A cute little writing desk gets a beautiful makeover.

Have any of you every tried Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk paint? This sweet little desk is the first of many projects that will be painted with that awesome powdered paint! We hadn’t tried it before because we really liked the convenience of other paints (that were already mixed).  I know I was a little wary of having to mix this milk paint. But wow, oh wow, why I was ever afraid of that I have no idea! It was unbelievably easy, and the paint is well worth it.

Again, we got this desk from one of our wonderful auctions we frequent. It was in pretty good shape, just outdated and had some scratches on the top. The makeover began with my handy-dandy electric sander. (This is what we use). I used some coarse grit sand paper to strip the top down to the bare wood.

The wood grain was just beautiful, so I picked out some pretty stain that had a bit of a red tint to it. I thought it would go well with the milk paint color I wanted to use.

Next, the hardware on all the drawers was removed, and a few scratches and dents on the body of the desk were filled with wood filler. Some light sanding with a fine grit block, and then a good cleaning with soap and water topped off the prep work. I read that with glossy surfaces it is best to lightly sand the entire piece before applying the milk paint in order for it to adhere, so prep work is important.

To mix the milk paint you add one part paint, to one part water, stir it, let it sit, then stir again. So easy! I was a little worried about coverage since the paint seemed so watery, but it was just amazing! For this desk, only one coat was needed!

In some spots the paint did look a little thin, but I embraced it and took my fine sandpaper to enhance the spots for a timeworn look.

Then a bit of wax for a sealant and the piece was done!

Ok, I just have to gush about this color a bit…how pretty is it! I love the smokey-ness of this gray-blue. And to add it with the dark top is just perfect. I also really enjoyed doing something new-new type of paint and new color.

 

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