Working from home caused everyone to rush to Ikea to find a desk but, I decided to take a different perspective and makeover my dream desk! I was inspired by the Restoration Hardware executive desks to create this glam desk makeover from an old $50 desk I got off the Facebook marketplace.
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Items Needed for desk makeover:
Mistakes
Desk Makeover Inspiration
When looking at an old piece of furniture, it can be hard to look past the ugly colors, weird smells, and deep scratches. To overcome this, I decided to look for some inspiration before buying the desk. Of course my go-to is Restoration hardware so, I knew that I wanted an all-wood executive desk!
I also looked at CB2 and a few other sites for colors and finishes.
Step one: Fill and Sand
Since my desk came from Facebook, it had a bunch of dings and scratches so I filled it in with wood filler. Apply a small amount and press it in then allow it to dry. Once it dries use 220 grit sand paper to smooth it out.
Step Two: Prep
After sanding, remove all the dust with a high-power vacuum. Then wipe everything down with a damp rag and cleaner.
Before i started painting, i also taped off the interior areas and removed old hardware.
Continue reading to see what replaced these old handles with!
Step Three: Paint
Chalk paint is a great DIY furniture make over paint for beginners. One of the great things about chalk paint is that it does not require any prep work, as long as the surface is clean it should go on nice and easy. It also works on metal, wood, and even fabric!
Roller Brush
Since this is a modern desk makeover, I didn’t want brush marks in the paint so I used this foam roller brush. Its also great for getting into the corners and between molding!
Top Coat and Contact paper
To finish off this desk makeover I applied a matte clear coat paint. Allow it to dry for 30-40 minutes between each coat.
For the top of my desk I used a marble contact paper. I Carefully pulled off the backing and applied it to the top of the desk. This is great because it is easy to clean and cost WAY LESS than a real marble top!
Hardware
When I found these brass 5″ pulls I couldn’t wait to put them on my desk! Make sure to measure any existing holes to get the right size hardware before buying them.
Can you believe this desk makeover was done with less than $200! I am so happy with how it came out and im ready to take on another project!
Updated 1/15/2022
