I spotted and ran towards this desk as soon as I walked into Goodwill (kind of like how Cassie lunged for these brass deer while we were thrifting 🙂 Guess I have a thing for Mid Century Modern furniture. I love the clean lines!
BEFORE
(sorry for the messy wires, we threw the tv on top prior to painting – we have plans for a new tv stand!)
I was originally thinking white and wood, but it did have a good bit of damage (occurred after purchase when they stored it grr), so wood filler and paint was a great solution.
AFTER
First, I sanded to remove all of the glossy surfaces (medium grit, then fine grit sandpaper), wiped down with a microfiber cloth and applied two coats of Zinsser Cover Stain Primer, letting it dry about an hour between coats.
Oil based primer is stinky and a pain to clean up – I typically store my roller (smooth 6″ foam) in a plastic bag and throw it out once it’s unusable. BUT it leaves a super hard and durable base, so I think worth it!
I’ve been obsessed with Brittany’s coral dresser since I first saw it, so I decided to get the same color (Behr Cool Lava) matched at Sherwin Williams in Pro Classic semi gloss.
After lightly sanding (with fine grit) the primer I applied three light top coats.
I was going to spray paint the original hardware gold, but when sanding, I found that it was gold underneath. Such a nice surprise! The top coat was removed easily with a little sanding.
I let it cure a few days before setting anything on it, but wanted to wait to move my big computer since it’s SO heavy. I’m still undecided if I’ll keep it here, I love the color .. but I like the length of my x leg desk.
I found this porcelain elephant at Goodwill – it’s missing the top, but perfect for holding paperclips!
I don’t think I’ll every tire of coral – I keep coming back to it 🙂
We have TONS of projects in process (most almost done!) So I’ll have a lot more to share soon.
p.s. you may want to check out the fabric at Joanns, I was able to find an amazing deal yesterday ($3.40 a yard for gray chenille upholstery fabric!) in the clearance section!! I’ll probably be sewing all week 🙂
Oh my gosh, I have been totally obsessed with Brittany's dresser too and this color is perfect for the desk. So unexpected and so good. Love it! I might have to use it somewhere too!
WOW- that is beautiful and i am i love with the shape! the color is so perfect for that piece, too!
It's so cute! I would totally buy this for my non-existant daughter.
LOVE that color! The makeover is fantastic and it totally brings out the fantastic lines of the desk!
Angela @ Number Fifty-Three
Love this! I swear by Zinnser Primer!
The color and the desk are amazing! I absolutely love it! My daughter was peeking over my shoulder while I read this and said she want's a coral desk because she's declared mint is sooo over and coral is her new color!!!
ah man! this makes me want to paint something coral again ASAP! first, what a fantastic find, and second, it seriously turned out perfect!
I love the colour – so bright and cheery! Looks great with your madeover chair, too 🙂
I'm a huge fan of the coral! It looks great!
The coral on the desk looks so great! I've been adding more of it into my house and it just makes me smile. 🙂
And once again, Sarah for the win! Love it! And I love those stenciled panels behind it!
gorgeous! and, the gold knobs are the perfect final touch.
I've never used oil based primer. Maybe time to lose my virginity with it when it's time to do the kitchen cabinets this time around! I'm with you on coral, too – timeless. Love it with your grey wall, too!
i love that you kept the original hardware. It's so dainty and pretty. And now I'm obsessed with this coral… hrrrm what can i paint? 😉 xo LO
I love this color too! MCM always catches my attention… and even in a color they always look amazing! Great job! If you don't use as a desk it would make a great night stand!
LOVE THAT! I believe reading your post today is the creative spark I needed to get my fanny up and "redoing" myself. Tons to do, thanks and it is a fabulous "happy" piece! Well done.
Gah, love it! The color is stunning. We too hope you never tire of coral 🙂
So gorgeous…and I love the stencil pattern you have behind it! Just perfect!
so beautiful! Coral is one of my favorite colors. Love that little elephant too!
Love it! I did the same thing with a dresser for a contest I was in with the Salvation Army and American Society of Interior Designers
my coral dresser
Looove the coral! Its def a staple in my house. I'll never ever tire of it. Its looks amazing.
Do you have a tutorial for those wall panels? Love them!
Hi Dacia! My tutorial is over at Houzz 🙂 http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/20759446/list/Hide-Cords-in-Style-With-DIY-Graphic-Panels
love the little desk, so cute, i would love to feature it, if that would be ok please let me know,
lauren
Sarah, I am in love with this dresser color! The Cool Lava is a perfect coral color. I'm a big fan of SW Proclassic paint too. Also, great discovery on that hardware. The gold looks great with the coral. I'd love to feature this on my paint color blog, Involving Color. You wouldn't have to do a thing, just let me know if you're interested!