Empire Writing Desk in Driftwood

First I had to take the whole top off in order to get access to the screws that help the organizer on top. It was simple and straightforward. Next, I filled all of the holes left in the top and the holes from the previous hardware on the drawers. I used a dark walnut colored wood filler and had to fill twice to get a smooth and level fill. I lightly sanded the rest of the piece and wiped it down before giving a coat of Zinsser Shellac. I sprayed it on (that’s easiest and saves time and brushes), and I chose to shellac the piece to prevent any bleed through or variation on the top where I filled the holes. Milk paint often shows a lot of variation in color especially in spots where the previous finish is uneven or a different texture.

For paint I used OFMP’s Driftwood with some of the bonding agent added. It took 2 coats (I did use 3 on the drawers and in a few other ares). There is still some variation where a tiny bit of the wood shows through, and I love the dimension it gives to the finish. Once it was dry I sealed the whole piece in General Finishes high performance flat poly. And of course a piece isn’t complete without some gorgeous hardware. I added some pretty knobs from Anthroplogie. They are blue on the sides and base, have scalloped edges and a fun blue swirl on the front with some red-orange dots.