Before & After: Weather-Worn Desk Gets a College-Ready Makeover

published Aug 1, 2012
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

From the moment she saw it, Melanie loved the quirky lines of this solid wood desk. The piece had obviously been left outside to endure the seasons; the top had essentially been stripped of any protective finish. What many would see as a fault Melanie considered a benefit — less work to strip the piece down to ready for a makeover!

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Melanie wanted a masculine finish for her college student son, and even considered painting the entire desk black. Eventually she decided to give a two tone finish a try instead. She refinished the top in a dark stain and painted the base of the desk white before applying a black glaze to highlight all the intricate detailing. Though the desk was missing a pull on the drawer stack, she was able to shuffle the remaining pulls to make the replacement look original. The final result is a solid desk that should easily transition with her son through the years as he moves from college to adulthood.

(Images: Melanie/Oops! Redone)