Thanks for all the great comments on our crazy little video! If it brought a smile to your face, it was worth it. It makes me laugh every time I watch it. My favorite part? Right at the top when Scout walks between Don’s legs while he’s cooking.
Okay. I’m going to share some pictures with you. Pictures of something which is just plain ugly at the moment. I was editing these in Picnik when I suddenly thought, “Why are you spending any time on these? Just post them!”
Husband brought this home a month or so ago. He found it on the street in a neighboring town.
It’s a university town and this was clearly some student’s desk. He obviously came to his senses and got rid of it.
When Don proudly showed off his find, I must admit I was thinking, “Take it back.” Don’t you love the holes? Most likely for electronic cords, etc. Why do I keep seeing a face when I look at them? Oh and wait – there’s this:
A slide out shelf that is clearly homemade and covered in hideous contact paper which reminds me of the kitchen table we had when I was a kid.
The top.
Normally, I would pitch this thing. But, I need a little desk downstairs. Don has the one in the office/guest room/studio. Our little spinet desk by the stairs is a wee bit fragile. This ‘thing’ is rather petite and fits into a corner of the den.
And I am being extremely frugal this year.
Should I take this on?
It’s a challenge, for sure, and I do love a challenge. I have a few ideas floating around in my head. Since I didn’t win any chalk paint in any of the numerous giveaways I entered, I have no idea what color to paint it. And I don’t want to spend much money. Still thinking a creamy color might be the best choice, as the cupboard that holds our television is right next to this and it is a creamy color.
The colors used in our den are red, tan and cream, with a dash of teal.
I need your help. Tell me what you envision for this ‘thing.’ Other than the trash.
I would be very grateful for any and all ideas you might have!
Wow. I might have, at first thought, said send it back. But, as we are struggling with lack of work as well, my impulse is to encourage you to take on the challenge. Pour your worries into it and have a great time. Cream would be safe, but what about making it stand out with one of your accent colors. Teal? Red? Make it fun and enjoy making this great memory. I look forward to seeing your trash become treasure. ~Kelly
unDeniably Domestic
Oh no! Don’t send it back! Just paint it….distress it and add a few baskets! The lines on it are so pretty!
Wow- She is kinda ugly! Kind of a have a beer and take her home kinda gal if there is no one else at the bar!;>)
I like her little cubbies on top to hold goodies. I think they might be cute with some little decorative doors on them…or even neat glass jars to hold office “staples”.
I would probably paint her cream and then I might even skirt her- right under the top and hanging to the floor. IF I skirted her I would probably paint the part behind the skirt a fun color. And, that’s all I got! xo Diana
Claudia, just have fun with it. Put a board on top of the second shelf to hide the gap. Plug the holes. Then you could shabby chic it. Over fifteen years ago, I painted my dining room set (table, four chairs, and sideboard) using Delta Ceramcoat craft paint). I crackled it. I used a sort of ivory colour, their golden colour they have because the cracks are gold, and I even used their varnish. After all these years, it still looks pretty good. I used a lot of those little bottles but not as many as you would think. I can’t remember how many bottles because it’s too long ago. So, you see you could use craft paint for that little piece you have. And, if you don’t like the result, just do something else. If you wait for a Michael sale, it will cost you even less. Look at magazines and online for ideas. There is so much you can do with that. I think it’s cute. It was nice of Don to bring it home. He’s a good husband, that Don! Of course, you’re a good wife too!
I see this painted your favorite color. The color you use on your blog and all around your house. A new back for sure. Old bead board? The cubbies on top i could see with a McCoy vase in each one holding pens, pencils and such.
I vote for a cream color and let some of your wonderful vases in teal add the color. Baskets down below are wonderful for hiding things in….. I use a LOT of them in my home office area, and YES.. Michaels has some great sales on them, or check a Dollar store if there is one in your area or even a Goodwill store. Sooo many options! What a sweetie Don was for bringing this home to you. {{HUGS TO DON}}
Hmmmm, I think it looks like it might have originally been a changing table. If this was mine I would paint it cream and line the inside with fabric or wall paper – both to hide the holes and give a pop of color. Then I would go with baskets on the shelves to organize stuff. For the center area where the shelf is cut out I would find a taller “trash style basket” and use that to organize wrapping paper or other “tallish” items.
~KerrieLynn
P.S. if the truth be told it would sit in my garage for a solid year before I found the time to work on it, LOL!
Before I read a word, just seeing the photo, I thought “ooooh, what a great piece!” Truly a one of a kind find, and you can do any number of treatments to it. If it were mine, I’d just distress it a bit, remove the contact paper, and have an adorable little desk.
Once you have a lovely lamp and all your accessories on it, I don’t think you’ll notice the holes.
My neighbor sold an old organ that looked a lot like that piece; it had been (for lack of a better word) gutted, painted, and distressed, and was used as a desk. She got $300 for it! So I’d say you got a REAL bargain.
It think it has a ton of potential and since you like aqua so much, why not go with that?
S
xo
LOL … I could be accused of the same thing with some of my finds. I don’t have any answers yet but I’d bet you will turn it into something quite lovely!
Hello Claudia,
I concur with what Sue from Beach Bungalow suggested. Why not go with your favorite color?
~Sandy
Can’t wait to see the finished product. I like it I have never seen one like that
Please do not let this go. I see so many uses for something this spectacular. If not a desk inside, how’s about a potting table outside. I love all the lower open space too. It’s a keeper.
I MUST SAY CLAUDIA….I LOVE IT…..
IT WOULD MAKE A GREAT DESK, THE HOLES ARE ALREADY THERE FOR YOUR WIRING….
PAINTED WITH YOUR FAVORITE COLOR…..
A DESK LAMP……A FEW BASKETS UNDERNEATH……SHAZAM…..IT WILL BE A BEAUTY…..AND YOU DID IT………
HAVE A NICE DAY…..RIZZI
I really like the piece but I like those strange bits of furniture that have a mysterious past! So talk to it, take whatever fabric or paper you have and drape it across and see what colors or patterns turn it on. Which ones give you a laugh or a satisfied ahhhhh. Once you have the background explored you can out any of the lovely things you already on it to decorate. I think this will be fun!
I was jealous of you soon as I saw it! It’s an easy fix up project. Those holes in the back can be back patched and plaster filled in a flash, and don’t you have some scrap wood around the place that you could cut a patch for to mend the cut out on the second shelf? (If not I really think that once those holes are fixed – they draw the eye to that area so much! – and it’s painted up and stuff goes on the shelves you won’t really notice that cut out anyway.) At first I thought of the little square thingies on the top as the perfect place for pens and such but actually if it was mine I’d make a little shallow shelf to go along the back, these little rectangle ‘holes’ would support it as would the back and sides. I think there has been something else on the top of this and those ‘holes’ are supporting structures for it. Colour? It’d look nice in cream or French grey, distressed, but first I’d try it in a turquoise too, or some other ‘stand out’ colour that would look good in your room. A sample pot of paint should be enough to give it one coat to see how you like whatever colour you go for. Have fun with it – just pretend you’re cooking, put on some music, and go for it – it works in the kitchen!
And 10/10 to Don for bringing it home! A man who cooks AND can spot an upcycling gem on the side of the road is a rare breed!
happy new year, claudia!
my first thoughts are … check out if your local paint store has any “oops” paints in a color you like. i think a gallon is $5 or less.
paint.
make 2 cafe panels and hang them with a tension rod.
if anyone can make this baby work, it’s you!
xo
elyse
Or what about that signature aqua color of yours but paler?
That looks like a fun “New Year” project for you! Lots of good suggestions in the previous comments. I liked one or two about putting a bulletin board or something on top, or sitting shelves on the little ‘box’ supports. We have an old dresser from my grandmother’s house that was missing either a drawer or doors, or something beneath two small top drawers. We had two white oak baskets custom made to fill that space. So far they have been used to hold diapers and clothes for our grandgirl. I love the way they look. If we ever decide to do something else with the ‘dresser’, we can always use the baskets for other purposes.
I see lots of potential in that piece. I love the idea of painting it and then putting baskets on the lower shelves. I bet Brenda would make it over with one of her cute decoupage treatments and that doesn’t cost much either. The shelf with the contact paper is crying out for a decoupage treatment. I can’t wait to see what you do with it!
I am just not one of those talented people that looks at something and turns it into something that is just a showstopper and people say ” I never would have thought of that” …I wish I was, though. One thing I did think of was using foamboard and covering it with a pretty fabric to cover the back of the shelves with. Would cover the holes. A pretty contrasting paint color for the rest and you have yourself a sweet little shelving unit to display your pottery on. That’s the only idea I have…~Hugs, Patti
First Claudia Happy New Year. I had 14 posts to catch up on – it’s been quite a while since I’ve been to visit. I think that a nice pop of red would be fun for the top and cream for the lower levels and Elyse’s idea of cafe curtains in a coordinating red check.
Can’t wait to see what you do with it!
All the best for a wonderful 2012!
Leann
Claudia, Don is a keeper. He has a nack for bringing home things that can be used and on top of that, he can cook!
I am just going to call it a desk for lack of a better word. If I had it, I would paint it cream and then do a tailored skirt, with pleats on the corners and an opening at the center for access to the shelves underneath. That would be much easier than fussing with the insides. This is my two cents thrown in….For what they are worth….Very nice find!
You know what I thought when I first saw it and didn’t yet know what it was? I immediately thought it looked like a doll house! I don’t know why. But those shelves looked like different levels of a house to me. I thought the holes were windows! I know. I’m certifiable.
Brenda
Claudia,
I think it has some potential. Chalk paint sounds great or even a light greenish, turquoise color. I can see it with a cute little vintage lamp on top with a canned chair. Ok, did I talk you into it?
Good luck deciding :)
xxx Liz
So many great ideas!
I know whatever you do it will be fabulous.
I think with a little work you can make it work! Paint it red hehe, no really needs a few things added some trim maybe decoupage the top But I think it has potential. IT WAS FREE. Which will be ok if you can make it work with just a little more. Biggest thing do you have a comfy chair that is the right height to write or type on your laptop at it. If not it will never work. If so I say go for it! It is always my test for a desk! Can’t wait to see what you do!
Hugs, Lisa
Happy New Year!!
Just stopping by to visit and wish you a very happy new year and to thank you for all the visits you have given me over the years and how much they mean to me.
And what a great desk you found! I LOVE it! Of course I have thought of million things to do with it…but one of them is to take an old book (very old) and tear out pages and decoupage right over the yucky contact paper and even on top of the desk and then seal it with a sealer. Paint give it a fresh coat of paint and then paint a great quote on the sides of the desk in a great font all the way down.
You could even paint a little quote on the top ledge facing you (top photo) in French a funny quote like, “This is was once a really ugly desk” Everything looks better in French. I have a little ugly, useless door in my bathroom that I HATE and I finally painted it and in tiny French words, I wrote in French, “I hate this door” because I do. Everyone thinks I have some fancy little quote on the door and it is hilarious.
Okay girlie, gotta run. LOVE the desk….
And you…
Elizabeth :-)
Paint can make anything look pretty!!!
I vote for red, bit that’s probably not happening (: or cream with red or aqua trim. Also I see a little fabric skirt covering up the first shelf (they must have put the computer tower in the knotched section). Whatever you decide will be a perfect fit, so follow your instincts. But thanks for making it interactive (:
I vote for red, bit that’s probably not happening (: or cream with red or aqua trim. Also I see a little fabric skirt covering up the first shelf (they must have put the computer tower in the knotched section). Whatever you decide will be a perfect fit, so follow your instincts. But thanks for making it interactive (:
It has interesting lines and I think when you get it fixed, it’ll be cute. I opt for teal to give that little baby new life!
I can’t wait to see what you do. Good luck!
I, too find myself not only seeking thrift store goods but sometimes eyeing and bringing home curbside furniture. Just take a look at my last post and see what happened to the pink pepto-bismal green ivy-stenciled mirror I found in the trash and hung onto for a few months. Actually, most of my craft room, inside patio and outside patio are throw out pieces that I “thought about” for awhile. So, I say keep it, paint it your elegant cream color because you never can have enough shelves. How about some tasteful casters on the bottom? Have fun.
I kind of like the idea of a tension curtain rod in front with maybe a gingham or toile fabric, it could hide components, or a multitude of sins, and I agree with the creamy colour choice to tie in with your other furniture. A pretty chair and some accessories on top, and I think it could be quite adorable. I’m sure you will come up with something wonderful. I’ll be waiting! And it is always so much better when it is free!
I LOVE IT!!! I’m a lover of outcast furniture though and always try to figure out a way to fit them into my home…kind of like the land of misfit toys? You will make it look wonderful, I just know it ~ follow your gut! I just love it’s primitive feel….hugs and love, Dawn