Color Glams Up the Old-Fashioned Secretary

You may think of secretary desks as a bit old-fashioned, but these hardworking pieces can be incredibly well suited to modern life — not to mention small spaces. With drawers below, a fold-down desk, and shelves (and sometimes small drawers) above, secretaries pack lots of storage and functionality into a compact space. Whether you already own a secretary desk or are considering adding one to your space, let these color combinations inspire you to see new possibilities.

Red. Cinnabar red, the hue of Chinese lacquerwork, works equally well in traditional and eclectic settings. Even if your secretary desk was not originally lacquered, you can have the finish applied by a skilled artisan — or approximate the look by choosing a similar paint color and painting the piece yourself.

Styling tip: A rich red secretary looks amazing filled with vibrant blue pottery — especially in a room with pale blue walls.


White exterior, citrus-hued interior. When closed this secretary would look quite unassuming. Open it, and you are greeted by bold and glossy lime-green lacquer — what a glamorous surprise! White pairs well with other citrus hues as well; try lemon yellow, zesty orange or grapefruit pink.

Styling tip: Hang small, framed artworks on the interior doors of a secretary desk. If the art is small enough, you don’t need to use nails — adhesive hooks can get the job done, and are easily removed.


Black and white. Crisp and classic, black and white is a combo you can’t go wrong with. Try painting the drawer fronts and sides white and the trim and interior black for contrast.


Dark exterior, colorful interior. Dark gray, midnight blue or black is an elegant color for the exterior of a secretary. Painting just the interior a saturated hue gives the piece a jewel-box look.


If you have a secretary that already has a black finish, just painting the interior is a doable project with big impact. Pick a warm hue like raspberry or cherry red, or cool mint or aqua.


Painting a secretary black and placing it against a wall with a deep, rich color can help it seem to recede into the background — especially helpful in a small space.

Styling tip: Stack a few paper storage boxes in a fun hue atop the desk to add color.


Distressed. Using milk paint is a fun way to bring an imperfect, antiqued look to a lovely wood secretary. Try using similar hues in two different shades for the exterior and interior for a subtly rich look. To take it a step further, gently sand off a bit of the finish around the edges for a well-loved and worn look.


Black. All-black is a chic look, especially for a small-scale secretary like the one shown here. If the knobs on your secretary are nothing to write home about, swapping them out for something more special is a great way to make the piece stand out.


Decorative painting. Just because your secretary isn’t an antique doesn’t mean it can’t sport a decorative finish. Search for a professional decorative painter to give your piece a one-of-a kind look.


White with fun knobs. Have a hand-me-down secretary or thrift shop find that has seen better days? Painting it white and swapping out lackluster knobs for ones that are more fun can give it a new lease on life.

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More ideas: Browse secretary desks of all styles

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