My recent two-part blog post on creating a home office got me thinking about my own work space. I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for a stylish but affordable desk with a mid century look for a while now but haven’t found anything suitable within my modest budget.
My thoughts therefore turned to upcycling an existing piece of furniture. I’ve had this Wrighton mid century dressing table for a while now, but hadn’t been inspired to do anything with it. I was considering selling it, but it nagged me to let go of anything with a mid century vibe as modern versions tend to be pricey. However, in contrast to previous dressing tables which I’ve upcycled this one had some serious drawbacks – it was very low to the ground and it had an uneven top created by a lower middle section.
I decided I was up for a challenge. The bones of a lovely piece were there, I just needed to get creative to convert it into a usable piece of furniture.
This post gives a step-by-step guide to how I created my dream mid century desk on a tight budget (less than £100, see full materials list below). It covers how to prepare a piece for upcycling, how to attach new legs, how to add a new top, how to paint veneered furniture and how to spray paint hardware such as handles. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Preparation
The first step is to consider how your upcycle project needs to be altered to meet your planned use. Does it need repaired, cleaned, sanded and/or painted? Does it need structural changes?
In my case, the dressing table needed significant changes to make it suitable for use as a desk. My first task was to lift off the mirror then take out a few screws to remove the wooden uprights which supported it.
TIP: Older pieces of furniture are likely to use traditional slotted screws which require a flat-head screwdriver, rather than the Phillips/cross-head screwdriver more commonly used today.
Next I needed to adjust the height. Using a chair as a rough guide, I used some paint cans to raise the height of the desk to approx 80cm. An average desk height is about 75cm but I wanted to retain the middle section’s top as a shelf so the desk needed to be slightly higher than normal. My calculations meant I needed new 30cm legs.
I then removed the dressing table drawers to create a recess to sit/tuck a chair. It’s starting to look like a desk! I left the small wooden drawer runners in place in case I ever want to convert my upcycle into a sideboard.
Like most mid century furniture the dressing table was extremely well made. In this case the legs were screwed into a recessed mounting plate with M8 metal dowels. So far so good, as this is still the standard size used today. However, they were also glued in and needed quite a bit of persuasion to remove.
To finish your preparations, thoroughly clean the furniture to remove any dust or residue.
TIP: Use sugar soap for any particularly sticky or stubborn bits.
Step 2: New legs
I ordered 4 tapered wooden legs (30cm, oak) from Legs4furniture on Etsy.
In order to minimise any strain on the new legs I also added new mounting plates to strengthen the join between the legs and the desk. I opted for small flat plates so they wouldn’t be visible from the front.
Line up the plates with the existing leg holes ensuring the lug which protrudes from the plate faces into the hole (you’ll need to drill holes if your piece of furniture doesn’t have them already). Attach the plates using the wood screws provided then simply screw the M8 dowels which come with the new legs into the mounting plates. Ta-da, new legs!
TIP: Mark the position of the screws and use a 3mm wood drill bit to drill a pilot hole for each one. This prevents the wood from splitting and makes driving in the screws MUCH easier.
Step 3: New top
Another of the main drawbacks of the original dressing table was that it didn’t have a flat top, with the middle section lower than the two side sections. In order to create a seamless flat work surface I decided to add a new top. I opted for a budget-friendly 18mm sheet of MDF from B&Q, the same thickness as the existing tops.
TIP: Purchasing your timber from B&Q allows you to take advantage of its in-store timber cutting service. Simply provide your desired measurements and the staff will cut your timber to size free-of-charge.
Ideally I’d love to use solid oak, but I can always change the top to real wood in the future. MDF will do the job for now. I also kept the original middle-section top in place to act as a handy shelf.
Step 4: Painting
Having seen some gorgeous dark blue mid century upcycle projects, I chose GoodHome Antibes for this project. This paint is available in multiple finishes and I’ve used it several times before. The tester pots are brilliant for smaller projects. I opted for the multi-surface paint which has a satin finish, but you could also use the furniture paint (chalk paint) option which has a flat matt finish. Neither of these paints require sanding or priming.
You’ll also need a selection of brushes and a foam mini roller set.
TIP: Foam rollers give a much smoother finish on veneered or laminated surfaces. I re-use the roller and tray and just buy the sleeves.
Before you begin, remove all hardware such as handles and any doors or drawers. Next, STIR THE PAINT. This is crucial to ensure you get even coverage with no streaks. I used a mini foam roller to paint two coats on the new MDF top and the doors whilst laid flat and raised-up on old books. This makes it much easier to avoid drips and to paint the sides.
Finish any hard to reach spots using your brushes. Use masking tape to ensure neat edges on any sections you want to leave unpainted.
BEFORE 
Step 5: Hardware
You have the choice of painting or replacing any hardware such as handles. With my budget in mind, I used Rust-Oleum Universal pure gold all-surface spray paint to paint the existing handles a warm matt gold.
Always use spray paint outdoors. I applied two thin coats, 30 minutes apart, then brought the handles back inside and left them to dry for 24 hours. As you can see, I took the opportunity to spray paint a couple of other cupboard handles at the same time.
TIP: Whenever I remove a handle I always re-attach the screws. This means you won’t lose them and it gives you something to pick the handle up by if needed when painting.
Final Steps
In order to complete the desk I needed to remove the cross-bar which was positioned beneath the drawers. I’d kept this in place until now so as to support the piece while I worked on it. I turned the desk upside down and used a circular saw to ensure a clean cut (alternatively you could use a jigsaw or a hand saw). I then sanded and painted the new edges.
My new mid century desk
I am absolutely delighted with my upcycled mid century desk. Picture me sitting here writing all my future blog posts! The chair is a new purchase from the John Lewis & Partners sale.
Materials
- 4 x 30cm oak tapered wooden furniture legs Legs4furniture, Etsy £28
- 4 x M8 flat mounting plates Amazon £9.95
- 18mm thick MDF board B&Q £16.86
- GoodHome antibes multi-surface durable satin paint B&Q £20
- Rust-Oleum Universal pure gold all-surface spray paint B&Q £15
TOTAL: £89.81 (with paint left over for other projects)
Tools
I already owned all of the tools required for this project, but if you plan to do any kind of DIY or upcycling even on a semi-regular basis it’s worth investing in some basic supplies.
- Pencil
- Tape measure
- Masking tape
- Sugar soap
- Flat-head screwdriver
- Phillips (cross-head) screwdriver
- Paint brushes
- Foam mini roller
- Drop cloth (an old sheet will do)
- Sanding block
- Hand saw (or circular saw or jigsaw, see below)
- 3mm wood drill bit
Power tools
Power tools are a significant investment and it’s worth doing some research to decide what’s right for you. If you want to give your first DIY or upcycling project a try then you could investigate local options to hire power tools for a couple of days. I’ve done this for larger or more specialised items. Alternatively a family member or neighbour might have a garage full of tools and be happy to lend them (plus their advice too).
- Drill (I use a Makita DHP453 18V cordless combi drill)
- Circular saw (I use an Evolution R165CCSL 1200W circular saw)
For more upcycling inspiration check out my Pinterest board.
Pin it!
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Disclaimer: The projects, methods and tools featured on this blog have worked for me. However, you are responsible for wearing proper safety equipment and techniques when using or operating any products. Not everyone will have the same results. Please attempt any and all projects at your own risk. When It Alteration Finds is not responsible for any hazards, injuries, or other mishaps that may occur while you attempt any project or idea you discovered on this blog.