My first big furniture project! Ahh!

Hello 149 friends :) 
Today I have a BIG project to show you!
 This took me weeks to complete because really, 
I had no idea what I was in for with this "simple" makeover!

I stopped by Habitat for Humanity Re Store and found this awesome secretary's desk. 

 Yes it had a broken drawer but for $20 I thought it was worth a shot. 
I figured I can just slide the drawer front back on, paint it, and be done with it. Ha...
I loved the curved drawers!

and we can always use more storage space, right?

 First problem...The drawer was way messed up than I could have imagined. 
I don't know the proper way to restore things and frankly don't have the patience for that.

 So I fixed it my own way- Wood glue and bulldog clips!

This sucker is glued, glued, glued together. 

It was such a nightmare that I really thought about scrapping it
 and making a shelf there instead like this amazing makeover at LizMarieBlog.com!

Right now, the shelf is operational but is used more for storage so it is not opened often.
 In the future if it becomes a problem I am totally using Liz's idea!

So up next, sanding! 
I used some leftover birthday money and added another Power Tool to my collection!

This took forever!!!!!!!!

 But ahh! Finally!

Now to pick a color. At first I was going to go for a nice yellow.
 I went to Home Depot to look at paint colors but had an idea. Why not use spray paint?!! 

I fell in love with Jade by Krylon. It is the prettiest shade of turquoise!

I primed first and got to sprayin!

I decided to add some legs to the desk to finish it off. I found these at Home Depot.
 
So that led to Problem 2!
Once upon a time this desk had legs but it looks like they were broken off.
So I was unable to simply screw the legs into the slots. So wood glue to the rescue!


I layered on the wood glue and propped them up into the holes.
 I was hoping that the weight of the desk would help it to seal properly. So far, so good!

and that brings us right to Problem 3- No thank you gold handles
I thought, no problem I can get some super cute handles at Hobby Lobby! 
Then I found out that 2 and a half inch drawer pulls are RARE. 
Hobby Lobby had none, Home Depot had none, Anthropology had none. 
The only ones I could find online were even uglier than these and EXPENSIVE.

So I turned to my DIY savior...spray paint!
 I wanted them to look as wrought iron-y as possible instead of just flat black. 

I found this Hammered Finish black paint at Hobby Lobby. 

They are much darker in person. Look at that texture! They really do look Hammered.

 and voila!

These pictures do not do it justice. It is GORGEOUS! 
The color is beautiful, the legs add a great touch, and I love the hardware! 
Bonus-It fits perfectly in this little nook! 

                                            Before                                          After



Pretty good, huh? :) Thanks for following and thank you all for inspiring me!

102 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, it turned out amazing!! Stopping by from the networking blog hop...I am your newest follower! I would love if you would check out my blog and if you like what you see please follow back :)
    Modern Modest Beauty

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  2. Love the added legs... And the shade of turquoise is beautiful! Nice job!!! Found your blog on DIY Showoff
    Come visit me at 1luckeegirl.blogspot.com

    LaKeta

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  3. The legs were the perfect touch to let her shine! I love the color too. She is beautiful! I'd love it if you share her at You're Gonna Love It Tuesday :-)

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  4. It turned out wonderful - especially for your first one! The legs look great on it and so does that color.

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  5. Oh how fabulous! You did a great job and I love the color! I hope to do a big furniture problem soon...I'm a little intimidated, but you make it look easy. Yay for another power tool to your collection!

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  6. Beautiful redo - love the legs and the refinished pulls. Spray paint is a girls best friend!

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  7. Such a beautiful job!!! Following and saying hi from the blog hop.
    Would love to have you visit my little corner! www.citycorporatetosuburbmama.com

    xo,
    Kristina

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  8. It turned our BEAUTIFUL!! And glue & blue dog clips? That's about as professional as we get, too! You will not regret owning that sander...mine is 15 years old and I still adore it. I'm a fellow Texas girl...always nice to meet a friend from the Lone Star state. Would be so delighted if you could link up with us at Mop It Up Mondays: http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/2012/05/mop-it-up-mondays-17.html

    Thanks so much!
    {HUGS},
    kristi

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  9. You did a great job! Beautiful! All of your hard work paid off :):)

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  10. I love it! I love how you put the legs on it! I am visiting from Thee Blog Hop and I am a new follower! I hope you'll drop by http://www.garagesalesrus.blogspot.com/ and do the same.

    Robin

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  11. That is so pretty! I came out great.. especially for the first project! Nice job!

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  12. Wow, what a transformation!!! Love the color that you picked!

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  13. It looks great!! I've always been afraid of furniture redos! Following you from the blog hop! Stop by and say HI if you get a minute!

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  14. Wow that looks great. I love the color and the legs they really help.

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  15. This looks wonderful. What a transformation. I love that you added the legs. It gives it much more appeal. Great job!

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  16. Absolutely amazing! The color you chose is just beautiful. Enjoy!! Megan

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  17. Yes...painting the hardware....The perfect solution. Your desk came out great and I love the legs. I am your newest follower and would love it if you would follow me back. Thanks, http://smallholdings.blogspot.com
    Thanks, Sherron

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  18. Awesome job! I once sanded down and restained a secretary desk- not an easy first job to do!

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  19. It looks amazing! I love the curved drawers too! Love the color you chose.

    Found you over at I Should Be Mopping the Floor.

    I would love for you to link up to my party: http://lovingthiscrazylife-melissa.blogspot.com/search/label/POC%20LINKY%20PARTY

    Hope you have a fantastic week!

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  20. Awesome! You really made it look wonderful. The legs are too cute and I absolutely love the color!

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  21. That is a great redo! The color is so pretty and I love that you were able to re-use the drawer pulls again after painting them. Tanya :)
    http://twelveoeight.blogspot.com/

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  22. Can I hire you to come re-do my dresser? Looks great! I'll be featuring this on my blog on Saturday!

    http://www.sumossweetstuff.com

    Thanks!
    Sumo:)

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  23. Even though the desk was a leetle more work than you figured, it turned out great! ~ Maureen

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  24. It is beautiful! Good eye for adding the legs! It looks so much better with the legs. Well, I guess you gain followers fast because I am your newest follower, and I am #159. I hope you can visit me sometime too:)

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  25. I love it, the restoration looks BEAUTIFUL! xoxo ~Liz

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  26. Beautiful! Great lines and great new color!

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  27. I like this a lot! You should be proud of yourself. It turned out great. Thanks for sharing at our Handmade Tuesdays party.

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  28. that's FANTASTIC!! loveee it. found you via the chasing sunshine blog hop xo

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  29. This looks great! What a transformation. I am your newest follower.

    Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

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  30. Wow, this looks fantastic! I have pinned this to my DIY board. And I would love to have you come by and link up to the Cherished Handmade Treasures

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  31. Beautiful!! You did a great job on your first project. I'd love for you to share this at my link party. http://adventuresofadiymom.blogspot.com/2012/05/terrific-tuesdays-16.html
    Rachel

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  32. This turned out beautiful! Love the added legs...it really makes the piece. :-)

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  33. What a fabulous makeover! Great job!


    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a fabulous week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

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  34. I really love the color that you chose!! It looks amazing!! You would never even know it was the same piece, great job!!

    Stopping by from the blog hop :) Happy to be your newest follower!

    Hope you get a chance to check out my blog :)

    xo, Jersey Girl

    hairsprayandhighheels.blogspot.com

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  35. Great job on the furniture redo! I'm working on my first set of furniture redo and I'm feeling so good about it. I bet you are super stoked on the results!

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  36. I love it! Love the color and love that you added the legs. The black spray paint worked out well for the hardware, too.

    visiting from Swing into Spring : )

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  37. You did a great job! Sounds like wood glue is the new duct tape -- it can fix anything! :)

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  38. Great job! It looks fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing at Pin It and Win It Wednesday @ www.cheapcraftymama.com!!

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  39. Looks so beautiful -- love that color you chose! :)

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  40. Wow! You did an amazing job on this! I can't believe the difference. That color is gorgeous! You really worked hard on it too. Great job!

    Sarah
    http://skylarinc.blogspot.com/

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  41. wow I have never had 50 comments on any post of mine

    now back to the desk I have one Just like IT , the legs are broke off and it is sitting in my basement, i have the original legs. I have wanted to paint mine white for over a year and just to many other things going on, This desk beloved to my Mother in laws friend from Paducah kentucky, you have inspired me to get it done

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  42. Wonderful job! The color really brings out the beautiful curves.

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  43. Very nice, looks like it was worth the work. I've just starting painting some furniture. Two pieces down and one in progress...possibly one or two more in the future. I used that hammered paint to make over a (shiny brass early American)chandelier from my dining room and move it to my breakfast room. You can check that one out on my blog if you like.

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  44. great makeover and a wonderful keeping it real tutorial. I never would have thought to just spray paint this but the final effect is fab! Thanks so much for linking your first and fantastic furniture update to BeColorful
    pam

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  45. Your piece turned out fabulous!!! Yay for first projects being a huge success! What's next? It can be a little addicting.

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  46. I love this, how much spray paint did you need to cover the whole desk? I'm debating whether I want to use latex or spray paint on my dresser project!

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  47. Awesome job!!! It is now a GREAT piece of furniture!

    Thanks for sharing it!
    --Katie
    @ Creatively Living

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  48. This did turn out gorgeous! I have a couple pieces I want to do myself, but I'm too scared I'll mess them up. I think I'll have to wait a little longer to gather the courage to just do it. But yours turned out great! Love from Whimsically Homemade!

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  49. I love it! The color is gorgeous and it's a great piece to start with! So pretty! Thanks for sharing it this week!

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  50. That turned out so pretty!!! I love it! Great job! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Thursday's Temptation.
    Jill

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  51. Thanks for linking up last week! your tutorial made the top 3 most clicked on links and it's featured! http://brassyapple.blogspot.com/2012/05/make-it-monday-33.html

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  52. Pretty darn cute!!!
    and for about $20 you did good!!

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  53. I loved what you did with your desk, and what a find! Great color choices...just overall AWESOME job! Thanks for linking up with us @ Toot Your Horn Tuesday...your desk is one of the features @ Chronic Christian Crafter from the party...stop by and get your feature button. Congrats and great job!!!

    Erin

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  54. WOW What a Great job you did. Love the color and love the added legs.

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  55. WOW that is fantastic! It really is gorgeous.

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  56. You are so talented and skillful. This is beautiful!

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  57. Oh wow!! This is great! Cant believe this was your first time doing this. Thanks so much for linking up to Bedazzle Me Monday. Hope to see you again this week :)

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  58. Thank you so much for linking up last week at my Unveil Your Genius link party! I featured you! :) I hope you'll link up again soon! PS..I am a fellow Texan and Arkansan! (Texas Transplant and Arkansas Raised)

    http://taylornorris.blogspot.com/2012/06/unveil-your-genius-link-party-13.html

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  59. Hi I came via Kristen, what a great job, it looks terrific !!!

    Nice to meet you.....

    Kathy :)
    jokaj@comcast.net

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  60. Thank you so much for linking up to our previous Friday Block Party at Curb Alert! I would love for you to link up again this week and look forward to what you have to share, the link is up and running all weekend.
    http://tamicurbalert.blogspot.com/2012/06/welcome-to-another-week-friday-block.html
    Thanks! Tami @ Curb Alert!
    P.S. your entry was the most viewed link from our party last week :)

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  61. I love how the secretary desk fits so nicely into that nook of a corner spot!
    I would love to see your house C!

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  62. Love this :) So happy to find another blogger in Arkansas!!! There's not many of us!!! I would love to have you visit me at Tattered and Inked. You did such a great job on this desk- I love a good redo, especially with turquoise!!!

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  63. I think your first project turned out beautifully.

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  64. Bravo!!! I never would've thought to put legs on this. Just gorgeous!

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  65. Great job! I love the added legs.

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  66. You have done great job and beautifully work here ,love the colors.
    Hotel furniture

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  68. I personally really appreciate your blog and the transformation. I love that color you chose. I will make sure that I stop back again! furniture shops

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  69. Nice post with great details. I really appreciate your job. Thanks for sharing. hospitality furniture manufacturers

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  70. Thanks you for this write, i m enjoyed thanks you, masko

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  71. When I first saw the before pictures I didn't think it was going to end up very well. I was really surprised when I saw the finished project, it looks really different. I think the best change that you did was reattach the legs. Good job with your restoration project, I would love to see your next one.

    http://danielscuderi.com/restoration.php

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