Queen Anne Desk Makeover With Parisian Flair

I am beyond thrilled to be a new member of the Themed Furniture Makeover Day group. This group of talented furniture reimaginers come together once a month and transform a piece of furniture based on a theme. This month the theme is French.

Recently a friend called to tell me about a small desk that was up for grabs and wanted to know if I would be interested. I couldn't pull up to the driveway fast enough. Being a woman who loves all things French, I knew this would be the perfect piece to makeover for this challenge.

Meet Marie Antoinette: a Queen Anne Desk with Parisian Flair.

Queen Anne Desk Makeover With Parisian Flair



Queen Anne Desk Makeover With Parisian Flair


This is what the desk looked like when I acquired it...

Queen Anne Desk Before Makeover

The original plan was to paint the desk in a combination of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ in Paris Grey and Old White. I started the makeover painting the entire desk in Paris Grey and then called it a day. The following morning while taking a shower, inspiration struck; think Bombay meets Restoration Hardware.

Back on the shelf went the can of Old White chalk paint and out came the color, Graphite.  I randomly dry brushed it all over the Paris Grey, dabbing the excess paint off onto a paper towel first. I just kept playing until it felt right.

Queen Anne Desk painted two tone gray
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Using my finger, I applied Gold Gilding Wax along the edges and around the drawer fronts. The jewelry on this piece is the gorgeous silver and gold mercury glass knobs. I had them in my stash and thrilled with how they look with the two-tone gray paint colors.

Queen Anne Desk with mercury glass knobs

So why did I call it Marie Antoinette? For two reasons; one is because that was my Mémère's name and while working on this piece she was on my mind a lot. Second, I painted the inside of the drawer with the color Antoinette by Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™.

Queen Anne Desk drawer painted Antoinette pink

I lined the bottom of the drawer with some pretty French Postscript Scrapbook Paper from my stash.

Queen Anne Desk with decoupaged papered drawer

Now for the fun part, adding the Français. I envisioned the Marie Antoinette desktop looking like a Parisian postmarked envelope from a love letter.

Queen Anne Desk with Parisian Envelope Top

The address is stenciled with Old White and Graphite and then distressed a little with fine sandpaper.

Queen Anne Desk with French address stenciled top

The French postmark was traced from a decal using carbon paper behind it and then hand painting the details using a script liner art brush.

Queen Anne Desk with hand painted Parisian postmark top

A French desk wouldn't be complete without pretty stationery and a fountain pen with which to write a steamy love letter.

Queen Anne Desk Makeover with rose petal stationary

One of my favorite furniture pieces to makeover are desks and here are two other French-inspired desk makeovers. A Desk Makeover With Parisian Flair that sold rather quickly and a curvy French Provincial desk for a client. 

Here is a Curbside Desk Rescue that I did for my neighbor.


Queen Anne Desk Makeover Before and After
I hope you're as excited as I am to see how my talented friends added a French spin on their furniture makeovers this month. Please pin directly from their blog posts rather than the links below.




I shared this project at these inspiring link parties.


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