I seem to be collecting sewing tables!
Last week’s post was an upcycle of one into an entry table. This one was brought to me on commission to redesign into a desk with laptop storage. We could have replaced the top with a solid piece of wood, but why waste the hidden storage this table offered? I just love all the options for upcycling with these tables!
Step One: Primer & Paint
The sewing-related guts of this table had already been removed, so I could dive right in. After a light sanding with my new mouse sander, I primed with my usual Zinsser® BIN. Note the small flap sticking up from the desk and the larger flap underneath on the table – these will be a key part of the story later.
My client chose Farmhouse Paint® “Americana” blue for the main color of the desk. I like a little contrast on larger pieces so they’re not monochromatic, so I suggested adding accents. We decided on Farmhouse Paint® “Old Navy” for this purpose.
Step Two: Reengineering
The old hatch for raising the sewing machine from its storage beneath was only partially intact. The front flap (see above) was still in place, but the larger back section was loose and missing pieces.
It took me a long while to figure out how I was going to make this into a convenient panel to slip a laptop beneath. Using the two doors split in the middle, as originally designed, was awkward to insert a laptop. Plus, I couldn’t find suitable inset hinges to replace the missing vintage ones.
Instead, I went back to the drawing board. I removed the smaller flap and swapped it to the rear with its hinges. Then I added a piano hinge in the middle to connect the two flaps. The panel could now pull up with its round finger grip facing the correct direction and fold open from front to back. This would provide plenty of room to comfortably insert a laptop.
Of course, the laptop still needed somewhere to rest… So I built a shelf out of plywood and installed it in the cavity below using corner braces for support.
Step Three: The Pretty Stuff!
We decided to go sleek and modern with the new hardware since the old version was dark and colonial in style. It proved trickier than I expected to locate the petite 2-inch-center drawer pulls, but I found some great ones.
Keeping with the blue theme, I used a perky floral print to line the drawers and the shelf I installed to store the laptop. That will provide a fun pop of color and pattern whenever the drawers or the top panel are opened.
A little candle wax on the drawer runners and Minwax® Polycrylic to protect the top, and this desk was good to go.
And here it is!
This will brighten up any room for tapping away on a laptop. It was a challenge with all the brain-stretching required for the mechanical details, but that’s what makes this job fun! Thanks to my friend for the opportunity to work on this project.
Check back next week for a new reveal and be sure to visit my Instagram (@serendipitysequelsmn). If you have any questions, drop me a note on my contact page.
