From Chest of Drawers to Secretary Desk and Vanity: A Multi-Use Design
It has been my biggest desire to have a dedicated vanity in my bedroom for a very long time. It's been a while since I had one, and in the years since, I have grappled with a lack of space. This issue is likely to continue for a while.
So, I finally decided on a solution: a secretary desk. This piece of furniture will give me a space that can convert to a seating area when I need to sit down and work on my nails or do my hair. When I'm finished primping and it's not in use, I can close it up and reclaim my space. That is the beauty and joy of anything with a drop front that doubles as a desk. The idea came to me when I was looking for alternatives for a vanity. I discovered people using secretary desks as makeshift bars, entertainment systems, and vanities. However, most pieces on the market were either the wrong size for my needs or didn’t fit my budget.
I started looking around at what I already had to see if I could make something work, and my eyes settled on a chest of drawers. With a few modifications, I figured this could easily become exactly what I need. I would retain the drawers on the bottom and cut out the front frame on top to create the desk area. I could repurpose the drawer fronts to create a drop-down panel. And then, boom: secretary desk.
From Left to Right, Top Row: Upcycled Chest of Drawers by Reloved; Brass Key Secretary Desk, Anthropologie; Botttom Row: Unkown; Ave Home Modern Grey Carlyle Secretary Desk
I began refurbishing this chest of drawers about six years ago to use as clothing storage. I got it from the storage room at my parents’ house. They needed to get rid of it, and I needed a place for my clothes, so it worked out. I stripped it of its old finish but never got all of the stripper off. Removing the stripper turned out to be much more stubborn than I anticipated. I gave up on sanding it and began to use it as it was, caked-on stripper and all.
I've learned some things and developed my skills since then and have the confidence to pull this off. Primarily, this piece of furniture will hold all of my manicuring supplies in the desk area and my hair care supplies, wigs, hairpieces, and hair accessories in the drawers below.
Designing the Form
I want to create a very fun piece of furniture. I decided that now is the time for me to finally have a gold piece of furniture. I love the look of the cabinets above/below and have been wanting to replicate this vibe. I tossed around a few ideas and finally settled on metal leafing. I plan to use gold-colored metal leaf to create the gold finish I'm looking for. The interior can be finished with starched and glued linen or patterned paper to finish the sides of the drawers. To finish it out, I've been considering painting a motif on the exterior or keeping it solid gold. I reserve the right to change my mind about this at any time.
Right now, I'm leaning towards just keeping it plain and relatively unassuming. I think the gold leaf will likely be enough. Here’s are sketches I did of what the finished piece will look like.
Now, if you have a vanity, you need a place to sit at the vanity. I have a little chair that I've been holding on to for a very long time that, like this chest of drawers, I started to refinish but then stopped. In the case of the chair, it wasn't a matter of skill but rather uncertainty about the direction I wanted to take, and other projects became a priority.
There were a few opportunities for me to get rid of this chair, but I kind of have a thing for chairs. So, when I thought about a companion for the secretary desk, I considered converting an ottoman I have, but it didn't seem right. Then it dawned on me: I already have a chair that would be perfect for this, currently stored in my closet as a catch-all for anything I don't feel like hanging at the moment. The chair deserves better, and now, after almost 15 years, it will finally get to shine.
I came across this post about using decoupage to update upholstered furniture. I had never seen decoupaged fabric before, and this idea intrigued me. I think this little chair would be perfect to experiment with this technique. While I don't want these two pieces to match each other, I do want them to coordinate, standing well alone or together. If they're ever separated, it’s no loss either way. For the decoupage to work on fabric, a specific type of paper must be used. Rice paper made for decoupage is recommended for upholstering fabric. Rice paper is very thin and, once adhered, it melds into the fabric almost like a sublimation print. I’ve found a few options of pre-made rice decoupage paper I’m considering using on the chair and the drawer sides of the dresser.
Designing the Function
To make the vanity as functional as possible, I'll be adding lighting and mirrors to the interior. The lighting will likely be something that can be plugged into a wall.
I'll be using the existing drawer pulls that came with it and possibly updating their finish to complement the gold finish. The current drawer slides are made of wood and not very smooth. I want a very smooth gliding experience, and the only way to achieve that without a lot of sanding labor is to swap out the existing slides for metal ones. I also need lift hinges for the drop door and a latch to help it close at the top.
I think this project is going to be a lot of fun. I'm very excited to start now that I have finished costing the materials and planning the design. However, I won’t be able to get to this right away. I’ll likely start at the end of this month and share an update about it in early August. —
This project coincides with the updates I’m making to my multi-room and the changes I’m making to my bedroom after finishing my spring cleaning last month and realizing I need to expand my closet space.
I'm working to make my space more functional while keeping it beautiful and interesting to me. Designing the space where you live should account for both form and function in the way you want to live. It’s ever-evolving, just like the people that live in it. A living space is exactly that—alive!
See you on the next one.
Truly,
Claire
