[Scissors + Glue] Refurbishing Crappy Old Desks

I am so inspired by Project ReStyle and all the cool things you can do with the most unpredictable of objects. This comes just in time, too, since I just moved into a new house in San Francisco. My mission: re-style a lovely desk where I can write, study, and memorize ridiculous vocabulary words like "inchoative" and "pusillanimous" (which is a synonym for "craven" and an antonym for "plucky", in case you were wondering).

Here are a few of the blogs I've been going to for inspiration on this project. I'm currently in the process of finding said crappy old desk, so I can sand it, re-paint it, give it some new hardware, and love it to death. Now I'm just wondering what type of paint to use so that the color and texture will really make the wood stand out.

Decoupaged Oak Desk

Before:    

After: 

from purplelemondesigns

Cute Desk That Could Have Otherwise Been Hideous (though I'm not a fan of the lilac)

from Teal Tree

Love the Wallpaper-Lined Drawers

from Some Things I Know

Mustard Yellow Writing Desk

from mint home