A vintage sewing desk in the kitchen? Yes! I got this vintage sewing cabinet/desk from my neighbor Rodney for FREE! I was in need of storage for the kitchen in addition to having a place to put a t.v. Real people watch t.v. and need places to put them.
The vintage sewing desk was in decent shape but it needed a thorough cleaning. It smelled musty and moldy from being stored in the garage.
Remove old components from vintage sewing desk
The first order of business was to remove the components of the sewing machine cabinet. The sewing machine had already been removed, but some parts needed to be removed.
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Clean wood on sewing cabinet
After removing the parts I gathered some cleaning supplies including a bucket of water, latex gloves, a rag and TSP.
The TSP really made a huge difference and did a great job of removing the mold and mildew.
Wash wooden cabinet with a hose
It was rather difficult to get into all the nooks and crannies. Using a hose made it easier to clean all the small places. I was able to use the hose on the wood desk because it was a very warm/sunny day. The sun and breeze quickly dried the wooden desk without damaging it.
Paint primer coat of chalky paint
I allowed the desk to dry completely before painting it with my Super Finish Max Extra. As always I started out with my diy chalky paint primer made with plaster of paris.
I mixed that with black paint to use as a basecoat. When painting furniture red, it’s best to have black as a basecoat or primer.
Second guess yourself about paint choice
This is where it almost went wrong. I used an oops paint that I thought was red, but it ended up being a little too rust to suit me. Luckily the paint dried really quickly and I was able to do another coat of yet another color.
Plan B–New color of paint
This is chalk type paint from Heirloom Traditions. The color is Peppery. I love red glazed furniture. I’m not a huge fan of regular red projects.
The weather took a turn for the worse, and we had many days of rain.
Glaze RED furniture to age
I brought the vintage sewing desk indoors. Yep, put it right in the living room on a vinyl table cloth. I broke out my favorite Smoked Glaze, applying it with a cheap chip brush. I love these brushes because a) they don’t waste a lot of paint and b) they are so easy to clean. They really just get better with age.
Watch my video of How To Glaze Painted Furniture
Not only does the smoked glaze add a wash to the paint, it also seals the paint. You can see the difference in the drawers before and after.
Spray paint original sewing cabinet hardware
The original hardware would remain on the sewing cabinet, but it needed a new outfit!
Remember it’s been raining? I put the hardware on a paper plate, ran out to the garage, sprayed it, brought the paint and the hardware back in to dry. Then I did that two more times with more light coats, bringing it in each tie so it could dry.
Hole made with hole saw allows surge protector to be tucked out of sight.
The cabinet that the t.v. has been on for years wouldn’t sit close to the wall. I was tired of that, so I made some changes to this desk I’ll be using for storage in the kitchen. I used a hole saw on my drill to make a hole for the plug. There is room under the bottom drawer to accommodate the surge protector. The cords flow under the side of the desk where the molding rests off the floor. You will notice I put felt pads on the desk to keep it from scratching my new laminate floor.
Wax paper keeps items from sticking to freshly painted furniture project
Here’s a great tip to keep appliances and other items from sticking to freshly painted furniture. Wax paper is my secret. T.V.’s have those little rubber feet that can leave marks on furniture. I’ll leave the wax paper in place for a couple of weeks until the paint has time to completely cure. Save this tip on Pinterest!
Glazed Red Vintage Sewing Desk T.V. Stand & Storage for Kitchen
I love the way the new desk offers extra storage in the kitchen. I also love how it pulls out the glazed red in the Bless The Food Sign I made.
Next up? Hopefully a new kitchen table. I got a great deal on this small kitchen table years ago, but the supports can really do a number on your knees! I want to make a customized table to fit my small space.
Do you think it’s odd to use a desk in the kitchen for storage?
Desk Knee Hole Accommodates Dog Bed
This is what intrigued me about putting a desk in the kitchen. Lulu Mae’s bed gets kicked around from one place to another every day. Now she has her own space and she’ll feel safe being out of the way. She has a soft bed in every room in the house.
The drawers will come in handy for her leash and other supplies as well as the remote and random coasters.
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I am so happy with how this vintage sewing desk project turned out. One more kitchen project checked off my list!
gail
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LOVE! This is a wonderful idea. I have been given an old sewing machine cabinet, what do you do with the sewing machine? I already have 2 machines that I don’t use. LOL But I would love to make over this last cabinet. Perhaps I could just leave it in there. Sorry, thinking out loud. BTW, I love the dog bed in the knee hole, I would love to find a space for my dogs water bowls,etc. Keep up the great work!
The knee hole would be great for the dog bowls too! (instead of the bed) I think finding the perfect place for dog bowls is difficult. You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you where Lulu Mae’s is…. it’s in the living room. When she was small I had to keep an eye on her eating schedule and it just sort of “stuck” there. I move it to the bedroom when the grand dog visits. Strange but true.
gail
Hi….
My daughter in law wants the wood sign on your wall above the table……we’re can I get that for her?
Carol,
I made that sign for me. I keep meaning to make some to sell, but haven’t done it yet.
gail
As a dog person, this is genius! Never woulda thunk it! Re- looking at spaces for dog beds now! LOL!
Thank you! As soon as I considered using the desk, it came to me. I was soooo excited when I measured her favorite bed and saw that it was a perfect fit!
Hope you find the perfect spot!
gail
I had a tall antique dresser in my kitchen years ago. The space for our refrigerator was too small in our 1940’s house, so I put the refrigerator in the garage. I put the dresser in the refrigerator space and used it for storage.
The 1950’s house we’re living in now has a very large farm kitchen. I have an old wooden teacher’s desk in it for our desktop computer (which also happens to be our “TV”). Anything that works!
You’re a very creative thinker Kate! Both great storage ideas of a kitchen.
gail
The new little house doesn’t have room in the kitchen for a TV, or even 2 people. But I do love the little house so much. I love what you did with the color. When I got to the picture with the orange paint I thought you’d lost your mind. A desk can serve a lot of purposes. In this case it has 3 nice drawers. One for Lulu Mae, 2 for junk drawers. Yes real people have junk drawers in their kitchen! Sometimes more than 1. I like that the dog bed has found a home. Now you could also use it as a buffet with a solid piece inside where the machine was, or even a bar, move the tv and put the bottle openers and wine opener in the little pull out center drawer. Yes multi-use pieces of furniture can be anywhere in the house you want. Since the move, everything has to have multiple uses.
“Real people watch t.v. and need places to put them.” One of the many, many reasons I read your blog. You are real, and you make me laugh. (Plus I learn so much.)
I appreciate that you know me Jen! I love to keep it real. I’m not a “pinterest” blogger for sure. A magazine will never come knocking at my door, and I’m okay with that. 😉
Thanks for being such a good friend of MRL!
gail
that is wonderful. puppy has her own place. you have a useful piece of furniture that is not only multi-purpose but gorgeous, too.