Free Desk ~ from Ugly to Umm...Better

A few months ago I picked up this desk. A neighbor was giving it away.

It was pretty damaged from being left next to a humidifier, and the finish was scuffed and stained.

The leather top had nail polish spills and scratches.

So, gaining confidence from the ugliness and the certainty that it couldn't get any worse,

and with some tips and encouragement from Holly (she was so kind to email me back!),

I painted over all that mess.

I started with grey auto primer. (It was what I found in the garage.)  

Then I painted on some Kilz white primer, and some green paint leftover from my table revamp.

Then I brushed on a few coats of white interior wall paint 

and sanded it a bit to reveal the green undercoat.

Finally, I gave the top a quick coat of wipe-on poly.

Presto-chango ~ new bedside table!

I picked up the lamp at a second-hand store in Santa Barbara--

turquoise blown glass, brass fittings, and a milk glass base.

The locker basket is from Home Goods 

and the artichoke votive is from Anthropologie.

The books are some of what I've been thinking about and dreaming about lately.

So, again, ugly . . .

and better.