Just Another Hang Up: From vixen to virtuous in several hundred steps...

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

From vixen to virtuous in several hundred steps...

Isn't that how it is? If a gal wants to change her life and turn from a wanton woman to a woman of integrity, it doesn't necessarily happen overnight. There are a number of steps involved. (I'm merely surmising, of course.) That was the case with the gorgeous she-devil desk I bought at Goodwill for $14.99. It was love at first sight, but when I actually got down to pealing off all four layers of glopped on paint, I just wasn't sure I was up to the task. Fortunately, I persevered.

In my last post about this little floozie, I highlighted the "the ugly truth about refinishing furniture", so there's no need to replay that awful record again. Suffice i

t to say that the "painted lady" was restored to her pristine, innocent condition and she was ready to get an appropriate, more conservative makeover.

I'll let you know the process I used, and then tell you what I would do differently (just about everything). I started by applying two coats of Rust-oleum Painter's Touch Ultra Cover Primer (spray paint). Then I applied five coats of Rust-oleum Americana Accents Smooth Satin spray paint in Heirloom White. You heard me right. Five. Coats. That desk was drier than the Mojave Desert in July, and it took a total of 7 (light) coats to get her covered sufficiently. I spent hundreds of dollars on spray paint (only a slight exaggeration). After all that paint she was a lovely white and pure as the driven snow, so I sanded down her edges a teeny bit and applied a little Ralph Lauren "smoke" glaze just to bring her back to earth.

Five coats of Rust-oleum Painter's Touch Ultra Cover clear non-yellowing matte finish later and she was a done deal. However, after I applied the third coat of finish I contacted Gail at My Repurposed Life for some advice. I was at my whits end. The top of this desk is made of pine and the clear sealer was soaking into the wood without giving it a "finished" look. I'm here to tell you Gail saved my sanity, and she prevented the desk from being used as kindling for a smore-fest. She suggested I turn the desk on its back to spray the top of the desk. That way the can would be facing up, and I might be able to get better coverage. She is a genius. That's all it took and with two more coats of the clear sealer the desk was complete. Some new knobs from HL finished her off. Ok. So here's the unveiling. She's not perfect, but I love her all the same...

I know I've railed on this little desk of mine, but I must admit she is absolutely perfect in this bedroom. I love her. I just didn't love the process. Next time I would do as Gail suggested, and I would roll on a latex semi-gloss paint which would take a fraction of the time. Live & learn.

Before:

After: