OK, so I finished painting my bedroom. Onward and upward to the decorating!! I'd had a dresser picked out (I posted a photo of it in another thread) but when I went to see it I realized how small it was and and I really need much more storage than that. I've been in some deep conversations who a lady who does furniture refinishing, and has a garage full of stuff she'll refinish whatever way I'd like! She has a tall dresser and an armoire she says she'll refinish for me with chalk paint and wax. Both pieces will cost me under $300, an amazing deal! The dresser is currently white, and the armoire's old and beat up but won't be when she's done. She's going to finish both in that shade of red chalk paint I like. I may also get her to leave off the doors because I've seen some adorable armoire photos where curtains have replaced the doors and I LOVE the look!! Or maybe matching bins on the shelves. I have SO many ideas for what to do with it to make it look attractive and eye catching rather than just a boring piece of furniture. Here's a picture of it in its current state. There are two or three shelves for the top there, a back piece which isn't on it right now, that drawer, and then the doors at the bottom open to another shelved area. I'll replace the hardware with....something. While I'm waiting for the furniture to get done, I need to find another desk. Unfortunately the one I got is just too low...it's giving me back and neck pain. I hope to find one this weekend!
If you like the style of your desk you might consider replacing the legs with taller ones or even those things that add height to things. They look like hard plastic pyramids with the tops taken off.
Those are great finds. Cant wait to see the finished photo's. I love to decorate and redecorate. Hubby not so much.
I have a desk I love and was thinking I was going to have to replace it because the drawer was to low across the middle. I got a shorter chair and solved the problem. (Actually it was an old office chair that went lower than I realized that I already had). Just another possibility
Ronni, I have used bed risers for many things besides a bed. They might just do for raising the desk to the height you need.
Thanks for your suggestions. I've tried a lower chair, and the bed risers, both separately and in combination. Unfortunately I can't make either work so that I'm not dealing with neck and lumbar pain. Plus I realized that part of the problem lies in not just the height of the desk, but the width of the area where my knees go. It's very old piece of furniture, I guess an antique at this point, not even sure if its original function is as a desk. Or perhaps it was more a writing desk. Regardless it just doesn't feel right no matter what I do. But good news! A friend offered me a desk, for free! One of my "adopted" kids (my daughter's ex-boyfriend.) He even delivered it. It's beat up, but I'm going to refinish it anyway, and it's a very solid piece, all wood. It doesn't look like much right now, but what I see in my mind's eye is very different. Last night I wood puttied that area on the lower shelf and this morning I'll sand that, and then start painting! I'm using chalk paint and wax, to give it a slightly distressed look. Gonna leave the top alone so there's some contrast. I think I'm going to paint the small chest I have to match, maybe leave the drawers alone for contrast. Or paint the drawers and leave the rest....haven't decided yet. Anyway, here's a picture of what I'm shooting for with the desk. Of course mine won't have the writing on the top, but I really like the contrast between the top and the base. And the color of the top is similar to the color of the furniture I'm getting, so it should all tie in. I don't think I'll distress my desk as much as the one in the picture. I just want some slight imperfections to add some interest to the piece.
And I'm done with the desk! What a project...took me all weekend in bits and pieces. But it's finished now and I'm pleased with how it turned out. The pictures unfortunately don't do the work justice, but still, you'll get an idea of what I did. Desk before. In progress. And finished. The distressing looks much better in person. It just looks kind of dirty in the pictures. Here are a couple of closeups to give you at least a slightly better idea.
Does look good but I would also have done the drawer front for a finished look. Kind of off balance with the drawer and top alike. Would like to see the bedroom when you finish it.
You know that armoire that I was having refinished? Remember..this one? [r She finished it! Here it is in my room, refinished just the way I wanted it, all set up! I also chose a dresser that I wanted her to refinish the same way. They weren't originally a set or anything, but they look like they are now! I just love the way everything turned out!
