A Desk All Her Own

 

This is Eliza's room, and this is the desk I just finished for her.  It used to look like this:

 

Yes, this was another bargain Craigslist find, and it came with the chair too, only it was originally brown.  Once again I had to contend with that awful laminate top that seems to be the standard surface for furniture built in the 70's.  I brushed on 2 coats of primer (the stain was still seeping through in spots) and 3 coats of white paint, then finished it with a clear gloss sealer because (silly me) I had purchased satin finish white paint and it did not scrub clean very easily.  Hazel attacked it with a pencil after the 3rd paint layer, and it wouldn't come off so I had to touch it up with paint again.  That was when I determined it was necessary for the clear coat!

 

I decided that white was definitely too boring for this chair, with all its fun little details just begging to be embellished.  There was a lot more I could have done with this chair, but I was on a time crunch and had to leave it at the "medium-decorated" level.  Eventually, when I start sewing again, I'll make her a seat cushion but for now this is what it looks like.

 

Eliza REALLY wanted to help paint her own knobs, so I gave her lots of Qtips and little baby food plastic lids full of craft paint, and she went to town!

Not bad for a 6 year old, eh?

 

 

Eliza was basing her designs on the knobs that I had painted years ago for her dresser and nightstand.

 

I posted these knobs about a year ago when I first started this blog, but in case you've never gone back that far, here are some of my favorites again!

 

These were obviously done back when I had more time...I can't imagine sitting down and doing these in such great detail now.  If I remember correctly, each knob took me 30 minutes to an hour to paint because I had to work so slowly and carefully.

 

 

Crazy, I know...

 

So there it is, the finished product!  Eliza is thrilled about having a desk in her room, she loves to go up there and do her homework and write letters to people.  I remember when I was a kid I had a special tree stump (complete with little nooks and crannies for my markers) out in the woods that I would write and illustrate stories on, and I loved having that special space all to myself.  Now Eliza has a (slightly more sophisticated) creative space all her own, too - and she couldn't be happier.

Comments

[Missy]

Hi Shelley! I haven't commented in awhile, but I've been in AWE of all you've been doing. Your refurbishing work is seriously amazing! I need to get on it and make my home what I want it to be. Obviously it CAN be done on a budget. Thanks so much!
Keep the idea coming!!!

[celia]

Great project It's so beautiful! and I really love your daughter's knobs!!!
What a designer! lol...

[Michele]

I love the desk, it turned out very cute. Tell Eliza we would love it if she wrote us a letter. She did a great job on the knobs. Much better than I could have done.

[Kristy Erickson]

I always knew Eliza would turn into a little artista, just like her beautiful mommy! Those knobs are absolutely priceless! I wouldn't change a thing.

[elizabeth]

that is amazing!