Monday, July 26, 2010

Metallic Secretary Desk

As I was driving my kids to go swimming the other day, my neighbor was in the process of taking out this old secretary desk out to the curb.  Screech of breaks and hold on to your seats kiddos!!!  Mamma’s gotta go score some furniture!  (It’s an addiction, really.)

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It needed some screwing and gluing, and for something to be done about the hideous faux wood grain paint job someone had attempted at sometime in it’s existence.  (It was painted chocolate brown and messily streaked with black over that, I’m guessing to simulate wood???)

One of the hottest trends in interiors right now is the use of metallic finishes, and I was inspired by all the great metallic looks out there as I was contemplating what direction to go with the design of this piece.  Here’s some of my inspiration:

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(Silver Leaf Bombay Chest, not sure of source )

RestorationHardware

(Zinc Dresser and Iron Bed Restoration Hardware)

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(Silver Leaf Dresser from Decorpad)

Horchow3

(Antique Silver and Gold Painted Dreser from Horchow)

Horchow2

(Burnished Silvery Chest from Horchow)

Horchow

(Silver Leaf Bombay Chest with Scroll Detailing from Horchow)

 

For my little freebie secretary, I combined the burnished, heavily antiqued look of the zinc dresser from Restoration Hardware or the burnished silvery chest from Horchow with the tone-on-tone scroll detailing of the last Horchow chest above.

First, I brush primed the piece with Kilz.  Then did a base coat with Rust-oleum Bright Coat Silver Metallic Finish Spray Paint.  Here’s how she looked after the base coat.  The brush strokes from the primer coat showed through, which really did make it look very much like a silver leaf finish, but WAY easier.  ;)

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Then I mixed up a glaze to add the antiquing using Metallic Champagne paint from Folk Art along with some black acrylic to darken it to a pewter color and water. Then I added the hand-painted scrolling detail, also using the Metallic Champagne Folk Art paint mixed with just a touch of burnt umber to darken.  I added back the original antique brass hardware, after giving them a good scrubbing with soap and water.  I also added a handle to the top part that I salvaged from another freebie, the two-toned dresser that I finished up last week.  Waste not want not!  :)  And here she is all prettied up:

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The moral of the story, you don’t always get what you pay for.  Sometimes you get much, much more.  ;)

 

This project is competing in the Roadkill Rescue Challenge over at The CSI Project!

Visit thecsiproject.com

Also linking to parties at:

Domestically Speaking, Somewhat Simple, The Shabby Chic Cottage, Miss Mustard Seed, The Shabby Nest, Finding Fabulous, Life in the Fun Lane, Perfectly Imperfect, Thrifty Decor Chick, Shanty 2 Chic

51 comments:

  1. That is AMAZING! You are very truly gifted with your furniture restoring. I really hope you win the CSI project. I can't imagine a better project!

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  2. Wow. I was thinking I wouldn't like the results but all I can say is Wow! That is gorgeous!!!!

    I have this post over at my blog (that no one seems to want to participate in) about some odds and ends I have had floating around. Would love your input into what I should do with them!

    http://cannwin.blogspot.com/2010/07/crafting-advice.html

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  3. that turned out soo cool! i love the swirlies on it and i am SO glad you saved it from the landfill and utter demise... nice job! saving our planet one curb-side pickup at a time.

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  4. Very impressive and inspiring. Great job!

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  5. Oh my gosh, Ann Marie! I almost want to cry at how much I LOVE your transformation! You completely saved it and it is MORE than beautiful! Another wonderful job!! :)

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  6. It tured out GORGEOUS! I love metallic paint. Fantastic job on the hand painting!

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  7. OH MY GOODNESS!! I'm literally on my knees! Mouth open. WOW! I really love it...like, how much are you asking for it?? No, seriously, if I lived closer, I'd snag that thing up! And seriously, for a friend I'm keeping an eye out for...how much? I guess I could've been professional and emailed, but I guess I'm kinda goofy like that. :) -shaunna

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  8. Your neighbors are sooooooooo going to want it back NOW!

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  9. Oh my gosh! You are so talented, Ann Marie! It's incredible!

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  10. It's beautiful! Love your handpainted scroll work. Really, really nice!

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  11. Love it! Like the free hand scrolly too! Great job! I will need to try my hand at this metallic stuff.

    ~Makalani
    www.MakazHome.com

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  12. This transformation is incredible!Let's not show it to your neighbours, they might want it back.
    Very well, well done.
    Have happy day.
    XX

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  13. That is amazing. I would have pasted that little pretty up, but you could see the potential. Just beautiful.
    Brooke

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  14. Just gorgeous! Looks like your hard work paid off. It's just amazing!

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  15. What a great job you did, love the hand painting!

    XO
    Lenore

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  16. GASP... I love metallic finishes and this does not disappoint!!! The scroll work puts it over the top.

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  17. DANG! Score for getting something free and turning it into something LOVELY. I really like what you have done with it.

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  18. I have been trying to think of how to paint my furniture in my bedroom......you have totally inspired me with this dresser! Thank you for all the info and steps! LOVE IT!!!

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  19. Oh my gosh, this is a GORGEOUS piece now! You'd never guess what it looked like before! I LOVE it!

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  20. I could totally kick myself for throwing away one just like this, now that I've seen the fabulousness you have made it! Bravo.

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  21. Perfect! I just learned about the joys of metallic paint. It is my new love. Coming over from the power of paint party.

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  22. Wow! It looks awesome! I love it. Are you keeping it or selling it? ;) Great job!

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  23. Love it! Great job Ann Marie.

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  24. Bet your neighbor wants it back, huh?

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  25. I want neighbors like yours!! This is incredible. LOVE IT!! I am a new follower and can't wait to see more!! Thanks for sharing!

    ~Alison

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  26. I have seen the paint at the store, and seen pictures in Ballard Mag. But wasnt sure if it would sell-or how it would work. But i really like it..
    You have inspired my to give it a try..
    Lovley
    Karryann
    Always great to give new ideas- a try.

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  27. Gorgeous...I gotta do something like that...you've inspired me!!

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  28. Seriously...my heart totally sped up when I saw this! I'm in LOVE! I've been scouring GW for a little table to put next to my peacock chair from Pier One in my family room. I was contemplating a metallic finish and you have SEALED THE DEAL! thanks for sharing at the shabby nest!

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  29. you've got a new follower too! ;-)

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  30. Amazing! I'm SO doing a metallic piece soon. Thanks for all the info on how you did it!

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  31. Thanks so much (about the website)! I built it using bigblackbag.com. They are a site building company for designers, photographers, artists, and pretty much all creative types. I built the whole thing myself using their templates and system! I am going to get a logo made that matches the blog, but I just added my own backdrop and used a lot of gray to get them to be cohesive. I'm SO pleased with how simple is was to use...it's not perfect, but it's kind of like blogger for websites. You can just keep uploading and changing it around as you have time. You should check it out. Okay, enough of my advice-giving for now! :) shaunna

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  32. how cool! you really did breath new life into that piece...and with amazing results!
    i love that you did silver.
    xox alison

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  33. Just dreamy!!! Love the swirls!! I'm putting your piece in the Spotlight at the PoPP on Saturday.

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  34. That is terrifically fantastic! What a wonderful job you did.

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  35. This piece is so interesting! Nice work. Ok...and it is criminal that someone put this on the side of the road. Lucky for you, but criminal. I think that should be the new definition of criminal littering, "throwing away an awesome piece of furniture."

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  36. This gets better and better every time I see it! Thanks for linking up at style feature saturday again, sweet friend! -shaunna :)

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  37. That turned out so good, can't wait to try that silver color.

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  38. Haha! I totally just did a zinc piece inspired by the Restoration Hardware Zinc dresser, too! Yours looks beautiful! I especially love the handpainted accent. I was going to try my faux zinc technique on a desk top but I think I might give this technique a whirl so that my pieces aren't too matchy matchy. Always up for trying something new. Love it. Are the brush strokes just from the primer base or did you brush on the glaze, too?

    Jami

    Jami

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  39. Came over from Shanty2Chic--I love it! What a great job on the scroll work, especially.

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  40. You constantly amaze me! I will be featuring this on Monday, but you can preview it here ;)
    http://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/metallic-secretary-desk/

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  41. I was just browsing your blog and stumbled upon this beauty! I had to give you some praise at this point! Beautiful from one Re-furbisher to another. Thanks for sharing!

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  42. Back again, Ann Marie -- I also featured this project on my blog for my post revealing my August bookmarks. Wonderful job.

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  43. this piece makes me sigh! in a great way! you know when you see something so great ,you just have to sigh?!! i recently painted my bathroom ceiling silver! i guess i am on trend w/ out knowing it! the great thing about metallics is that they are timeless! great job- you've done it again!

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  44. Awesome.... So much prettier...

    Warm blessings,
    Spencer

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  45. This looks soo pretty! Nice job! Did you do anything to the insides of the drawers?

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  46. love it! Amazing makeover!

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  47. Thank you for the great post, I enjoyed it and found it inspirational, but I don't know what "a piece of Kilz" is. Could you please explain? I already know that Kilz is a primer but I don't get how you could have a "piece" of it. Maybe your secret. Thanks. Many blessings.

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We love lovely gals showin' some love!