Amazing friends, welcome back! I’ve pulled out the cutest stenciled secretary desk to share with y’all today while I work on a brand new furniture flip for Thursday!
I spied this secretary at the Salvation Army Thrift Store for $34:
Except when I saw it at the store, it had these tucked inside:
Anyone missing their unmentionables?
There was a guy sitting in a chair right near where this was sitting when I snapped this photo. He said I should probably remove them before taking my photo. I didn’t tell him that I was specifically trying to take a photo of them ha ha!
Clean
To transform this pretty lady, I started with a good cleaning.
My go-to prep cleaner is White Lightning. I just add a TBSP to a tub of warm water and give it a good stir…
I use the terrycloth applicator pads to wipe my projects down and then swap out the water for clean water and give them one more good wipe down to rinse any residue.
Once this piece was clean, I used wood filler to fill in some imperfections and then sanded those areas smooth.
Paint
I decided to spray paint the organizer inside with Rustoleum black spray paint since those tiny cubbies would be too hard to reach with a brush:
I did this before I painted the rest of the desk and it worked perfectly!
Everything else was painted in Dixie Belle’s Caviar:
Caviar is a perfect, true black with excellent coverage. I gave it two coats to be sure I got everything covered well.
Adding a Stencil
For the front of the secretary, I dug through my stencils and came across a box with four stencils in it that I had ordered but had forgotten all about! Yay!
This stencil was a perfect fit:
You can find it HERE. I bought the large size. (They have a ton of great stencils!) This is clearly made to be a sign, but there’s no reason why you can’t use it on furniture too, right?
I gave the back a coat of spray adhesive first and used a small brush to fill in the stencil with acrylic craft paint, brushing away from the edges as much as possible:
It took three coats for full coverage. Craft paint works better than chalk paint since it washes off the stencil much more easily. I just rinse it in the sink and lay it tacky side up on a paper towel to dry. You can remove the sticky spray on the back with mineral spirits if you like, but I rarely do.
And here it is after removing the stencil:
The spray adhesive really helps give it those nice crisp lines. That and the fact that it’s a brand new stencil helps also. I usually fill in the breaks in the stencil, but this time I chose only to fill in the breaks in the bottom row using a liner brush.
When it was completely dry, I sanded the entire piece to smooth it all out, including across the stenciled graphic, with 220 grit sandpaper wrapped around an old foam sanding sponge. I also hit up the edges here and there to distress it a bit.
It looked like this:
Terrible! But not to worry! I removed any loose dust with my shop vac and gave it a final wipe down with a clean soft cloth.
Seal
I sealed with Clear Coat in Satin using the blue sponge applicator.
You can see it takes care of the chalky look right away:
If you are unhappy with the first coat of sealer, keep going. The second coat will even everything right out.
With darker pieces, you can also add a drop of paint to your sealer to prevent the ‘ghosting’ effect you can sometimes get with dark pieces when you run your finger across the surface.
The After
Cute eh?
The Drawers
The drawer got a pretty new fabric liner:
Check out how I line my drawers with fabric in the video below:
If you have trouble viewing, find it on YouTube HERE.
I actually found this gorgeous Waverly fabric at Walmart when I was supposed to be grocery shopping!
The sides got a little surprise with the addition of this furniture transfer in black and white gingham:
The addition of the gingham transfer to the drawer sides meant that I needed to paint them white first. I actually used BOSS in white. The rest was painted in Caviar:
The drawer also got brand new glass knobs:
I found these a while back at HomeGoods.
The Inside
Here is the inside once again before:
And after:
I gave the fronts of those little drawers the transfer treatment as well!
This transfer set comes with two sheets of the gingham and and two sheets of the check with the red in it. You just burnish it onto the surface with the stick provided.
You could easily use fabric, napkins, or regular paper applied with matte Mod Podge here instead.
The insides of the drawer got the same floral fabric as the larger drawer…
How cute are those little drawers now??
I added a little white foam dot to either side to prevent the painted surfaces from sticking when the front was closed:
I really enjoyed working on this one!
My sweet MIL ended up buying it from my shop the day after I dropped it off.
I get to visit it any time I like lol!
Can you tell I had fun with this makeover??
I love secretary desks! If you enjoyed this one, you might like this one too:
See how I worked some magic on this one HERE!
I’ll be back on Thursday with my Furniture Fixer Upper girls and this spindle bed:
I hope to see you there too!
UPDATE: This bed makeover turned out too cute! Go see it right HERE!!
XOXO,
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Mary Kaiser says
I loved how this one turned out! It is so pretty now, and so sweet of you MIL to go and purchase it! I love the size of this one, I am sure your MIL still has it and is enjoying it in her home!
Christy says
Thank you, Mary! It is a fantastic size and my MIL still uses it to corral bills, papers etc! Have a great week, my friend! XOXO
Laura says
Simply beautiful. I can tell you had fun as it is reflected in the whimsy of the final product. I want to be you when I grow up. So talented and wonderful taste.
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Laura! I really did have fun with this one! XOXO
Barbara Davis says
One of my favorites you have done. I love how you pull several ideas together to make a beautiful masterpiece
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Barbara! XOXO
Cecilia says
Super cute! Love it all but the finishing touches on drawers is the cherry on top. 😊
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! It’s always a nice surprise when the drawers are pretty too! XOXO
Denise Cox says
I remember this piece and still love it! …( even though black isn’t my favorite color, this is sharp looking!!)
.
Christy says
Thank you, Denise! XOXO
LORRI says
Oh I really love this makeover. ❤❤❤ I can see that you really put some thought into how you wanted to decorate this. SNAZZY!! All the colors go so well together. You are very good at what you do..so creative. Thank you for showing us great ideas.
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Lorri! I really enjoyed bringing all the patterns together on this one! XOXO
Cara says
I think this one is one of my favorites! Love those lined drawers and the extra details you always add.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Cara! This was a really fun one to work on! XOXO
Maria Rivera says
This desk turn out beautifully, I would have snatched it right away too 😄
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Maria! At least I can go see it anytime I like lol! XOXO
Mary Smart says
Oh Christy, this Secretary is one of my all time favorites that you have created! I loved the stencil and how you used the black and white check. I am a sucker for Black and white Buffalo check and use it in my own home. My niece says that I am obsessed with Black and white check!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Mary! I’m a sucker for black and white check too LOL! It’s such a classic. XOXO
Barbara says
I love this desk. I’m not sure I’d want the decals on the front, but I love the floral wallpaper in your drawers! Not so much with the checks – maybe something a little more muted???? I like the style of the desk. You do very professional work refinishing your pieces.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Barbara! XOXO
Rebecca says
Both desks are simply beautiful! It’s the little finishing touches that make them special, especially the drawers. I wonder, do you ever encounter drawers that you can’t remove to work on? I’m having that problem now. So annoying! Thanks for the tips an inspiration!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Rebecca! I have only encountered one dresser that I could not figure out how to remove the drawers from. I just had to paint them in place. However, I see a lot of furniture painters paint their dressers that way anyhow. You sound like me… I much prefer to take them out completely! I hope you’re able to work with it! XOXO
Jen says
So creative-as usual! I just got a “new” desk and I’m thinking of going dark. Black or maybe dark green. When you add the black paint to the sealer does it darken the stenciled area?
Christy says
Thanks so much, Jen! I added just a drop or two of paint to my sealer for this rocking chair where I had stenciled the seat with white, and it didn’t have any effect on the white: https://www.confessionsofaserialdiyer.com/windsor-rocker-makeover/ I hope that helps! 💕
GB says
Lucky MIL! Love it 💖
One of these days my sister and I going to do a trip from TN to visit your shop!
Found the furniture transfers interesting – especially for those of us who are ‘less crafty’ – wanta bes! 😁
Christy says
Thank you! Road trip!! I love the transfers for that reason also… They make me feel like an artiste lol! XOXO
Fran says
Thank you Christy for the info on painting with Caviar. Especially the ghosting. I have a small 3 drawer piece that has given me fits so I put it aside for now. All your details are amazing.
Christy says
You are so welcome, Fran, and thank you! Adding just a tiny bit of paint to your sealer really helps with that ghosting for sure! XOXO
Ce Ce says
Love the make over. I looked several years for a secretary desk to add to a guest bedroom. Hard to find or the cost is to much. One day I will find. I am so glad I find your blog. I enjoy your ideas and gives me ideas too. Have a Blessed Day and can’t wait to see what is next. Ce Ce
Christy says
Thank you so much, Ce Ce! I’m so thrilled to hear you are enjoying what I share! Yes, secretaries are normally pretty pricey. See you Thursday! XOXO
Niki says
This is perfect! To me black always looks sharp. I’m glad your mother in law bought it and enjoys it still.
Christy says
Thank you, Niki! I love black painted pieces too! And yep, I can go visit it anytime I want lol! XOXO
Susan says
Wow, that was one ugly duckling, before you got your hands on it! I shuddered! 😂 The after is so cute! Love it! What a little paint can do!
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Susan!! Paint is magical for sure! XOXO
Vicki says
This may be my favorite project yet! I adore those types of desks and have a similar one in my husbands shop right now that needs a makeover. I especially love the gingham and floral prints you used to spiff up the drawers, so pretty! Thanks for sharing!
Christy says
Oh yay! I’m so glad you like this one, Vicki! I really had fun with it. Good luck with yours! XOXO
Sharon L Austin says
Love it!!
Christy says
Thank you, Sharon!! XOXO
Frances says
Love It!
Christy says
Thank you, Frances! XOXO
Sue Mellette says
I really like the end result of this makeover. The caviar black with the white paint transfer brings out the beautiful lines of the secretary. The details though, are what makes this a stand out piece. The drawers, the drawer sides and even the glass knobs bring this into the 21st century. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy the rest of your week.
Christy says
Thank you so much, my friend! I love these desks as there are so many elements to play with! As you can see, I really enjoyed this one lol! XOXO
Denise - Salvaged Inspirations says
I love the contrast and the drawer liner… beautiful as always my friend! Have a super day! XOXO
Christy says
Thank you so much, my sweet friend! See you Thursday!! XOXO
Marcie Lovett says
When I opened the email, I said “Isn’t that the one with the bra in it?” Couldn’t remember how it turned out, but the underwear inside stuck with me 😂 I noticed you took off the back to paint the inside. Did you paint it separately before reattaching?
Christy says
Ha ha that is hilarious! It’s funny what sticks with us lol! I did remove the backing just to make it easier to paint everything. XOXO
Constance Colvin says
Yikes! So cute! 😃
Christy says
Thanks so much, Connie! XOXO
Cynthia M Meuwissen says
I love those little secretary desks because they are quite versatile. Your work is superb inside, outside and all around!
Christy says
I appreciate that so much, Cynthia! Thank you! And yes, they are such great pieces! XOXO
Petra says
I love it in black and those gingham drawer fronts 🖤. I had one identical a few years ago I painted light grey but I wish I’d done it in black – yours is perfection ☺️
Christy says
Aww thank you, my friend! It is such a cute style! XOXO
Joanne H says
So pretty. I really like the contrasting drawer liner and the transfers with the caviar finish. I have a desk with cubbies inside and was trying to decide how to refinish the cubbies. Spray paint definitely looks like the way to go. Did you try to sand inside and around the cubbies before spray painting? Or just prep with cleaning them.
Thanks. Your tips are so helpful
Christy says
Thank you, Joanne! I just cleaned them first. Spray paint is oil-based, so it adheres really well. XOXO
Cecilia from Georgia says
Love the little surprises you add to your furniture to give a fun flair! Caviar is so rich! LOVE the desk!
Christy says
Aww thank you! Those finishing touches are definitely the most fun! XOXO