• Home
  • Projects
    • Room Makeovers
    • DIY Home Improvements
    • Decorating Ideas
    • Organization
    • Furniture Makeovers
    • Crafts
  • Holidays
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
  • Printables
  • Recipes

How to Nest for Less™

WANT TO SEE MORE RECENT POSTS?

Want to see ALL of our recent blog posts in chronological order? Just click here to easily scroll through the archives!

Meet the Authors

We love to conquer DIY, home improvement projects, and room makeovers. We're not experts; we just try to design on a dime.

Follow us as we try to update our latest house one project at a time. Check out our archives for over 1,000 DIY and home-related projects. Enjoy!

  • Shiplap Bedroom

    Shiplap Bedroom
  • Farmhouse Kitchen

    Farmhouse Kitchen

Distressed Chalk Paint Desk Makeover

in Furniture on 01/27/14

Sharing is caring!

1780 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

I attended a school/Church auction over the weekend where the committee asked me to paint a piece of furniture as a donation. Of course I said yes, but that quickly turned to me freaking out trying to find a cute piece.

painted kids desk beforeWell I had my sister’s old desk from when she was a kid sitting in my basement begging for a makeover. And since it was a school auction, a kids desk was a perfect fit.

And here’s the final piece…

 

distressed chalk paint deskI used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint for this makeover, mostly because it doesn’t require me to do any sanding.

chalk paint deskAnd this time I decided to apply the paint in a dry-brush fashion, with only about a half-inch of light paint on the brush tip. And without any sanding at all, it looks like this…

annie sloan chalk painted deskOnce I had the base painted in Pure White, I coated the drawers in Paris Gray, then Duck Egg Blue.

painted kids deskI purchased some new knobs from Hobby Lobby and painted the old handles pink to match. Then I coated the entire desk in clear wax to give it a bit of durability.

distressed chalk paint deskI’m seriously in love with these knobs. Totally go with the distressed paint job.

chalk paint distressed desk

 

chalk paint distressed kids deskI did use a sanding block for some areas that weren’t quite distressed enough, but overall the dry brush technique was perfect for the look I was trying to achieve.

chalk paint kids kids

ASCP distressed desk

duck egg blue chalk paint deskIf you want to see some more painted furniture projects from me over the years,
CLICK HERE.

annie sloan chalk paint desk

48 Comments

popular-projects
« How to Organize Under Your Kitchen Sink
Get Inspired: 15 Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Projects »

Comments

  1. Kim says

    January 27, 2014 at 9:04 am

    LOVE this. I haven’t tried that technique on a large piece of furniture but now that I see it, I’m inspired.

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      January 27, 2014 at 10:10 am

      Thanks Kim! I was a little nervous at first, especially with the larger surface areas, but the dry brush effect looks great! Good luck to you.

      Reply
  2. Megan Brooke says

    January 27, 2014 at 10:26 am

    Looks awesome Erin!!

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      January 27, 2014 at 4:01 pm

      Thanks so much Megan!

      Reply
  3. Denise says

    January 27, 2014 at 4:10 pm

    This is lovely. Looks great! I have redone a head board, so I always love to check out projects like these.

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      January 27, 2014 at 9:41 pm

      Thanks so much Denise!

      Reply
  4. Kim Weir says

    January 27, 2014 at 9:00 pm

    Wow! I was never a fan of old looking furniture but this looks so sofisticated! And that whole vignette, so pretty! I love the paintings above it too! Hobby Lobby too?

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      January 27, 2014 at 9:42 pm

      Thanks Kim! Paintings are a find from Joss and Main!!

      Reply
  5. Kim Weir says

    January 27, 2014 at 10:38 pm

    I must of missed that one!

    Reply
  6. Jenny says

    January 27, 2014 at 11:24 pm

    It looks great!

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      January 28, 2014 at 8:59 am

      Thanks Jenny!

      Reply
  7. Anna says

    January 28, 2014 at 6:07 pm

    Love how your desk turned out. It’s really very lovely. I want to try the chalk paint, but haven’t gotten around to it just yet. The distressing on this is just gorgeous! Great job!

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      January 28, 2014 at 10:15 pm

      Thank you so much Anna! I’m sure you’re going to love chalk paint. It’s addictive!

      Reply
  8. Kim @ Sand &Sisal says

    January 28, 2014 at 9:10 pm

    Beautiful Erin! I love how you use the 3 colors to make one amazing piece of furniture! Pinned it!

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      January 28, 2014 at 10:13 pm

      Thank you so much Kim!

      Reply
  9. The Shabby Vintage says

    January 29, 2014 at 6:26 pm

    Absolutely love Annie Sloan chalk paint and this is a perfect example to inspire others. What a beautiful job with the dry brush technique. Love everything about it.

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      January 31, 2014 at 2:05 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  10. Mary Vitullo says

    February 3, 2014 at 10:36 pm

    Wow, it looks so pretty. Love how it turned out.

    Mary @ Orphans With Makeup

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      February 4, 2014 at 8:51 am

      Thank you so much Mary!

      Reply
  11. Eva Karen Henderson says

    February 5, 2014 at 4:34 am

    Love it so much and how it popped with the hardware. you pulled this ne off kiddo. Great job! Thanks again.

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      February 5, 2014 at 10:38 am

      Thank you so much! The hardware is definitely my favorite part 🙂

      Reply
  12. Tracy says

    March 15, 2014 at 7:04 am

    Absolutely love it!!! I have a question… I chalk painted a dresser that I will be using for an kitchen island. Would water base poly be better than wax? This is my first time using chalk paint so with all the constant use wasn’t sure if the wax or poly would be better. Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      March 16, 2014 at 7:01 pm

      Hi Tracy. Yes, you can use a water based poly over chalk paint, but I would definitely test one small area first. A water based poly can cause your chalk paint to crackle, depending on some pre-finishes. You can also try Varathane Diamond Wood Finish. It dries quickly and is easy to work with! Hope that helps!

      Reply
  13. Tausha says

    July 7, 2014 at 7:35 pm

    SERIOUSLY love this! I’m checking around everywhere to see where I can find this paint! I dread sanding, so I think this will be the kicker for me. I love love love it!

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      July 8, 2014 at 8:45 am

      THanks so much!!!! I dread sanding too 😉

      Reply
  14. Alison Patton says

    July 9, 2014 at 8:11 pm

    IS THIS FOR SALE?!?

    So Beautiful! You’re very talented!

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      July 21, 2014 at 6:08 pm

      Haha, already sold it actually! Thank you though. Too sweet.

      Reply
  15. christine says

    December 9, 2014 at 7:51 am

    hi there wondering where did you buy annie sloan paint at i called home depot and lowes they do not carry that brand?? thanks

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      December 9, 2014 at 8:36 am

      It’s only sold in specialty stores. You can find a listing of retail stores here: http://www.unfolded.com/retailers

      Reply
  16. Kristi Shaw says

    April 4, 2015 at 4:10 pm

    what is the color of blue ypu used for the desk. I’ve not tried the chalk paint yet. Going to get some after seeing this! It’s beautiful. I’m a beginner and have a lot to learn but love testing out different types of paint. I was going to try the milk paint but can find it anywhere in my area. They have some of the chalk paint at my Lowes store but I saw on here how to make it with paint, water and I think plaster of Paris. I’m going to give it a try on an old cabinet I bought. I’ve sanded it and painted it two time but I’m still not happy with the color of blue.

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      April 6, 2015 at 10:44 am

      It’s called Duck Egg Blue. It’s my favorite chalk paint color!

      Reply
  17. Lori Houldsworth says

    January 29, 2016 at 10:42 pm

    Do you need to sand the item first to remove the shine from the previous stain/varnish?

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      January 30, 2016 at 7:54 pm

      Not when using chalk based paints!

      Reply
  18. Gayle McLawhorn says

    August 11, 2016 at 10:58 am

    This desk is awesome and I’m getting ready to do one very similar. I am not a craftsy person at all, let alone a painter, so do you mind explaining to me what you mean by the “dry brush” method? Thanks!!

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      August 11, 2016 at 8:30 pm

      I only get about 1-2 inches of the brush wet with paint. Then I lightly brush the paint over the dresser, using only one direction for the paint strokes. I do two coats with this technique giving it about 1 hour in between coats. At first it will seem REALLY light and sparse, but the second coat evens it out!

      Reply
  19. Joanne says

    August 12, 2016 at 12:57 pm

    I’ve inherited my mother’s French Provincial bedroom suite years ago and was ready to give it to an antique store or someone in need. I didn’t want to give it up because of my sentimental attachment, but it didn’t go with anything in my apt.
    I am going to try doing this DIY on the two end tables first, fingers crossed. I’ve never been a DIY-kinda-gal, so I am a tad nervous.
    Wish me luck.

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      August 12, 2016 at 2:25 pm

      GOOD LUCK!!!

      Reply
  20. Sharo says

    August 25, 2016 at 9:12 am

    I couldn’t believe it when I was searching for an idea for painting a desk and hutch set. I somehow came across your blog and you not only had pictured your beautiful desk (EXACTLY LIKE MINE) but you provided a tutorial on it to boot! I couldn’t wait to get started.

    I followed your tutorial and photos. It was fun trying to distress in the same places you did. : ) It didn’t turn out exactly like yours but it turned out GORGEOUS. I had no problem selling this piece – except for the fact I really, really would have loved keeping it.

    Thank you so much! I just signed up this morning for your newsletter and realized that you are only about 60 miles from me. Small world!

    If you get a chance, you might want to read the saga of my hutch/desk combo. For anyone who has struggled storing furniture, you might be able to relate.

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      August 29, 2016 at 5:44 pm

      Wow Sharo! I thought that was my desk at first, haha! Great job!!!

      Reply
  21. Gayleen says

    October 5, 2016 at 3:41 pm

    I am amazed by your talent. This desk is beautiful! Not that talented myself, but would love to try this. Do you have a video on how to dry brush?

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      October 10, 2016 at 6:54 pm

      Thank you so much! No, I don’t have a video. I’m planning to paint my foyer table with this technique later this month so I’ll try to make one!

      Reply
  22. ExpatinGermany says

    July 10, 2017 at 2:34 am

    That looks fabulous. I see a lot of awful-looking pieces online, but you really have an eye for it. I love that you didn’t skimp on the hardware. I’m doing my first project (two small shelves) and appreciate the inspiration. Thank you.

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      July 10, 2017 at 3:43 pm

      Thank you so much! Good luck with your first project!!

      Reply
  23. Heather says

    September 19, 2017 at 7:49 pm

    How much paint did it take? I’m doing a baby crib and 44*36*14 dresser. The crib will be all white the dresser will be white with blue drawers. I’m unsure how much paint of each color to buy

    Reply
    • howtonestforless says

      September 19, 2017 at 8:35 pm

      You should easily be able to do it all with one can of white then another of blue!

      Reply
  24. Lorraine says

    October 26, 2018 at 5:23 am

    Absolutely be gorgeous. I have an identical desk and I’m going to attempt to make it as beautiful as yours. Do you use a chip brush for this project. Also, do you go in the same direction with the brush?

    Reply
  25. Lorraine Hall says

    October 26, 2018 at 5:26 am

    Absolutely gorgeous. Did you use a chip brush? Also, do you try and paint in one direction when dry brushing? Most videos I’ve watched say to only dip the tip of the brush in the paint. You dip to half inch and then wipe most off?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

We love to conquer DIY, home improvement projects, and room makeovers. We're not experts; we just try to design on a dime.

Follow us as we try to update our latest house one project at a time. Check out our archives for over 1,000 DIY and home-related projects. Enjoy! Read More…

ARCHIVES

Copyright Policy

All text and images on this site are copyright of How to Nest for Less, LLC. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content without written permission.

Need Christmas Inspiration?

Christmas porch

Want to See My Latest Posts?

christmas decor ideas

Latest Room Makeovers

Gold and Brown Bedroom Makeover

Homework Room Makeover

Budget Master Bedroom Makeover

Budget Laundry Room Makeover

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Master Bedroom Makeover

Gold and Brown Bedroom Makeover

Homework Room Makeover

Budget Master Bedroom Makeover

Budget Laundry Room Makeover

This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers’ own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

How to Nest for Less is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Privacy

Copyright © 2022 · glam theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2022 · Glam Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

1780 shares