Vent: I picked the fancy writing desk over the plain one and now I hate it

I bought this hand-carved mahogany desk at an antique shop in Nashville for $400 because it looked so inspiring. But the finish scratches if I even look at it funny, and I actually spend more time worrying about the desk than writing on it. Has anyone else picked the pretty option and regretted it when practicality won?

3 comments

3 Comments

julia_miller241mo ago

Idk if I'd say you "picked wrong" exactly. That desk sounds gorgeous and $400 is actually a steal for hand-carved mahogany, most antique shops would charge double that. But you gotta ask yourself if it's really a "writing desk" or more of a decorative piece. My aunt has a similar problem with a fancy dining table she never actually eats on because she's scared of scratching it. Maybe try putting a clear glass top on it, that way you get the look without the anxiety every time you set down a coffee mug.

the_paul1mo ago

My $300 "vintage" typewriter from Etsy sits in the corner like a museum piece because the keys stick and the ribbon keeps jamming. I spent more time wiping dust off it than actually typing anything. Sometimes I think we just pay for the fantasy of being the person who would use the fancy thing, not the thing itself. Maybe that glass top idea is worth a shot, because right now your desk sounds like it's more of a show horse than a work horse.

ryanh5626d ago

Ngl the glass top idea is smart, but $400 for mahogany sounds like a normal price, not a steal.