DIY #1: Painting a Desk

- I bought a computer desk from a friend of mine, something that (AWESOMELY) folds up flat so I can put it into the trunk of my car when moving.

- It was a little bland, just plain wood.

- I bought a hutch from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Burlington, NC (be sure to measure the desk top space and hutch base before purchasing because you can't return items from such stores).

- It, too, was a little bland.

- Thus, I spruced them up a bit.

Step 1. Buy your wooden piece(s) to paint.

Step 2. Sand them down, if needed, to ensure a smooth painting surface.

Step 3. Purchase a bottle of gesso, a variety of brush sizes, and some acrylic paints from the painting section of a craft store. Gesso acts as a primer, of sorts, and is ideal if you'll be painting a dark wood piece in light colors. I opted for white gesso and a pack of different brushes from Hobby Lobby, which has occasional really good sales.

- My color scheme involved orange, fuchsia, gold, light yellow, dark brown, and bits of turquoise and white. It's important to not go overboard with the amount of colors, and try to keep them all of similar brightness but with some variety thrown in (like the dark brown to tie everything together). It's also nice to have one main color and several complimentary colors that are seen in smaller amounts. An art teacher of mine once ordered me to "never use the color directly from the tube!", so try experimenting with mixing your own color shades-- just be sure to mix enough so you don't run out!

Final Step. Cover the floor with an old shower curtain or drop cloth and let the creative juices flow :)

This turned out to be about a $15 project, not including the cost of the desk and hutch. Here are some detail photos:

to remind me of wonderful things (this is on the footrest part)

the part of the desk that faces me

view of the detail on the bars/rungs my kitten, Tupelo, loves to hang out on the keyboard drawer

Thanks for reading, enjoy :)

~Mica