My orange desk

This desk really started it all. My son (who is 28 and getting married next October to wonderful, Rita Marie) finally moved out of the house while attending Washington University's Business School. I figured it was probably for good, since he is getting married next fall. I didn't want to repaint his room or get new window treatments, so I had to work with what was there. I saw this fabulous quilt in the Sundance catalog that combined blues and oranges (another one of my favorite colors) and so we set out to decorate around that quilt (which is funny because I never actually bought the quilt).


Now Ryan's room is HUGE-really. Most folks with kill for a master bedroom this size. And for me it is just a guest bedroom now. Well, I have my old bedroom set (colonial-you've seen it, I promise). But the room was bare. So thought, my guests would like a desk. On my first venture to Selkirk Auction house, I found this beat up old desk in the back corner--the place that is really the junk of junk at Selkirk. The auction is usually almost over by the time they get to this stuff. which means there are hardly any bidders left. So, I got the "lot", which included a gorgeous cedar trunk, for $25!! The desk was water damaged and was pretty rough. For $25 I really didn't think I could hurt it, so Mike and I gave it a try.


We sanded, primed and then painted it orange..rust really. I also "antiqued" it. It turned out fabulously. And it didn't take any time at all to do. It gave the room the look I was after--whimsy, blue, orange, and comfy.


Here it is: Petree's $25 desk.