Chloe - A Vintage Drexel Heritage Desk

My newest piece is a vintage Drexel Heritage desk. I had been looking for one of these for a while and just about flipped when I saw it at one of my local thrift stores. If you haven't noticed already, I like to name my furniture pieces. I feel it helps bring out the personality of the piece and describes its styling in a very special way.

And yes, I do know how to paint other colors besides ones from the blue family...but this one just screamed "Duck Egg Blue," so what else was I to do? No other color would do it justice with its brass hardware and contemporary styling.

So I started painting and then remembered that I needed to take a 'before pic.' The base was already started so I snapped a quick photo of the drawer. Use your imagination, if you will.

To my surprise, under the top middle drawer were markings that read "ET CETERA BY DREXEL 973". Drexel Heritage is a high-end, very sought-after furniture company that makes some truly beautiful pieces. I looked it up online and found that they still carry their Et Cetera collection today. I wasn't able to date the piece to any particular period, but I can tell that it's an older piece. If you have any information regarding the period of this desk, I would be very interested to know.

The painting process was as follows: two coats of AS Chalk Paint in "Duck Egg Blue" - very, very lightly distressed with an ultra-fine sanding block. Then finished with a coat of AS Clear Wax. Two coats of wax on the top to protect from any future wear and tear.

The brass hardware and fixtures needed to be polished, so I used the following solution: 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 tsp. salt, then enough flour to make a paste. Thickly brush the paste onto the hardware and let sit for 10 minutes. Then scrub with a toothbrush and rinse. You will be amazed how the build-up just melts off. Finally, polish with a dry rag. I have heard that others use ketchup to polish with a rag, but that didn't work for me.

I LOVE how she turned out! This piece is the perfect blend of Vintage and Modern. I love her shape, I love the brass hardware, and I love the color that complements so well.

I have posted Chloe for sale on Craigslist here.
**Update: The desk is now SOLD!**

Lots of love,
Mary



I am linking up here:

www.remodelaholic.com