The Study Desk MakeoverUncategorizedStudy Desk Makeover Part|2

To be honest I haven’t cranked into the study desk makeover as much as I should have this week. I spent most of the weekend looking through different paint techniques and colour charts. Interesting enough this is one time my research and indecisiveness has actually paid off.

While I have been umming and ahhing over my design direction, my desk was patiently waiting undercover for her paint job. Then the strangest thing happened. Due to the moisture in the air part of the wood veneer started peeling off. I am in disbelief that a furniture maker would actually go to the trouble of covering natural wood with something engineered.

Most of the veneer has been coming off cleanly, but there is still some more that needs to be chipped and sanded off. Paul is a bit nervous about me using the heavy-duty sander, so I have been put on light sanding duties.

In the meantime, I need to put my foot on the gas and choose a paint colour. As you might have seen in the previous post, I was quite keen on creme milk paint, but there were some concerns about the resin from the wood bleeding through the white.

Also, I am a little tired of painting everything white. I went through that shabby chic period where everything I touched ended up being a chippy, farmhouse white. Apart from testing my colour palette, I feel this beautiful piece needs to become the belle of the ballroom. Hence, I have decided to paint her with a striking French blue-grey paint called Bergere by Miss Mustard Seed. I will then seal the piece with a white wax finish.

The study desk is now primed up and ready for the first coat of paint. They say the magic of chalk and milk paint is that you do not need to sand or prime your pieces. Personally, I would love to skip both of these steps, but I have far too many horror stories of nearly reaching the finish line and then the paint has become blotchy or streaky. I love the imperfect, rustic look but this is something quite different.

Before I crack into the painting and finish up this post, I would also like to share how we are tracking with the bathroom vanity. Paul has repeatedly told me there is no way he would do another upcycled vanity. It has been quite the “palava”. We ordered an online sink which broke in transit because the supplier didn’t wrap it well enough. So we bought another one, but because of it’s size the sink cut deeply into the top drawers and Paul had to adjust those too.

Just when he thought he was on the home stretch, I decided that the paint colour was just not right. In my defence, he did agree that the colour wasn’t working in the room either. Even after testing the colour in three different rooms with varying light we were pretty confident that we had nailed it. Now that we have the vanity in the room, the blue is just not rich or deep enough to make an impact with the white tiles.

Back to the Pinterest drawing board. When I punched in dark blue all the design gurus pointed to Benjamin Moore, Hale Navy. Voted in 2013, Colour of the Year. I thought well it’s a few years ago but at this point, I am willing to give anything a try.

Disclaimer: Please note this is not our vanity below 🙂 However, this is the vanity shot painted in Hale Navy that gave me the inspiration to finally go for it.

I am pleased to report we absolutely love the colour. It’s deep, rich and moody. In different lights the vanity reflects either a dark grey or a maritime blue. On the 1st April (I really hope this is not our April fools joke) the white engineered stone top is going to be installed. Which means in the next couple of weeks I am planning on revealing two transformed piece. Maybe it’s too early to put the champagne on ice, but for now that is the plan….