A study in whitewashing

A serene, fresh and uncluttered desk only seems possible if done in white, and so began my long hunt for a nicer surface to plonk a laptop and blog away. The criteria included: drawers along the top rather than down the side, less than $500, sleek but not space age to blend into an older home and, most importantly, white. Not one new desk was found that met all this criteria so the ebay search began. As is usually the case with auctions, items came, love blossomed and items were lost. Hope remained. If you're willing to pick up a paintbrush, there are greater options to be had, so the final criteria on colour was momentarily dropped in favour of a desk able to be painted (ie. wooden rather melamine). Eventually, the desk below was 'won'...

Then sanded... (thanks to the Mister and willing B-I-L, Quentin)

and a first coat applied...

and a second...

and finally, the third coat. Et voila!

Ever so slightly smaller than hoped, but so right in other ways. On the same weekend, the yellow chair got a third coat and the little chair got the full sand and paint treatment (see previous post for their before shots). It's starting to come together, no?

The final cost for the desk came in at around $90, including paint for just under $30 and the other necessary bits and pieces like sandpaper, brush and drop sheet. It's history and journey to whiteness cannot be priced :) Nor can the sound of my heart singing as I spy it from the doorway. So tell me, could I have got a better desk for my buck?