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!