“Blessed is she who saves furniture from dumpsters, for she shall embarrass her husband and children but have AMAZING projects.” ~ Unknown

This desk did not come from a dumpster.  It was actually given to me by a friend almost 20 years ago — oh my gosh, has it been that long?!?!?!  For most of those years, I was mentally and emotionally in a place where I just did not have the energy or creative juices to give a whit what this piece of furniture looked like. At that time, my focus was on survival and keeping my kids safe.

However . . . the past year has given me an opportunity to embrace my creative side again, and this desk is one of my projects.

Structurally , the desk is in good shape.  It is sturdy and currently is sitting in the crafting/sewing room awaiting it’s fate.  The plan is for it to hold the sewing machine as it will allow plenty of space for fabric to rest while sewing.

The dilemma is:  What type of design element do I want to go with when I refinish it?

I could go the shabby chic route with chalk paint or a few layers sanded down to reveal the layers of color.

Perhaps like this:

But then again, the details, such as the sections of the drawer, and the turns on the legs present the possibility to lend it a little more personality.

I could go the whimsical route, a la Mary Engelbreit, and do a bang up job something like this:

So there we have it — the quandary that has been keeping me awake at night. (Not really, but it sounds good.)  Do I go for a sewing room of understated elegance and chic or do I go the route of colorful whimsy and creativity.

Decision and choices . . . oh my!