Updating an Antique Secretary
This beautiful Queen Anne secretary had great bones but was in need of a little update. We took care of that and now it looks classic and is ready to be the center of attention.
See how pretty it was? We knew it could be made into a showstopper with some hard work, so first we removed all the hardware. Next step is getting it all cleaned up. We used a tsp solution, rinsed and let it dry. Next step was sanding the old finish as much as we could, then we primed with shellac based white primer. After lightly sanding the primer, we used our Homeright Finish Max sprayer to apply the paint.
Here it is after one coat of paint. We lightly sanded between coats then applied two more coats (sanding between each). Then, we used our favorite top coat, General Finishes Top Coat in Flat. We again used our HomeRight Finish Max sprayer for a flawless smooth finish. We applied three coats lightly sanding between each one.
On these original antique brass handles, we dug out our favorite hardware cleaner, Barkeepers Friend. We used a wire brush to scrub it clean and remove the tarnish and build up that naturally occurs over time. We then used Gilders Paste Wax around the edges for a touch of refinement and glam. The gilding wax cures by itself so an additional top coat is not needed.
So here is the secretary after its refresh. It is safe to say it looks completely transformed and back to its former glory.
Comments
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Wow, so so gorgeous! I am in love with this color and the gold accents.
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Super pretty! Loving this!
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Thank you Megan! It was a fun one to do!
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