• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • MEET CHRISTY & AMY
    • IF YOU’RE NEW HERE…
    • WORK WITH US
    • 11 MAGNOLIA LANE 101
    • DISCLOSURE + PRIVACY (the fine print)
    • BEST OF 11 MAGNOLIA LANE
  • TOUR OUR HOMES
    • TOUR OUR HOMES
    • CHRISTY’S MAGNOLIA COTTAGE
    • CHRISTY’S MCC HOUSE
    • Christy’s Stuttgart Flat
    • Amy’s Virginia Craftsman Home Tour
    • AMY’S VIRGINIA CRAFTSMAN Building Process
    • HOLIDAY HOME TOUR SERIES
  • CELEBRATIONS
    • EVENTS + ENTERTAINING
    • GIFTS
    • HOLIDAYS
    • RECIPES
  • HOME
    • CLEANING
    • DECORATING
    • ORGANIZING
    • ROOM BY ROOM
      • BATHROOMS
      • BEDROOMS
      • CLOSETS
      • CRAFT ROOMS + OFFICES
      • DINING ROOMS
      • KIDS’ ROOMS
      • KITCHENS
      • LAUNDRY ROOMS
      • LIVING + GREAT ROOMS
      • OTHER SPACES
      • PANTRIES
      • PLAYROOMS + BONUS ROOMS
      • PORCHES + OUTDOOR SPACES
    • TIPS
  • SHOP
    • SHOP OUR INSTAGRAM
    • SHOP OUR AMAZON STORE
    • FRIDAY FAVORITE FINDS
  • PROJECTS
    • CRAFTS
    • DIY PROJECTS + TUTORIALS
    • FURNITURE
    • PRINTABLES
    • WINDOWS, DOORS, + WALLS
  • LIFE
    • FRIDAY FREE FOR ALL
    • HEALTH
    • SIMPLY ON SUNDAY
  • TRAVEL
  • CONTACT
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

11 Magnolia Lane

Sharing our easy DIYs, decorating, entertaining and more!

Clash of Styles–My Daughter’s New Desk

January 22, 2011 By Christy 3 Comments

This Post Contains Affiliate Links

13 shares

 bright green painted vintage desk

 

My friend Megan and I went to the awesome Cameron Antique Fair in Cameron, NC, a few months ago , and I scored a beautiful little desk for $75.  I’ve been looking for one for awhile, but nothing was exactly right so I continued to bide my time.  I had visions of painting it white, or even pale green, and putting it in her very girly pink and green room, where everything matches perfectly because I worked hard to make it match perfectly.   It didn’t quite work out that way, and I have to admit that I’m still grinding my teeth over it.

My sweet little seven-year-old has developed an amazing sense of personal style over the last few months, and I’m struggling with the fact that her personal style is pretty much the opposite of mine.  Did I make her this way by imposing my taste on her during her formative years?  I happen to think that I have awesome taste, but maybe everyone thinks that, even the people who have hideous taste!  She informed me a few months ago that upon our next move, she wants her room to be green, yellow, and robin’s egg blue, with stripes, polka dots, and ELEPHANTS on the wall.  Thank God that she changed her mind last week and now wants chocolate brown walls with all white furniture and bedding (I see lots of spray paint and bleach in my future!).  My husband tells me that unless I let her express her individuality now, she will come home with pink hair when she’s a teenager, and if things continue the way they’ve been going, he will probably be correct.

My first strategic mistake on the desk was that I allowed her to pick out paint colors with me.  Everyone knows that seven-year-olds should be allowed to select from two or three PRE-APPROVED choices (this works with everything from outfits to hairstyles to paint colors), but I forgot to heed that time-honored advice and took her to the store.  You must know that I am essentially lazy and into immediate gratification when it comes to fixing up furniture, and so I usually spray paint it (I know, this shows a lack of character on my part, but I am working on it).  My favorite color of spray paint green is “Celery” by Krylon, and I have used many cans of it in Annabelle’s room.

Krylon Celery spray paint

 

I painted this darling stepstool with celery spray paint...

I painted this darling stepstool with celery spray paint…

 

..and this cool wood initial is also celery.

..and this cool wood initial is also celery.

But did my sweet girl want her new desk to be Celery?  No, she did not.  She wanted Pistachio, Celery’s slightly tacky older sister, and there was no arguing with her.  I suggested the old standby White, or the ever-popular Ballet Slipper, or please, please, please how about Celery?  We left the store with four cans of Pistachio, and a can of Watermelon for an accent color (yes, Watermelon is essentially hot pink).  I had a bad feeling about the whole thing, right from the beginning.

 

Pistachio and Watermelon.  Uh-oh!

Pistachio and Watermelon. Uh-oh!

 

I do think that I was a good mother that afternoon because I allowed her to shoot some of the spray paint on her very own desk, and I also let her use most of the can of Watermelon to spray paint a limb that had fallen from our oak tree.  That was a good strategic move, too,  since we didn’t have as much left to paint the trim and the hardware and so the desk remains more green than pink.  I even painted Watermelon polka dots on the top of the desk at her request (but no stripes or elephants).  FYI, a wasabi can makes perfectly-sized polka dots should you ever cave in to your daughter’s decorating vision.

So here’s the final version of Annabelle’s new desk.  She adores it even though it is so bright that it clashes violently with everything else in her room.  I placed it on the same wall as the door to her room, so it’s not a focal point (you get the best light here for reading, honey).  As you can see, the desk itself is darling with lots of sweet details, and I comfort myself with the fact that in about a year, it will get a white coat of paint in her new room, and Pistachio will be a distant, although bilious memory.

 

bright green painted vintage desk

 

Thanks for stopping by!

icon-facebook-1icon-instagram-1icon-mail-1icon-pinterest-1icon-twitter-1

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THESE POSTS... :

My Daughter's New (Again) Teen Room
My Daughter's New Tween Room (Again!)
Thinking Pink for Valentine's Day
My Daughter's New Tween Room

Filed Under: DIY/Projects/Tutorials, Furniture Tagged With: desk, flea market, girl's room, green, Pink, shabby chic

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kim says

    January 25, 2011 at 10:27 pm

    I think it is adorable. I love those colors together. Very bright and cheery and perfect for a girl. thanks for joining the party.

    Reply
  2. Kim says

    January 27, 2011 at 3:02 am

    Awesome! I’ll bet she does love it!!! I think it’s very cool you let her decide! 🙂

    Reply
  3. Amanda @ Serenity Now says

    January 29, 2011 at 3:13 pm

    I think it’s adorable!! I bet it is pretty bright in person, but kids love bright, huh? 😉 Maybe she’ll be more inclined to use the piece since you let her have a hand in making it over!

    Thanks so much for joining my party. Have fun finding some new reads! Hope you’ll stop by Serenity Now again soon! 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Lowest prices. Straight Teeth,

•Don’t Miss A Thing!!•

•Do You Know Jesus?•

•Featured In•

Holiday Gift Ideas

Footer

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Copyright © 2023 · 11 Magnolia Lane· Blog Design by Little Blue Deer
Privacy Policy

11 MAGNOLIA LANE IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR US TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM AND AFFILIATED SITES. AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE, WE EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES. WE ALSO PARTICIPATE IN SEVERAL OTHER AFFILIATE PROGRAMS; THIS INCOME ALLOWS US TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF YOUR USER EXPERIENCE AND KEEPS OUR CONTENT FREE. WHEN YOU PURCHASE THROUGH ANY OF OUR AFFILIATE LINKS, WE EARN A SMALL COMMISSION AND YOU DON’T PAY A CENT MORE THAN YOU WOULD OTHERWISE; THAT WOULD BE TACKY!   READ OUR FULL PRIVACY AND DISCLOSURE POLICY {HERE}.
  ©11 Magnolia Lane 2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s authors and/or owners is strictly prohibited. Please email us at admin@11magnolialane.com for more information.

  • MEET CHRISTY & AMY
    • IF YOU’RE NEW HERE…
    • WORK WITH US
    • 11 MAGNOLIA LANE 101
    • DISCLOSURE + PRIVACY (the fine print)
    • BEST OF 11 MAGNOLIA LANE
    • Back
  • TOUR OUR HOMES
    • TOUR OUR HOMES
    • CHRISTY’S MAGNOLIA COTTAGE
    • CHRISTY’S MCC HOUSE
    • AMY’S NEW HOME BUILD
    • HOLIDAY HOME TOUR SERIES
    • SPRING HOME TOUR SERIES
    • Back
  • CELEBRATIONS
    • EVENTS + ENTERTAINING
    • GIFTS
    • HOLIDAYS
    • RECIPES
    • Back
  • HOME
    • CLEANING
    • DECORATING
    • ORGANIZING
    • ROOM BY ROOM
      • BATHROOMS
      • BEDROOMS
      • CLOSETS
      • CRAFT ROOMS + OFFICES
      • DINING ROOMS
      • KIDS’ ROOMS
      • KITCHENS
      • LAUNDRY ROOMS
      • LIVING + GREAT ROOMS
      • OTHER SPACES
      • PANTRIES
      • PLAYROOMS + BONUS ROOMS
      • PORCHES + OUTDOOR SPACES
      • Back
    • TIPS
    • Back
  • SHOP
    • SHOP OUR INSTAGRAM
    • SHOP OUR AMAZON STORE
    • FRIDAY FAVORITE FINDS
    • 11 ML ETSY SHOP
    • 11ML ORGANIZING SHOP
    • Back
  • PROJECTS
    • CRAFTS
    • DIY PROJECTS + TUTORIALS
    • FURNITURE
    • PRINTABLES
    • WINDOWS, DOORS, + WALLS
    • Back
  • LIFE
    • FRIDAY FREE FOR ALL
    • HEALTH
    • SIMPLY ON SUNDAY
    • TRAVEL
    • Back
  • CONTACT
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
13 shares