How to Refinish a Drexel 1950's Secretary Desk: Step-by-Step Guide!
- Lori Siegel
- Aug 10
- 2 min read
The main principle when shopping at any thrift store is to always inspect an item carefully before dismissing it. My husband and I were at Goodwill, and he bypassed a small dresser with a crack, thinking it was broken. I stopped to see if it might be repairable. However, upon touching the top, I realized it wasn't damaged; it was actually a lid that lifted to reveal a desk with compartments. So cool!
The secretary desk turned out to be a Drexel piece from the 1950s. It was quite a bargain at $19.99. I was thrilled with the piece and was eager to begin working on it.
One of the first things I did was replace the wooden tracks inside the desk on each side. These tracks keep the drawer from sliding back, giving it the appearance of a real drawer. I also used spackle to fill a crack in the wood.
The piece had a factory finish, so I needed to strip off the layers of paint and sealant. I started by applying the paint remover then covering it with plastic wrap, allowing it to sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Using a scraper and a wire brush for the detailed areas, it took three applications, but I managed to remove most of the finish.
While removing the finish, I discovered that while the piece was really well made, it was made of various wood tones, making it impossible to leave the wood exposed. Therefore, I needed to paint it. Unsure how to proceed, I sat with the piece and waited for it to speak to me. Not talk to me like "How's the weather?" or "What do you think of those Bills?" but more like a feeling I get from the piece on how I should proceed.
I opted for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in French Linen. To achieve a translucent effect, I diluted the paint with water, applied it with a brush, and then wiped it off using a finishing sponge. I repeated this process multiple times until I achieved the desired appearance.
After I got the base color just right, I used different brushes to add clear, dark, and white wax. This helped bring out some depth by highlighting and giving the piece an aged look.
I then painted the interior of the cubbies with Annie Sloan's Whistler's Gray Chalk Paint. For an element of surprise, I added Decoupage Paper by Redesign with Prima to the front of the drawers.
Here is the finished piece; it is exactly how I envisioned it in my mind. It's reminiscent of something you might find in a French chateau.
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I have listed this piece on Facebook Marketplace if you're interested the link is below.
