"Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

“Because it can produce a few notes, tho they are very flat; and it is nevar put with the wrong end in front!”

-Lewis Carrol

When I sold my old bedroom set last year and replaced my bed with a wrought iron one, I began the search for a new desk.

I wanted something old, with character, and I didn't mind if it needed a little fixing up.

Then this spring, I found an antique waterfall desk at a garage sale!

It was scuffed in places, but nothing too awful. I knew right away it was coming home with me.

(Those drawers on the right side aren't missing, I just forgot to replace them before I took the picture.)

The waterfall design was a popular furniture style in the 1920's to the 1940's.  Before then, curved wood in a furniture piece was very expensive to do, but then plywood came into use, and with its easy to mold properties, a curve was no longer a problem to make, and the trend took off.

A lot of ideas I found on Pinterest involved painting the desk.  I thought that was interesting, and kept that in mind while I set it aside to work on other projects.

While sanding my desk down, I found it had beautiful wood grain, and any ideas of painting it quickly left. 

I wanted a deep color stain, but nothing too dark. I ended up choosing Varathane's Gun stock color.

The sample looked more brown tone, but with the kind of the desk is made with, it gave it more red undertones, which turned out quite beautiful.

I guess if you compare it to the color on the can, it looks almost identical!

One coat of stain did nicely, and I only had time for one coat of polyurethane before it got too cold outside. I may do another coat in the spring.

I love having a desk again! I didn't really realize how much I missed having one until I brought it upstairs and began arranging my things in it.

The top drawer holds my stationary and address book.

In the middle: my favorite terrarium note cards from Modcloth.

I quickly filled up drawers with notebooks and empty journals (I never knew what a collection I had!).

Other drawers were filled with more miscellaneous items. :)

I have a lovely place to write now, and I can't wait to use it!