She Walks in Beauty Like the Night...Classic Yet Edgy Desk

She wasn't walking in much beauty in the before. The top was tired. Some missing pieces of veneer on some drawers. But she possessed such nice bones.

We had a plumbing issue which forced me to stay home one day. With some time on my hands I decided to sand down the top of the desk. Carefully...





It is totally possible to sand wood veneer. Very carefully. You don't want to get down through the veneer layer. Now with a nice raw surface I decided to use Unicorn Spit. A wood stain and glaze available in a rainbow of colors. For this piece I wanted a classic feel. So I started with a couple colors...





And it was grapey purple. So I added another layer after this one dried.





And oy! It was a darker, deeper purple! So added another layer after this one dried. It took me a bit to realize that if one is using a purple stain the outcome would be purple. D'oh!





Now we're getting somewhere. I added two more layers of Unicorn Spit in Midnight's Blackness. I let that dry then wiped on a light coat of tung oil finish. It gave me an idea of what the colors would look like once I put the topcoat on. I added one more layer of Midnight's Blackness. I do all this with my hands by the way. Moving the stain back and forth creating dimension and visual texture. For the body...





I chose Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® In Graphite with a custom grey over the top of that.





Oil based poly for the top makes those colors really pop. So much dimension and depth. I swapped out the chair the desk came with for something grander. I upholstered the seat in a remnant piece of toile from my stash after adding new 2" foam.





Oh- I almost forgot the back. It's painted and I inscribed it with the famous poem by Lord Byron, She walks in beauty like the night.
I chose this poem because I think the desk is beautiful and the top is evocative of the night sky.





Maybe it's a little weird but I do love literature and adding it to my pieces gives them a little something special.





Here's the top.






Original article and pictures take http://www.hometalk.com/13212261/she-walks-in-beauty-like-the-night-classic-me-edgy-desk site