ANY SHADE OF BLUE

I wanted to tell you a little bit about how I got started with my new exciting hobby.  My youngest daughter started sewing and needed a sewing desk with enough drawer space to hold all of her supplies.  After a long (but exhilarating) day of thrift store shopping, we found this beautiful piece.  I couldn't leave without it!  I probably paid more than I should have, but it had to be mine. I would have loved to know the history behind it, and if the donator had painted and refurbished it themselves or if they too purchased it somewhere after enjoying its beauty. 

After staring at the desk for several weeks, I decided that I could create my own beautiful pieces.  Why pay more for what you can do yourself?! I was in need of my own desk to fit in a small space between our dining and living rooms.  I currently had a small curio cabinet in this space (chicken wire project that I will post soon) with a large portrait of my three girls taken at the beach hung over it.  I found a nice secretary desk on Craigslist for $50.  I thought that was a fair since it was in great shape.  I just had to fill in a few marks with wood filler, do a little sanding, and it was ready for my first chalk painting experience. 

  

I was a little nervous about what color to choose as I wanted it to stand out rather than match my other decor.  One good thing about chalk paint is that if you don’t like the way it turns out, you can repaint it again and again until you get it just right (think Goldilocks.)  After some thought, I chose a grey/blue – almost a faded jean color (you know…the color of your old 501 Levi jeans that faded after a million washes?) I wasn't sure I liked the color when I finished painting. It was a little too bright-looking to me, but after sealing it with my own homemade dark wax, and giving it a little distressed look, I was really happy with the way it turned out. 

After finishing the desk and placing it in its spot underneath my beautiful girls’ portrait, I decided to start another project to create a “family” wall. So, I moved their picture to a different spot, and changed up the decor over my new piece with some great garage sale finds.  I love the color contrast with the rest of the room, and the great storage I now have (who doesn't need more storage?)!

What color did you choose for your favorite furniture makeover?

Debbie