Sunday, May 26, 2013

Beachy Desk + Chair

Last summer I collected a bunch of pieces from garage sales and neatly stacked them in a storage room in my basement (to be forgotten).  I can't keep justifying buying more pieces if I already have a room full.  So I started to dig into it and found this desk.
I am pretty sure I paid $2 for it.  The top had veneer that was bubbling a little.  I was going to try to potentially fix it with some glue, but you can see on the left of the photo above I was able to stick a putty knife under it pretty easy so I removed it.
The wood underneath was so much more interesting than the veneer which almost looked like laminate.  There were a few spots that just wouldn't come off and I wound up sanding them off.  Actually I used the sander on it and the heat from it melted the glue and the pieces fell off.  

The wood was marked up either from me taking the veneer off or just not being the best condition prior to getting veneered.  I thought it looked like barn wood or drift wood.  After I sanded it smooth I looked up the recipe to stain it to get that grey weathered wood look.  I went by what both Bell Jar Vintage and Addicted 2 Decorating wrote about.


I used a 0000 steel wool pad and put it in a container with apple cider vinegar and waited a day.  I brushed the solution on and it turned a darker brown.  I remembered that I was supposed to use brewed tea so I brushed that on next. It took a few hours, but the wood turned a nice weathered grey color.


I painted the base of it with two coats of Federal Blue SafePaint (milk paint) from The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company.  It doesn't chip off as it is meant to be used on walls.  I distressed it and the combo of the blue paint and wood color looked so beachy to me--which I love.


I always like to have a chair to go with a desk and I had this one I got from the trash last year that was also stacked in my storage room.  I painted it with two coats of DIY chalk paint in white.

I wanted to make a seat that I could cover with fabric, but since the chair was not meant to have one, the seat is curved so when I put the wood on top there was a gap and you could see the holes from the caning. 

After some thought, I moved on to plan b and got out my jute rope and started weaving it through the holes.  I had to pull it out twice and start over, but was able to create a basket weave somewhat like the original cane seat.  It took about an hour to do.  I sat on it a bunch of times to make sure it will hold and it is strong!  I wouldn't recommend standing on it as I am sure it will break, but so would (did) the cane.

I thought it came out pretty cool!  My original intention was still to cover it with fabric, but I didn't know how to get around the back of the chair, so I left it.
In the end I think the combo of the natural jute and weathered wood and the paint is really cool and has such a beachy vibe.

Linking to:
I Heart Naptime | Silver Pennies | Craft-O-Maniac | Dwellings | I Should Be Mopping The Floor | Homemaker On A Dime | Life On Lakeshore Drive | Classy Clutter | Coastal Charm | Better With Age | Cozy Little House | My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia | Lolly Jane | Today's Creative Blog | Kammy's Korner | PJH Designs | twelveOeight | Kathe With An E | Elizabeth & Co. | Hickory Trail | The Winthrop Chronicles | Not Just A Housewife | Love Bakes Good Cakes | If It's Not Baroque... | The DIY Dreamer | Savvy Southern Style | Fluster Buster | Southern Lovely | Real Housewives of Riverton | Mom On Timeout | Saving 4 Six | Beyond The Picket Fence | A Creative Princess | House Of Hepworths | The Shabby Creek Cottage | All Things With Purpose | Lamberts Lately | I Gotta Create | Miss Mustard Seed | Crafty Scrappy Happy | The Shabby Nest | A Peek Into My Paradise | Funky Junk | Too Much Time On My Hands | Fox Hollow Cottage | Thrifty Decor Chick | Lilyfield Life | The Dedicated House | The Happy Housie | Restoration Redoux

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21 comments:

  1. Neat idea to use the string for the chair. The blue you used on the desk is so pretty!

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  2. I love the jute in the chair. What a great idea! Recaning is not a fun project.

    Federal Blue looks great on the base, and I love what you did with the wood top.

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  3. The desk looks so great! I have used Federal Blue milk paint and think that blue is so fun! The chair turned out amazing too. Such a unique look :)

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  4. I LOVE that little desk!! And what a repair job on the chair. I love a good furniture transformation - great job!
    Krista

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  5. Your chair repair was genius! It looks great and how awesome that you can actually sit on it. Love the desk too, pretty colors!

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  6. Vary pretty! I love the desk top and how ingenious to use jute for the seat! You can always put a pretty cushion on the seat for added comfort if it needs it.

    Have a very blessed day.
    Linda at The French Hens Nest

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  7. I love this, love what you did with chair and desk! :-)loving the blue of the desk a lot!
    stopping by from Lauren's IF It's Not Baroque party!
    Ingrid

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  8. I love the way the desk turned out! Thanks for coming by and partying with us. Have a funtastic week!

    Robin
    Fluster Buster

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  9. hi just found your blog and found it very good.great posts.I am now your newest follower from Australia-love dee x

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  10. I love you chair! Thank you for linking up at HickoryTrail

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  11. That chair is sooooo cool, I love rope and have never seen it used like that before. Love it! Thanks for checking out my dresser makeover :)
    ~Katie

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  12. Both came out so fabulous. I really love the color of the desk and the stained top! Thanks for sharing at Silver Pennies Sundays.

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  13. I do like this! And it does have a beachy look which I love :-) Thank you for sharing at our ALL MY BLOGGY FRIENDS party !

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  14. oh my word, that is so smart! I love it! :)

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  15. What a great idea for the chair seat! I'm so amazed that it is strong enough but glad it is! I have a few chairs I might try this on! :)

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  16. I have a caned chair with a broken seat and was thinking I would order new caning and get my basket-maker father to fix it for me, but now I'm thinking I may try your solution.

    Very clever, indeed.

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  17. hi Susan - you chair looks amazing -that is so clever. and I love the blue of the table. They look perfect together. thanks so much for linking up to paint Parade
    Fiona x

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  18. Beautiful idea for the chair seat..good trasformation! thanks for sharing sach a informativ post.Top quality furniture company

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