Executive Desk with Damaged Leather Top Gets a Makeover

I purchased this executive desk at an auction. The leather top was heavily damaged, but I thought it would be a good project to work on, so I was happy to be the lucky winner.

Before

The desk has solid construction with a wood veneer and a leather top. The veneer was secure but was scratched and worn. The leather top was in very poor condition.

I immediately started having buyer's remorse when I started thinking about how heavy it was going to be to move the desk! But luckily the top of the desk is removable! The top rests on the two pedestal drawer bases. Consequently it was fairly easy for me to move the pieces by myself.

Removing a Damaged Leather Top

The first order of business was to address the damaged leather top. First I used a metal paint scraper to lift up a corner of the leather.

Once there was enough to grab onto, I started peeling back the leather.

I continued peeling the leather until the entire top was removed. I used the scraper to gently release any stubborn areas.

There was still be some residue of the adhesive left that needed removal. I checked a number of websites that recommended wetting the surface and scraping it off. I did try that and it worked OK, but it was a very slow process. In all fairness, I only gave it a try for about 30 seconds before moving on to Plan B.

So I took the top outside. I was dog sitting for the week when I worked on this project, and TJ was very curious about what I was going to do next.

I put the dog inside (he refused to wear a sanding mask) and got out my orbital sander.

In just a few minutes the residue was gone and the desk top was looking good.

I was initially planning to stain the wood, but the border area of the leather top was carved out. So instead I filled it with wood filler and then sanded that smooth.

Apply the Paint!

I painted the desk top separately and then painted the base in French Linen and the trim in Old White.

For the top of the desk, I taped off the areas with wood filler using painter's tape to create a border of French Linen.

After the paint dried, I gently peeled off the tape around the border.

After

I think the combination of French Linen and Old White gives the piece an elegant look. It's a classic color combination that works well as a neutral without being too boring.

The desk has trim panels on the sides as well as the back.

I applied a worn finish to the outer white border. The white center of the desk is not distressed. I applied a small amount of white wax to the French Linen border.

The top three drawers lock.

I applied light distressing to the drawers and hardware.

Once again, I just love that the top of the desk is removable! It definitely is so much easier to move.

The finished back allows for versatile furniture placement and can be placed either against a wall or facing outwards to greet visitors.

I hope you enjoyed today's project. Thanks so much for stopping by!