My newest piece is a vintage Drexel Heritage desk. I had been looking for one of these for a while and just about flipped when I saw it at one of my local thrift stores. If you haven’t noticed already, I like to name my furniture pieces. I feel it helps bring out the personality of the piece and describes its styling in a very special way.
And yes, I do know how to paint other colors besides ones from the blue family…but this one just screamed “Duck Egg Blue,” so what else was I to do? No other color would do it justice with its brass hardware and contemporary styling.
So I started painting and then remembered that I needed to take a ‘before pic.’ The base was already started so I snapped a quick photo of the drawer. Use your imagination, if you will.
To my surprise, under the top middle drawer were markings that read “ET CETERA BY DREXEL 973”. Drexel Heritage is a high-end, very sought-after furniture company that makes some truly beautiful pieces. I looked it up online and found that they still carry their Et Cetera collection today. I wasn’t able to date the piece to any particular period, but I can tell that it’s an older piece. If you have any information regarding the period of this desk, I would be very interested to know.
The painting process was as follows: two coats of AS Chalk Paint in “Duck Egg Blue” – very, very lightly distressed with an ultra-fine sanding block. Then finished with a coat of AS Clear Wax. Two coats of wax on the top to protect from any future wear and tear.
The brass hardware and fixtures needed to be polished, so I used the following solution: 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 tsp. salt, then enough flour to make a paste. Thickly brush the paste onto the hardware and let sit for 10 minutes. Then scrub with a toothbrush and rinse. You will be amazed how the build-up just melts off. Finally, polish with a dry rag. I have heard that others use ketchup to polish with a rag, but that didn’t work for me.
I LOVE how she turned out! This piece is the perfect blend of Vintage and Modern. I love her shape, I love the brass hardware, and I love the color that complements so well.
I have posted Chloe for sale on Craigslist here.
**Update: The desk is now SOLD!**
Lots of love,
Mary
I am linking up here:
www.remodelaholic.com
She is Gorgeous! You did a fabulous job!
Love it Mary!! If you were close I'd buy it!!
Love that color!Love for you to link up at:"Made by ME" Linky Party at JAQS at http://www.jaqsstudio.com/2011/11/made-by-me-5-linky-party-and-features.html
love the color and the desk, i would love one of these! great find. did you use ASCP duck egg? it's my fave color in the whole world right now. thanks for partying with me!
Thanks so much! @jaqs – I'll check it out now :)@Tammy – Yep! ASCP duck egg, isn't it yummy?!
gorgeous makeover–i'm loving the aqua/turquoise painted furniture too right now.
okay, you totally rocked this desk…what an ahhh-mazin' find! amy
ok, i seriously was going to visit the rest of the links tonight, but i skimmed by and this jumped out at me- i am in LOVE. and a little jealous, too. ;) it is AMAZING!
That desk is wonderful. I have a friend who hates painted furniture and can't see why anyone would not think that is beautifulyou did a good job
gorgeous! fabulous color, no need to change it if it works!
Mary, it looks gorgeous. What a pretty desk. I think it would be a welcome addition to an office or girls room. Great job! I am a new follower from Blue Cricket Design. Vicky from Mess For Less
I adore the color!! What an awesome transformation!!
This is so pretty!! Would love it if you would link this up at my turquoise lovin' party going on right now!! http://www.sweetlittlegals.com/2011/11/turquoise-lovin-11.html
Thanks for all the love! Such an encouragement to me and puts a smile on my face :)@Sara – I already have my other post linked up to your turquoise lovin party and didn't want to be too greedy. Was going to save this link for next week. Great idea by the way! I love that everything is turquoise.
Gorgeous! I love the hardware too. Great job!
Mary, are you going to be at the JunkStore sale in Gilbert this weekend?
Beautiful! I agree no other color than the blue would have looked so great up against that brass:)
Bold and brassy I love it!
Found you on DIY by design. This is a beauty! Love that color. And the hardware is very similar to the one on a sideboard I just purchased. Great job!
Beautiful color–great redo! Thanks for linking up to Share the Love Wednesday!Mary
This.Is.Awesome!! I love it so much! The aqua looks perfect with the gold handles! Love that chevron background too!!
Thanks a bunch for the kind comments!@Amy – No, I didn't know about the JunkStore sale. I have been refinishing furniture for a while, but I am new to selling. Thanks, I'll look it up :)
Love that desk! Oh how I need an office ;)
It's absolutely beautiful! I would love for you to link up to “It’s a Party” going on right now!www.acreativeprincess.blogspot.com
Absolutely Gorgeous! I LOVE IT!!!!! can't wait to see other projects…hugs…your newest follower…found you on the Shabby Creek! : )
BEAUTIFUL!!! I have been searching everywhere for a new desk for my office… I'm having a hard time finding one I love, in my price range- this desk is AMAZING!
Oh I love her!!! I've been trying to get my hands on a desk like this in the thrift stores and keep coming up empty handed :( Seeing yours makes me even more determined to find one though. Absolutely gorgeous!Thanks for sharing!Shelleywww.westermanfam.blogspot.com
What a beautiful desk! I love the combination of brass and the blue. Thanks for sharing at my party! Plus, I love the name "Chloe" – it's my daughter's name and my other daughter is Mary!
I LOVE this desk, and you are right to choose that blue, especially with the brass hardware. Great job.
You did a great job on the makeover. I love that color!
I love it. Great combination of the desk and the hardware.
Wow! I really feel like you honored this desk. It looks magnificent!
Great redo, I like the blue! Laura Cottage and Broome
That is gorgeous! Wish I lived in your craigslist area… I just might've had to snatch that up :) Great job!
Gorgeous!! Sharing it on fb~ thanks for linking up at Feathered Nest Friday! :)
Thanks for the encouragement :)@Terri – I'm linked up, thanks for the invite!@Courtney – I'm honored. Thanks so much!
It's beautiful and you did a lovely job!Thanks for linking your wonderful project to Potpourri Friday. I have just become a friend and follower, and hope you will do so too!
Beautiful work! I don't think I would really even notice that desk in the brown, but your finish is amazing. I love the little metal trim pieces.I'd love to invite you to share your project on my Thingamajig Thursday Party…http://radcrafter.com/2011/11/radcrafters-thingamajig-thursday-party-1/Alida
Love the HARDWARE especially!! WOW WEE!Thanks for sharing, cuz I found you at The Romantic Home's linky party tonight,~Suzanne in NW Illinois
Awesome piece! I love everything about it!
That is such a beautiful piece of furniture! I love the vintage and the modern. The chevron stripes look great behind it. I think it's perfectly normal to name pieces of furniture. I name rooms of our house. One of the bedrooms in our house was painted blue but got painted over with tan. We still call it "the blue bedroom" even though there isn't any blue in it! I'm going to paint it gray soon but I still don't think the name will change! ~ Barbara
What a stunning piece of furniture. The blue definately looks good on her.
Note only is it a fabulous desk, I really like the name, too. My daughter's name is Chloe. I love that you name your pieces. :)
I'm a new follower! I love your blog!
That is a beautiful colour. The desk looks completely different now! Great job.Best wishes,Natasha.
What a beauty! I love everything about it; the lines, the hardware and now the great colour.
This is sooo pretty! I can't believe you found it at a thrift store. It looks amazing now and I love the brass touches.
My show and tell is about my "new" desk also! I love the blue color that you painted this.BlessingsLinda
Stunning! And now can you tell me how you arranged your link party buttons so that they all fit together so nicely in rows and columns??? I just started blogging this week so I'm still trying to figure out the technical stuff. Thanks!
The blue is just perfect for this piece! You did a wonderful job bringing it a new life!
I am featuring you tomorrow during STICKER time!
Oh I adore the color and love how you placed it agains the chevron art! I am your newest follower and I would be honored to have you link up to my VIP party this weekend =) http://designergarden.blogspot.com/2011/10/vip-party-35.html
This is a gorgeous desk. I love the color and the hardware. I love it.Ruth
Beautiful job! Love the bold gold hardware & the duck egg blue!-caroline @ c.w.frosting
Your desk looks fantastic! I love that hardware and the duck egg blue.
such a pretty color of bluefor your new old deskthanks for sharing at fridays unfolded!alison
this turned out absolutely beautiful!!!!
Absolutely beautiful color with the hardware! I really like how you transformed it.
I'm SO in love with this! In fact I love it so much I featured in my blog today! Come by when you get a chance! :) PS I'm following you now too, I love your styling!
Wow what a great job you did! This is great inspiration for me–I have a Drexel piece that I've been wanting to paint. Now I'm totally pumped to paint away! Thanks:)
Love the desk. It's absolutely beautiful. Found you through Lovely Crafty Weekend. I just became a follower.
This is so beautiful! Love the details on the desk, and the color is perfection!
This piece is AMAZING. What an awesome find and beautiful makeover!:-)shaunna
Oh wow – that desk is gorgeous – utterly gorgeous! The brass and blue and style of the desk….:::sigh::: Beautiful!
Great job, such a pretty color. It makes the hardware pop. I also love the wall in the background! Nice work!
Gorgeous. You did an amazing job. I need to tackle the hardware on my sideboard, so thanks for posting the recipe you used.
That's really pretty. Wish my junk stores carried good junk these days (it's just junky junk and the new guy wants way to much for stuff). I used to polish my brass as a child and finally my dad buffed it out for me and then shot it with some clear laquer so it wouldn't tarnish again!
An amazing transformation! Really terrific.
This desk is beautiful! I love that you love blue as much as I do. You have great taste!
This is FAN-FLIPPIN-TASTIC!!! Everything about it is just perfect.
Gorgeous job! Love your blog…thanks for linking to our party!xo,Shannonwww.akadesign.ca
Just came over from the Whipperberry link party. WOW – I don't know why they didn't make it in duck egg blue to begin with! It looks so much better in that colour. LOVE the way you've accessorized it too. Gorgeous.www.katiescreative.blogspot.com
What an extremely cool desk, the blue is perfect!
Wow, it's beautiful! And the colour you chose is amazing. I'd love for you to link up at Etcetorize. Party starts tonight: http://etcetorize.blogspot.com ~
This is a gorgeous desk! What a beautiful paint job too!
SO CHIC, AND SO GORG. I love the color, and the pieces you used to decorate it. Going to share this on my COM-FB page.winks, jen
Love, Love, Love it! I love the color you used. I adore the hardware on her. You did an excellent job.Cindy @ changeofpacecreations.blogspot.com
stunning. that hardware makes me weak in the knees.
I love love love that desk! So unique and the colors are awesome.
So pretty! Would love it if you would link this up at my turquoise lovin' party! http://www.sweetlittlegals.com/2011/11/turquoise-lovin-12.html
She is just lovely! The color screaming at you just couldn't be missed and that hardware…sigh!
That's beautiful! Been seeing so much of this ASCP lately…i have to get some!
Thanks for sharing last week! I'd love it if you would stop by again tomorrow for party #2.Alidahttp://radcrafter.com
LOVE this! You did a great job, it is beautiful!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this… wow!!
This is gorg! I absolutely LOVE the color.
I do adore this desk. The color is great!
This is so great! I really love that color too. :)
I am in love with every single inch of this desk! It's beautiful, and you chose the perfect color! Thanks so much for sharing!
Brilliant! You must have died when you saw it in a thrift store! Love the color you chose too!
How beautiful! Love the color and that you used the original brass pulls!
Beautiful color! I've been looking at a few DIY projects and would like to do something myself. I have a question, do you sand your furniture before you start painting? It would be great if some one can answer me please. Thanks
Thanks for all the love! This is one of my favorite projects.@Anonymous #92 – Thanks so much! I did not sand this piece before painting. That's what I love about Annie Sloan chalk paint, no sanding or prep required! If you are using a standard latex paint, you will need to sand or in the very least rough the surface and use a primer. Perfectly Imperfect has a very good ebook with lots of furniture paiting tips that I would recomend! Feel free to email me at mary.a.spitzer@gmail.com if you have any other questions. I would love to answer your post directly, but it seems I am unable to email you in an anonymous post. :)
Two years later and people are still finding your desk and loving it! I found it on Pintrest and am now hunting for a similar desk to do the same thing to! Bummed when I saw it was sold! Jenny – South Africa
Oh wow, thanks Jenny! I so miss that desk!