Check out the updated post for this here!
This was my father's desk from when he was in college ages ago. It has been in our house forever and has lately been sitting in the kitchen just inside the front door. It holds keys and mail and whatever other junk we accumulated over the years.
Some plaster work was being done in the kitchen and my mom decided to do a bit of a decoration re-vamp while this was happening and asked if I could spruce up this desk. I had been trying to try my lot at chalk paint and showed her a few examples of desks on Pinterest- she was all in and told me to do what I like with it as long as it matched our kitchen with dark green counter tops.
I started by sanding down the top- I used 80 grit paper for the first few swips to get the finish odd then finished up with 220 grit to even things out and smooth things down. I was a bit concerned about some of the splotches that didn't want to go away but figured it would look rustic if they stayed.
I stained the top piece with Early American- Miniwax stain. I put two separate applications on using a foam brush that I bought for $1 and threw out afterwards.
I also applied three coats of polyurethane to the top to of the desk to seal and protect it. I sanded with 220 grit sand paper before and after my final coat for a nice smooth finish.
The desk it's self is solidly built but the front face had false decorative wood on it for style I guess. I considered pulling it off but decided to just sand it a bit and paint over top of it.
SO as you can see below this is NOT dark green- it is bright teal. I purchased Valspar Chalky paint in Peridot Broche. I had a horrible time with the colouring of this paint.
The brochure and the website show very different versions of this colour which I am aware is due to screens ink etc. I assumed that the in-store brochure they handed me to choose colours was the accurate one. I realize this is a dark teal not green but we do have that shade of teal in the counter and my mother and I decided it would be a lovely colour. We figured either way- it was a dark teal.
As you can know see below the colour came out BRIGHT TEAL! This is not a dark shade of greeny teal at all, if anything it is bright blue. I double checked the label and asked the girl at the store what she thought of it, she described it as "emerald green" and said it would dry darker.
Although I loved the colour overall it was not going to go over well in the kitchen.
I thought maybe the Valspar Antiquing Wax (pictured above) that I bought would tone it down a bit- It did a bit but not nearly enough. I also realized I am not a pro at antiquing and my piece looked dirty not distressed. SO that was something I practiced over this teal colour as I knew I would have to cover it up anyways.
First I tried to cut the colour with a dark green/beige-ish paint we had left over from something else. It sort of took away from the chalkiness of the paint and made it a more pale version of teal and I wasn't happy.
I then went to Micheal's and purchased Craft Smart Chalky Paint in Camouflage. I then mixed this colour with the Valspar colour to get a nice in between colour.
The difference was large and I was very pleased with the results! It was much more green- although not super dark I was pleased with the end result.
I repainted the entire desk and already knew I was on the right track after so much hemming and hawing over the colour and how to change it and if I should spend more money etc.
Although I enjoyed the Valspar paint itself the colouring was very stressful- I would consider trying it again if I needed a larger amount of paint for a project. Otherwise I would likely purchase a smaller bottle of colour that was pre mixed so I would know what I was getting. I really didn't use much of the paint and could have gone with a smaller amount.
I used Valspar's Antiquing Wax to distress/warm up by piece. On the outer edge, smaller pieces and decorative spots, I applied the was directly onto the desk. I dipped by brush in the wax and smudged it on the lid to get the brush covered well each time- avoiding globs and drips.
For the larger middle flat pieces I watered down the antiquing wax to make it flow better over the surface, make it easier to wipe off, and lessen the streaks- below is a photo of the watered down wax.
I also used this technique even more watered down on the drawer fronts to avoid them looking too dirty and streaky.
This is the complete side of the desk and the front of the desk after the antique wax was applied.
This shows the front of the desk after the wax and before the finalized coat of sealant. It warmed up the colour and created some dynamics to the piece and the detailing in it with out it looking streaky and dirty.
After the painting and antiquing I applied Rust-oleum's Chalked Protective Topcoat. I chose this product because I wanted high volume protection that wouldn't wear or lessen in effectiveness over time. I did not want scratching on my piece etc. I figured this was by best bet as it is made specifically for chalk paint.
I was very very pleased with this product, I have nothing bad to say about it and highly recommend its use. It covered the desk in a single coat and and was pleased with the coverage. I applied a second coat to the drawers and front face as a I wanted to be extra protected on surfaces that would be used most.
I purchased these adorable cutlery handles from a local handle/cabinet for $1 each! Such a bargain and they fit perfectly with the antique feel of the desk that lives in a kitchen! I also added the flat piece (I believe it is actually for the inside of a drawer where the handles attach as a back plate) . I felt like the middle section was a bit bare and needed something added to it, I am pleased with the results.
My special helper!
