Drawer Pulls...any ideas on how to spruce up drawers??

Question

I just purchased this desk for 29.99 and love love it! It's from an old Desk company in Boston. I plan to sand it down and paint it a creamy white but I cannot remove the draw pulls. It has screws behind them but it guess it's just more support but they are part of the drawer. Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to spruce the drawers pulls up!

Mary Insana · Answer

Take the drawers out of the desk and tape newspaper over the drawer leaving just the pull exposed. You can use a metallic spray paint in a bronze, gold or pewter to mimic metal drawer pulls. You can even try the hammered metal textured spray paint which turns out really nice. I did a night stand and bookcase headboard for my son room in the hammered spray paint and they look really nice. Another idea is, after the pulls are painted you can hammer in a evenly spaced row of about 5 decorative nail heads along the bottom edge of each drawer.. Post a picture of what ever its new life will look like :)

Storywood Designs · Answer

I painted a small desk very similar to yours and have another in progress right now. The first desk I painted, I was actually able to remove the wooden handles by carefully prying them away from the drawer fronts. I am going to use the existing pulls on my current desk because it works with what I'm doing. @Mary I. has some great ideas for changing the hardware with paint if you can't remove them! Good luck!

Junk Gypsee · Answer

I think I would leave them in place and paint/stain your entire piece. When you are finished, you can put 4' brass or silver plates on each handle. You can get several at the hardware store. Normally, they are placed behind the knob to protect the wood. They will have a small hole but you can get very decorative ones where it won't be noticed. They're called drawer pulls with the stock sizes being 2 to 4 inches and the prices varies from $1.75 up. Examples:

Regina Ferguson · Answer

You could paint them a different color or decoupage them with some type of paper/fabric. You can also use one of the metallic paints to paint them.

Diane Deluca · Answer

Thanks so much for your ideas. Decoupage sounds like a great idea! nice soft colors so they don't stick out like a sore thumb! THANKS SO MUCH!

Catherine Smith · Answer

You could also tole paint a design on them as well.

Lori J · Answer

My thought was to add pattern to the drawer fronts and simply paint the drawer pulls.

Diane Deluca · Answer

You ladies are incredible..I can't believe how many wonderful ideas you all came up with. I am usually the one in my family that gives everyone decorating ideas but was at a loss when I realized I could get these handles off! I truly appreciate all your ideas......to the drawing board! I will post my pics as I move along! AGAIN THANKS LADIES!!!!!!!

Diane Deluca · Answer

trying to figure out how to post an updated picture of desk.....just started today

Rosalie M · Answer

Diane, you could just paint the original pulls with gold or silver as a highlight.

Amanda Chambers · Answer

Decoupage lace and then paint over, adding good color and texture to your desk, but won't be any louder than the color you decide on. If you weren't going for subtle I would have suggested old water spigots with a piece of costume jewelry glue in the middle. Its very cute if you can find the old spigots but will work with today's types too.

Cottage Gal Style · Answer

You could stencil or free hand labels on the drawers, like Supplies, Paper, or just number the drawers 1, 2, 3 or A, B, C style. I have a very similar desk that I will be painting white and have a red or dark stain top and plan to paint numbers and letters on the top since it was an old teacher's desk. I will paint the pulls a different color, like red and add a decorative piece to them too.

Pat · Answer

I decoupaged a design in black and cream from paper napkins from a dollar store.  I think I will put photos on this site!

Lori · Answer

What about getting some small brass or metal of some kind, acents and screw them on.  I would choose something very simple because the desk is simple, perhaps an oval or a rectangle frame, something like that.

Lori · Answer

That's accents, not acents.  :)

Carol · Answer

I think it is called Master's paint.  They make beautiful metallic paints.  I'm thinking a weathered or old oiled bronze would be perfect.  I have a small oak desk that we are selling and antique bronze paint would be perfect for the drawer pulls and knob.  I do mean dark brown antique oil rubbed bronze paint with a touch of  bronze rub & buff color wax highlights.

Jean Myles · Answer

Rust -oleum make some great metallic and hammered finish you can get them at most home improvement stores]. or go all out Glam and Gold or Silver leaf them.

Fla4032051 · Answer

Door knockers would look wonderful on this piece

62q10370829 · Answer

sanded handles and matched them to top to make them to stand out.  you could of used goof-off to loosen glue and took screws out and tapped with hammer handles should of come off.

Shelley Folks · Answer

Diane D, I have a similar desk and want to remove the drawer pulls. How did you get them off?

Drawer Pulls...any ideas on how to spruce up drawers??

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Drawer Pulls...any ideas on how to spruce up drawers??

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