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Before and After: A $40 Thrifted Console Table Becomes a Glam WFH Desk

Megan Baker
Megan BakerHome Projects Director
Megan is a writer and editor who specializes in home upgrades, DIY projects, hacks, and design. Before Apartment Therapy, she was an editor at HGTV Magazine and This Old House Magazine. Megan has a degree in Magazine Journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. She is a self-taught weighted blanket connoisseur.
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published Apr 19, 2021
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Before: Red console table against a plain white wall
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Credit: Haley Jones

It can be tough to find a perfect piece of furniture that ticks all the boxes: the right size, the right style, the right color, the right price. But secondhand shopping and some smart DIYing can go a long way in helping you create something for your home that’s unbeatable.

Take it from Haley Jones (Me & Mr. Jones), who was trying to squeeze an office into her home once she and her husband were both working remotely. “I didn’t want to spend too much money and I couldn’t find anything online that would fit the space, so I decided to go thrifting,” Haley says. She found a winner: a console in the perfect size to fit her laptop but not block access to the rest of the room. Better yet? It was only $40.

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Credit: Haley Jones

While the desk checked the size and price boxes, the style wasn’t quite right. “It fit the space perfectly, but didn’t match the vibe of our home whatsoever,” Haley says. “Our home is mostly decorated in black and white with natural wood pieces here and there to warm up the space.” So the red color of the console table felt a little off. But Haley knew that with a little DIY, she could give the console a fresh look much better suited to her taste.

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Credit: Haley Jones

Haley started with black paint on the body of the desk. She reached for a chalky finish paint for a matte style; after the paint had dried, Haley sealed the console with a matte topcoat.

For an extra touch of glamour, Haley hit up her local fabricator’s shop, where she found a piece of remnant marble that she fell in love with. She had it cut down to size to exactly match the console top, then had it honed for a matte look. That part of the project was a splurge at $240 for the top, but the total cost for the desk was still just $288.

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Credit: Haley Jones

The redone console table-turned-desk makes it a lot easier for Haley to work from home now. “I get so much more work done sitting at my own desk rather than sitting on the sofa or at our kitchen table,” Haley says. “It’s also pretty to look at which makes it even better!”

Inspired? Submit your own project here.

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Before & After
Furniture