On Saturday I went to a flea market here in Oslo and I happened to find this beautiful old desk. Since I was little I´ve always wanted a desk like this and now I finally have one!
What do you think of the desk? Should I keep it as it is, or should I paint it? I´m thinking white maybe…. Please come with suggestions – I would love to hear what you think.
Have you been to any flea markets lately? Any great finds?
(Image: Nina Holst )
Hi! I think it is a really great find. It depends what kind of style decor you admire. I think it sort of has a brushed kind of antique look, that may be the look you like but if it is not, then white would be nice especially if you like light colors.
I love flea markets, you can find some really great stuff there.
Oh Nina! I love it! My grandmother had a desk like that when I was a little girl, and I always loved to sit in front of it and play ‘office’! 🙂
Anyway, I would paint it too, to make it a bit lighter, and white would definitely be my choice as well…
And as far as my fleemarket conquests are concerned… I’m currently VERY happy with a set of plates I bought at my old favourite fleemarket in Brussels when I was there for Easter… and we have another market coming up on saturday! Yay! Can’t wait to see what I’ll find next!
{hearts}
& have a wonderful day!
k.
It is actually quite beautiful as it is, I have to say. But painting or not depend on where you want to put it – in the right place it will look fantastic. 🙂
hei,
den var vakker. jeg ville ikke malt den. ser ut til at den er i flammebjørk. skal den stå i et hvitt/lyst rom vil den bli et blikkfang og tilføre rommet liv og spenning. jeg synes det kan bli vel mye hvitt… pent, men jeg mener det er viktig å ta vare på det orginale også, i noen sammenhenger….den hvite bølgen kan snart gå over, og da vil mange ting være “ødelagt” (forstå meg rett)for fremtiden…
uansett, det blir sikkert pent. lykke til med valget!
hilsen Tove i dronninghuset
It’s a realllllly lovely piece. I paint everything. EVERYTHING. But, with this one, I think it’s amazing as-is. I would leave it. Just me.
Jeg synes den er nydelig som den er, jeg. Men blir nok bra uansett hva du gjør med den. Du har “teken”, for å si det sånn 😉
Wow, I absolutely love it. Although I am a big fan of painting furniture I think I would leave this as it is. It will look great in your home. You could always paint it later on if you felt tired of the natural look. Good find!
Kjempeflott var den!
Jeg tror nok jeg ville holdt den slik orginal…
Selv om den nok kan bli lekker i hvitt også ♥
Klem Line
It’s a difficult question! But I think this old wood has a so wonderful colour, it’s very nice
Nydelig
Om du kan ha den som den er,- om den passer inn slik, ville jeg ikke malt den
Den ser så slitt og vakker ut og det blir jo borte om du maler den
Den blir nok flott i hvit å, men da med et helt annet uttrykk
Lykke til
Klem
What a great find! Congratulations! I do like it untreated, but it could look fun painted depending on where it’s going to live!
Hello Nina!
I found your blog recently and I really loved it.I even try to read all of your old posts day by day.
Anyway, about the desk:
It is really beautiful as it is, but it looks like it has some “dirty spots” especially on the feet, so my opinion is to paint it white (it would be perfect for your home) and then rub it on some spots with sandpaper to show off some wood from the underneath.
Hei hei.
Jeg ville ALDRI malt det nydelige skrivebordet. Er jo sååååå lekkert!!
Klem Madelén
Skrivebordet er nydelig. Jeg tror jeg ville malt den. Syms også den ser litt flekkete/slitt ut. Uansett, så blir det nok bra 🙂
Kerstin
No,no, no! PLEASE don’t paint it! It is so incredibly beautiful as it is, it would be a tragedy to cover over all that delicate timber patterning with boring old white paint.
It has the most wonderful shape to it too. Great find!
Den var råflott som den er:)
klemklem
Do NOT paint!!! The color on it now is fantastic!!!
Wow! Nydeleg♥ Rett og slett!
Eg er stoooor fan av kvit-men den ville eg faktisk hatt slik den er☺ Surprise!☺
Kanskje du kan prøve å la den gå seg til-og viss du føler det blir feil hos deg maler du den☺
Heldig med den vertfall☺☺
Klem M♥
my word, that is gorgeous, I go with painting it, but I have a thing for painting things! My latest flea market finds are blogged here:
http://bountifully.blogspot.com/2011/05/op-shop-finds.html
FOR et funn. Nydelig var den :0) Synes den var fin slik den var jeg.
Hvis du blir lei den etterhvert kan du jo heller male den hvit da ;0)
Ha en fin dag.
Klem Jane.
Hei Nina,
Jeg synes skrivebordet er fantastisk som det er! Du kann jo male bordet senere, hvis du trenger litt forandring.
Jeg liker å blande gammle møbler og ny design. Jeg har flere møbler fra loppemarket hjemme. Det er en billig og passer til min jugendstil leilighet. Her i Tyskland det finnes loppemarket hver helg men jeg husker ogsa gjerne å ga på loppemamrket i grünerløkka.
Ha det og hilser fra Tyskland,
Mabiche
Nice! Fin fasong, men er litt vanskelig å se type treverk. Er det flammebjørk ville jeg nok malt den i hvit høyglans 🙂
Takk for en innspirerende blog,
klem fra Kragerø
NL
Vakker! Som den er…
Liker bloggen din veldig godt. Nydelig den også :o)
mmmm…difficult decision… It has a lot of character now and in an all white room will make quite an impression…whereas if you put it in an all white area, I think it will just blend away and not stand out.
Don’t be in a hurry to paint. Leave as is ..and let time and your gut later on lead you !
What a great find !! Certainly was worth that visit to the flea market !!
Oi den var vel fiiiiin!
Og et vanskelig valg, synes den er veldig fin som den er siden den er såpass matt og kald i fargen men den blir sikkert flott som hvit også 🙂
Ha en finfin maiuke 🙂
fin so den er må jeg nok si 🙂 Jeg var på loppemarked på lørdag og fikk med meg et flott kaffeservis i 12deler hjem til 200kr:) Du kan se det på bloggen min:)
Den var fin! Selv om den sikkert hadde blitt fin i hvit, synes jeg absolutt du bør beholde den slik den er! Den ville nok ha tapt en del verdi hvis du malte den. Dessuten er det fint å kombinere noe trefarget med alt det hvite du har fra før.
Loppis er gøy! 🙂
hello,
i think is beautifl like this !
don’t really need to be paint
and the color of the old woob is great
have a good day
sophie *
Keep it as is! I love the grain and patina of that wood.
Hello,
I think that this wood has beautiful color ! It´s amazing…it depend on where you want to put it ?:)) I like this picture but if you like white or grey I will paint it.
I have this same problem with my bistro chairs. I bougt them on Saturday too on flea market. I don ´t know what to do with them:))If you want give me your opinion:))
bye Vlaďka
I just recently discovered your blog and really love it and your aesthetic!
The desk is beautiful! I am normally a big fan of painting furniture but I love this one as is. I can see it paired with a modern white chair. Great find!
I would def keep it as is…I love the grain of the wood! Perhaps you could just change the hardware if you wanted to give it a bit of an updated look? Either way, it’s a great find! 🙂
Nydelig! Jeg hadde nok malt den, den har særpreg uansett! Suuuperfin! Klem
It’s beautiful! Please do not paint it. That wood had to have been chosen on purpose and this desk is a gorgeous way to do so. Congratulations on your find!
Perfekt slik den er!!!
Klem!
Knallfin kommode, syns den var veldig fin som den er, men den hadde sikkert blitt kjempelekker hvit:)
Klem Hilde
Åh, så vackert! Vilket fynd. 🙂 Behåll det som det är, det är så vackert med gammalt trä – ger en varm känsla till rummet. Ibland kan det bli för mycket vitt. 🙂
Kram från Lotta
Thank you all for your feedback on my desk! It seems that most of you want me to keep it as it is, so I guess I will do that for now, and maybe I will paint it later if I get tired of it.
NL: Ja, skatollet er i flammebjørk. Høyglans hadde nok blitt lekkert. Mye mulig det blir det etterhvert 🙂
Hugs, Nina
Very beautiful desk! Flea markets are so great! How wonderful to find a desk like this after wanting one for so long, congrats!
Wow… I want it, too!!!
Oh wow, what a great find! If that wood is as lovely as it looks in the photo, I would just gloss or lightly stain it to get it back to shiny newness and let the wood shine through! 🙂 Although I’m sure if you paint it and add some pretty knobs that would look great too!
Hi, Nina! Wow, what a treasure you found at a flea market!! I would go for white. I think seeing your touch on this beautiful piece of furniture would be very interesting for your fans to see. 🙂 Great find!
what a beautiful piece!!! i really think you should leave it as is…the wood really does look stunning and gives the desk it’s own unique personality. if it were formica or in bad condition i would support the painting.
so pretty! Keep it like it as for now!
Paint it white!
Ivana
What a gorgeous find! I think whatever you decide it will be lovely.
I am a fan of painting but that is SOOOO beautiful as is.
You know what? maybe a purple color?