I love secretaries too. Grew up with the one my Dad grew up with. You can imagine the love it needs. I've started a collection on secretary ideas for inspiration and guidance. this is perfect. I have another one with a little drawer that won't open. Maybe there's diamonds in it.😉
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! The painting over the decoupage is perfection, as is the stamping on the interior drawers. I love the hardware. This little secretary is dark, romantic and mysterious. I think it will be perfect for someone to write love letters to . . . I think this desk is wonderfully timed for Valentine’s Day!💖🌸
Oh! That’s brilliant to push it for Valentine’s Day! I didn’t even think of that. This is why I need you in my life Deborah. You’re so much better at the details than I am 😂
The face of the drop down desk turned out absolutely gorgeous!! I have a secretary just like that, only with the top cabinet on it. I painted the whole thing in an oil based white paint, except the inside of the desk. I had no bleed through. I spray painted the original hardware a matte silver. I painted the top trim of the cabinet in bright colored paints and the legs black with silver balls. And that's it, I lost inspiration for the rest. I think I might decoupage something on the outside face of the desk, from watching this video. Thank you so much for the idea!! 🙂
Oh man! I was so with you all you had done so far envisioning it in my head and then you said you lost inspiration- I hope you find it again! It’s so hard when that happens. I’m glad you found something useful in the video! You’ll have to let me know if inspiration strikes and you finish it. It sounds like it will be amazing when you get back at it.
@@elegantupgrades I actually went onto Amazon and looked up some decoupage paper to put on the face of the fold down desk, after watching the video. That's a start. My other conundrum is, what color to paint the body of the secretary. I painted one drawer with purple stain I have, to see if I liked it. It's been like that for about ten years. I should probably just stain the other drawers and be done with those. As I'm typing this, I think I may decoupage the sides as well, I hadn't thought of that option before. Thank you for being an inspiration!!
That’s the new dark and moody look! Should sell fast. I had a dresser I painted three times! I learned so much watching you do the decoupage and the drawers. You are the best teacher ❤
OMGosh so pretty. Love the watercolor flowers and the dark moody feel with the beautiful wood. You were doing those flowers like it was no big deal and I laughed to myself. If I tried that it would look like the Pinterest lamb cake fail I’ve seen on Facebook. You make it look soooo easy. Might be my fav yet.
I thought the decoupage flowers were bland and boring, but of course, you transformed them into beautiful flowers! I think the drawer pulls are perfect for that style and period. Great job...I really like it!!
You have to be a true artist to see how this is going to turn out. Not all of us.. I'm talking about me.. can SEE how to do this. You are truly an artist. I wish I had your talent.
You are very kind Dorothy! When I started doing furniture, I had no idea what I was doing. It’s taken a bit of time, but eventually the creativity flows more smoothly. ANd even now, sometimes I have no idea where something is going to end up. I just go with it and see what happens.
Hi Taryn…I’ll tell you where that piece would look fabulous and that’s in my parlor! I have the perfect pallet for it🥰 I actually have one just like it with the top with glass doors. I love mahogany and have many mahogany pieces in my home…I just love how rich and moody the wood is. Your piece is absolutely gorgeous….I could see it in a nice salon or spa. It’s a winner❣️ As always…thank you for sharing😊kim
I have this exact desk. My mom gave it to me when I graduated college 40 years ago. It is in almost pristine condition, except for a deep scratch made by my dog on one of the drawers:( I did have to replace the hardware. A couple of the bales broke and I couldn't find matching replacements. Howard's Feed and Wax on the drawer slides and guides helps them slide in and out like magic.
That is absolutely gorgeous!!! I love the colors, the new finish on the scuffed wood is perfect and the pulls are wonderful withe the whole vibe. Great job Taryn!!
It’s gorgeous as usual Taryn! Why don’t you make a mess when you’re painting?? I always end up with paint on me, my clothes and the floor of my garage! Love this secretary!! 🥰🥰🥰
Looks gr8 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Re: the dings in the piece that u couldn’t sand out…have u tried steam ironing a damp cloth over those dings, the water & steam causes the wood fibres to rise up closer to their original place. I’ve watched other furniture artists/refinishers do this…it doesn’t completely work every time, but it does significantly reduce the depth of those dings. Hope this helps?
Thanks for the tip! It wouldn’t have worked here because the fibers were actually broken and some were missing (I’m not sure what they did to that poor desk 😂). But had they been normal dents I definitely would have done that.
@@elegantupgrades had u heard of this before? I know I’ve seen Jay from the UK do this & I think I’ve seen transcend furniture do it also; and Rita from A-R-T
Oh my gosh! I really like what you did to this secretary desk!👍🏻 I’ve been holding off for a while now, but it’s time to start working on mine. I am very busy, so I don’t know how long it will take to finish my project. Thank you for inspiring me🙂
I’m so glad you were inspired, Martha! This one took me forever to get to, but once I started, it went along at a nice pace. I hope the same goes for yours.
Thank you. I actually just found a connection set on Amazon that fit the sander to my shop vac hose. This is the set I’m currently using, but you may need to use a different one based on the measurements of your own tools. amzn.to/3IbQIww
Where do you buy the tissue paper in black-and-white? I have a buffet that I have hesitated to start, but with this inspiration and a previous idea, now I can see this working. My colour palette and design may be different, but I really enjoy the painting in or on the design. I think the design is both romantic and subtle enough to work in many homes. Very well done.
I got this one from Zazzle. I get a lot of my papers from them because you can upload your own images and they will print them on the tissue paper if you don’t find anything you love of theirs. Their shipping is relatively high so I make sure to grab a few different prints that I think I will use in the future so I don’t have to pay so much. Good luck on your buffet, Annie! Thanks for watching!
This is soooo beautiful! I didn't paint over decoupage paper yet but definitely going to try. Question, did you seal the piece after the black part was done? I guess so because of the way how the colours were moveable on the flowers, but also as they didn't seem to mix with the black surface but lay on it. Thank you!
Thank you! And yes, anytime I want to work over another part of the piece and give myself room to make changes, I seal over that layer first. That way I can wipe back any mistakes or make changes to things I’m not completely happy with.
I agree. Maybe if the feet and base were left the walnut mahogany color to balance it. I love the wood and i love the moody gray/black, but just not together. Maybe a black stain on the drop-down desk part? The decoupage looks great though.
Of the two, mahogany is typically darker and has a very distinctive grain pattern. Mahogany is one of the easier woods to distinguish, cherry is a bit more difficult. But if you Google wood grain patterns (especially mahogany) you can start to see similarities in them to help for the future.
This piece deserved to be preserved as a restoration. Sorry, I wouldn't have ever done this to a piece of furniture that could be restored as opposed to "upgraded". The work was pretty and would have looked nice on another piece... one that couldn't be restored. As an artist, I get it. As a person who loves history and the stories our things tell about it, I have to take this opinion and share it. Thanks though, you are a good artist.
This piece can still be preserved. I didn’t harm any of the wood and it’s now in better condition than when I got it. But I will also say, this was a reproduction piece, not an antique, if that’s what you were worried about. But I do take care to make sure that all of my finishes are done with care so they can always be restored. In it’s original finish, it wasn’t wanted. Now it is. And I think having a beautiful piece of furniture is much better being loved used than out on the curb- which is where I picked it up from.
@@elegantupgrades Sorry hon, I was having a bad time of it with pain while posting that. As an old lady, you would think I would know better by now. Thank you for replying and you are completely reasonable in your action and thought. Please forgive me and thank you for sharing your work. Blessings!
Beautiful piece. I see it in a "dark academia" library.
Oooo! I like that- Dark Academia!
Stunning!
Thank you, Lesli!
Stunning!💖💖💖
Thank you, Glenda!
Even though it turned out completely different than you originally envisioned, it looks hand painted and high end…kind of ethereal!
Thank you, Linda! I really appreciate that!
Gorgeous!! I get the feeling you love the problem solving part of furniture refabbing.👍😍
I definitely do, Robin! Even when I struggle with it, I like that it gets figured out in the end. Thank you!
I love secretaries too. Grew up with the one my Dad grew up with. You can imagine the love it needs. I've started a collection on secretary ideas for inspiration and guidance. this is perfect. I have another one with a little drawer that won't open. Maybe there's diamonds in it.😉
Oh yes! Definitely diamonds, Katharine! Get that drawer open stat 😂
I absolutely love this dark mysterious look? It all came together so well! Awesome job❤️❤️❤️
Thank you so much, Cassandra!
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! The painting over the decoupage is perfection, as is the stamping on the interior drawers. I love the hardware. This little secretary is dark, romantic and mysterious. I think it will be perfect for someone to write love letters to . . .
I think this desk is wonderfully timed for Valentine’s Day!💖🌸
Oh! That’s brilliant to push it for Valentine’s Day! I didn’t even think of that. This is why I need you in my life Deborah. You’re so much better at the details than I am 😂
The face of the drop down desk turned out absolutely gorgeous!! I have a secretary just like that, only with the top cabinet on it. I painted the whole thing in an oil based white paint, except the inside of the desk. I had no bleed through. I spray painted the original hardware a matte silver. I painted the top trim of the cabinet in bright colored paints and the legs black with silver balls. And that's it, I lost inspiration for the rest. I think I might decoupage something on the outside face of the desk, from watching this video. Thank you so much for the idea!! 🙂
Oh man! I was so with you all you had done so far envisioning it in my head and then you said you lost inspiration- I hope you find it again! It’s so hard when that happens. I’m glad you found something useful in the video! You’ll have to let me know if inspiration strikes and you finish it. It sounds like it will be amazing when you get back at it.
@@elegantupgrades I actually went onto Amazon and looked up some decoupage paper to put on the face of the fold down desk, after watching the video. That's a start. My other conundrum is, what color to paint the body of the secretary. I painted one drawer with purple stain I have, to see if I liked it. It's been like that for about ten years. I should probably just stain the other drawers and be done with those. As I'm typing this, I think I may decoupage the sides as well, I hadn't thought of that option before. Thank you for being an inspiration!!
That’s the new dark and moody look! Should sell fast. I had a dresser I painted three times! I learned so much watching you do the decoupage and the drawers. You are the best teacher ❤
Thank you so much, Rochelle! That is the best compliment! I’m so glad you are learning.
OMGosh so pretty. Love the watercolor flowers and the dark moody feel with the beautiful wood. You were doing those flowers like it was no big deal and I laughed to myself. If I tried that it would look like the Pinterest lamb cake fail I’ve seen on Facebook. You make it look soooo easy. Might be my fav yet.
Oh my gosh!!! The “Pinterest lamb cake” had me rolling 😂 I promise it’s not hard! The image is already done, you are just coloring it in.
Wow, it looks beautiful. I love the decoupage paper you used and the fact that you painted it, too.
Thank you, Cindy!
I thought the decoupage flowers were bland and boring, but of course, you transformed them into beautiful flowers! I think the drawer pulls are perfect for that style and period. Great job...I really like it!!
Thank you, Kathryn! I’m glad you liked it!
Oh my goodness!! You've always had the talent, but your skills are growing as fast as your son. This is a glorious piece of furniture.
Thank you so much, Gail! That’s my hope! Just to get a little better every piece 🥰
You have to be a true artist to see how this is going to turn out. Not all of us.. I'm talking about me.. can SEE how to do this. You are truly an artist. I wish I had your talent.
You are very kind Dorothy! When I started doing furniture, I had no idea what I was doing. It’s taken a bit of time, but eventually the creativity flows more smoothly. ANd even now, sometimes I have no idea where something is going to end up. I just go with it and see what happens.
Beautifully done. Love your blending. I need soooo much pratice!
This is so sumptious and dramatic! Absolutely stunning!!❤️💕
Thank you so much!!
Absolutely beautiful ☺️ and you saved it from landfill 👍
Thank you, Gina!
Oh my God! This is beautiful!!!! All of a sudden, your skills has grown leaps and bounds!!! Taryn, this is amazing....astounding!!!
Thank you so much, Suzanne! I really appreciate that!
Oh beautiful vintage secretary.....oh...Viewmaster.slides..!!...
Yeah! I though the slide was so cool!
BRAVO!!!!! this turned out magnificent!!!! I MUST GO PAINT AND DECOUPAGE NOW!!!!
Haha! Thank you!
My mom had one years ago. Love how it turned out. Beautiful.
They are one of my most favorite things to work on! So much compact storage and sneaky cubbies. I love them.
You have so much talent. I learn a lot from your videos. Keep up the great work.
I’m so glad you are learning, Gloria! Thank you very much!
Absolutely gorgeous! Held my breath watching you painting in those flowers.. What a beautiful result. Love, love this piece!
Thank you so much, Peggy!
Hi Taryn…I’ll tell you where that piece would look fabulous and that’s in my parlor! I have the perfect pallet for it🥰 I actually have one just like it with the top with glass doors. I love mahogany and have many mahogany pieces in my home…I just love how rich and moody the wood is. Your piece is absolutely gorgeous….I could see it in a nice salon or spa. It’s a winner❣️ As always…thank you for sharing😊kim
Oh thank you, Kim! I always think it’s the best compliment when someone can see it in their home!
I have this exact desk. My mom gave it to me when I graduated college 40 years ago. It is in almost pristine condition, except for a deep scratch made by my dog on one of the drawers:( I did have to replace the hardware. A couple of the bales broke and I couldn't find matching replacements. Howard's Feed and Wax on the drawer slides and guides helps them slide in and out like magic.
What a treasure you have, Kim! Have you ever looked at www.dlawlesshardware.com
They have some great replication hardware.
I love this! So much fun to see how you colored the black and white decoupage papers! Definitely going to try this. Thank you so much!
I’m so glad, Moranda! It’s like adult coloring books. Very fun because someone else did the work in creating the image and you just get to fill it in.
This is so gorgeous ❤
That is absolutely gorgeous!!! I love the colors, the new finish on the scuffed wood is perfect and the pulls are wonderful withe the whole vibe. Great job Taryn!!
Thank you so much, Caroline!
Beautiful technique. Lovely piece of furniture.
Thank you very much!
I absolutely love watching you create ❤❤❤. It looks stunning ❤
Thank you so much!
Your work is so lovely. I've wondered if you paint pictures. You have talent... so much! Lovely!
Thank you very much!
I just paint in furniture, no canvases or anything. But perhaps one day.
It’s gorgeous as usual Taryn! Why don’t you make a mess when you’re painting?? I always end up with paint on me, my clothes and the floor of my garage! Love this secretary!! 🥰🥰🥰
Haha! I have paint on MOST of my clothes. I’ve given up separating “paint” clothes from regular clothes.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this piece!!! I would put this one in my house!
That’s the BEST compliment ever!
Your work is phenomenal and NEVER the same from week to week! Love it!
Thank you very much! I do worry about that!
this is beautiful!! I have one and redid it rustic
❤
I love watching you work! It gives me incentive. 💖
That is such a lovely compliment, Ellen! Thank you! Now go paint 😂
Beautiful work as always. Just gorgeous.
Thank you, Jackie! So glad you were in the premier- it’s so fun getting to talk “live” with you all.
This is my favourite of yours so far 😊
I’m glad you like it, Angela 🥰
Absolutely beautiful ❤ I have one with only three draws and I can’t wait to redo it😊
Aren’t they such fun pieces?! So much storage in such a compact little piece.
Beautiful design! ❣️ Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Julia!
That's so beautiful you amaze me.
Thank you, Ana! You are very kind 🥰
Exquisite!
Hermoso como siempre. Bellas tus manos😍
Thank you for your kind words, Rosa!
Simply gorgeous 😍
Thank you, Tracy!
Beautiful!
Thank you!
It is so pretty!!
Thanks, Deb!
Another gorgeous piece Taryn ! 💕
Thank you, Cathy!
Stunning😍😍
Thank you! 😊
New subscriber! Absolutely stunning! ❤
Thank you so much! And welcome! So happy to have you here!
I love it!!
I’m so glad, Jeanne!
Looks gr8 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Re: the dings in the piece that u couldn’t sand out…have u tried steam ironing a damp cloth over those dings, the water & steam causes the wood fibres to rise up closer to their original place. I’ve watched other furniture artists/refinishers do this…it doesn’t completely work every time, but it does significantly reduce the depth of those dings. Hope this helps?
Thanks for the tip! It wouldn’t have worked here because the fibers were actually broken and some were missing (I’m not sure what they did to that poor desk 😂). But had they been normal dents I definitely would have done that.
@@elegantupgrades had u heard of this before? I know I’ve seen Jay from the UK do this & I think I’ve seen transcend furniture do it also; and Rita from A-R-T
@@designabeej Yes, I learned it from Tom Johnson! He’s my favorite. I feel like he knows EVERYTHING.
Oh my gosh! I really like what you did to this secretary desk!👍🏻
I’ve been holding off for a while now, but it’s time to start working on mine. I am very busy, so I don’t know how long it will take to finish my project.
Thank you for inspiring me🙂
I’m so glad you were inspired, Martha! This one took me forever to get to, but once I started, it went along at a nice pace. I hope the same goes for yours.
I love the top. I love the bottom. Not sure I love the top with the bottom, though. Maybe the top is still too red. Love the decoupage.
I think it could have been a little bit darker- perhaps a watered down black stain to tone it, but overall I was fine with the outcome.
Beautiful work ❤. I’m interested in how you have your sander attached to a vacuum. Did you DIY it or did you purchase it from somewhere. Thanks
Thank you. I actually just found a connection set on Amazon that fit the sander to my shop vac hose. This is the set I’m currently using, but you may need to use a different one based on the measurements of your own tools.
amzn.to/3IbQIww
Where do you buy the tissue paper in black-and-white? I have a buffet that I have hesitated to start, but with this inspiration and a previous idea, now I can see this working. My colour palette and design may be different, but I really enjoy the painting in or on the design.
I think the design is both romantic and subtle enough to work in many homes. Very well done.
I got this one from Zazzle. I get a lot of my papers from them because you can upload your own images and they will print them on the tissue paper if you don’t find anything you love of theirs. Their shipping is relatively high so I make sure to grab a few different prints that I think I will use in the future so I don’t have to pay so much. Good luck on your buffet, Annie! Thanks for watching!
Absolutely stunning!! I clicked on your decoupage papers link but I couldn’t find that one, is that one available to purchase? It’s beautiful ❤
Oh yes! That one just isn’t one of mine. It’s linked at the bottom with the products used section.
This is soooo beautiful! I didn't paint over decoupage paper yet but definitely going to try. Question, did you seal the piece after the black part was done? I guess so because of the way how the colours were moveable on the flowers, but also as they didn't seem to mix with the black surface but lay on it. Thank you!
Thank you! And yes, anytime I want to work over another part of the piece and give myself room to make changes, I seal over that layer first. That way I can wipe back any mistakes or make changes to things I’m not completely happy with.
Top clashes for me.
That’s interesting, Lori! What about it clashes- the color or the depth?
@@elegantupgrades I don’t like the shade of brown with the grey.
I agree. Maybe if the feet and base were left the walnut mahogany color to balance it.
I love the wood and i love the moody gray/black, but just not together. Maybe a black stain on the drop-down desk part?
The decoupage looks great though.
I like it but somehow the stain color on top doesn't go with the paint color idk maybe it's just me 😂❤❤ty 4sharing ❤❤ 😊
I agree with you, to me it looks like she gave up and didn’t finish it.
You aren’t the only one to think so, and that’s ok! But I like it, so it will stay.
How can you tell the difference between mahogany and cherrywood?
Of the two, mahogany is typically darker and has a very distinctive grain pattern. Mahogany is one of the easier woods to distinguish, cherry is a bit more difficult. But if you Google wood grain patterns (especially mahogany) you can start to see similarities in them to help for the future.
Never use WD-40 in locks. Always use powdered graphite.
That’s interesting.
What decoupage paper are you using I think I missed it
There’s a link to it in the description box, Ali 😊
This piece deserved to be preserved as a restoration. Sorry, I wouldn't have ever done this to a piece of furniture that could be restored as opposed to "upgraded". The work was pretty and would have looked nice on another piece... one that couldn't be restored. As an artist, I get it. As a person who loves history and the stories our things tell about it, I have to take this opinion and share it. Thanks though, you are a good artist.
This piece can still be preserved. I didn’t harm any of the wood and it’s now in better condition than when I got it. But I will also say, this was a reproduction piece, not an antique, if that’s what you were worried about. But I do take care to make sure that all of my finishes are done with care so they can always be restored. In it’s original finish, it wasn’t wanted. Now it is. And I think having a beautiful piece of furniture is much better being loved used than out on the curb- which is where I picked it up from.
@@elegantupgrades Sorry hon, I was having a bad time of it with pain while posting that. As an old lady, you would think I would know better by now. Thank you for replying and you are completely reasonable in your action and thought. Please forgive me and thank you for sharing your work. Blessings!