Grandma’s Desk

By The Painted Gecko, Artist in Canon City, CO.

Grandma’s Desk had been well loved and used daily.  Her previous leather inlay had been damaged beyond repair by her hot tea and glass sweat from the occasional cocktail.  The structural parts of the desk were repaired and painted in General Finishes Driftwood Milk Paint.  The drawer fronts and trim framing the top were stripped to bare wood and finished in General Finishes Nutmeg Gel Stain.  General Finishes High Performance Top Coat in Satin seals the stain.  The leather inlay was removed and the glue scraped and sanded.  Upholstery fabric was used on the desk top and the chair seat.  Glued down with Mod Podge, it was hand cut with a sharp razor once dried.  Sealed with multiple layers of General Finishes High Performance Top Coat, with light sanding between each coat.  The cup pulls are from D. Lawless Hardware.  They are oil rubbed bronze, however, in this case, they needed a little extra bling.  Copper metallic glaze from my art supplies was used to highlight the raised details of the pulls.  The drawers have removable inserts covered in the upholstery fabric used on the desk top and seat.  Now, Grandma’s Desk is ready to be used by a new generation as a desk or a vanity.

Project Category

Upcycling Merit CategoriesDecoupage

Products Used

  • General Finishes Driftwood Milk Paint
  • General Finishes Nutmeg Gel Stain
  • General Finishes High Performance Top Coat
  • D. Lawless Hardware Oil Rubbed Bronze Cup Pulls
  • Upholstery Fabric
  • Mod Podge

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