Do you know of any Creative Idea's to redecorate an old desk with a hawaiian theme without being tacky?

Question

Please Help! I was given an old desk. Its part wood and part pressboard. My daughter's room is themed hawiian.
I don't want to sand it or remove stain. Its dark stained. Its not smooth anymore because of how old it is. I would like to know some craft ideas to make it look new again and work with her room. Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

Aloha. My name is Taylor and I am from Hawaii. I am one of the great Hawaiian artist. You have several choices depending on how much work you want to put into it and how creative you are. Because I'm sure the top of it's press board can be a problem 1. you have to sand it and primer it, I suggest "the gripper" it's the best. then you can apply even a Hawaiian theme wallpaper with a sheet of Plexiglas's on top to keep it clean or 2. hand paint Hawaiian flowers, birds, whales, dolphins, or palm trees and turtles.3.To the dark stained areas you could use that darkness by using many layers of lighter acrylic colors giving the affect of an Hawaiian hut or bamboo, even palm trees. Good Luck Aloha Nui Loa Taylor

Answer 2

what you could do is use the aged look of it and make it look vintage and weathered. as long as it isn't uncomfortable for your daughter to use. you can cover the top with a deep red writing area with space around the outside part of the desk with a cushion going along the front in the same color. you could have little palm tree knobs and perhaps a matching one on top. it's hard to think of anything w/o seeing the desk. try going to pier 1 for ideas.

Answer 3

i saw people put a flat square of glass on the desk, you could put pictures of flowers under the glass or dried flowers. I saw once a table in someone's studio with lots of dried autumn leaves under the glass on the desk it looked so good.
If the desk has knobs on the drawers you can remove them and put some new ones with flowers instead.

Answer 4

That's a tough one. I would have to see it to give a better answer but I don't think you can do much to it other than paint it. You could just paint it white or something so it doesnt stand out as much.

Answer 5

You don't mention any style details, but you might hot-glue bamboo as trim or to fill in inset areas and add some shell-shaped drawer pulls.

Answer 6

Maybe a length of grass skirting on sides.
A pineapple desk lamp