I was at the Good Will dropping off some things and I saw this desk. It wasn’t in the greatest shape but it was all ‘real’ wood and I could see it’s potential. I stripped the old varnish and paint. Sanded it down. then I applied a coat of straight red pigment. After it dried I lightly sanded it down again to cut through the high areas to allow the natural wood color to show through. I then put about 5 coats of polyurethane. My brother commented that it looks like meat, so now I can’t help but think of it that way. My wife loves it, although she doesn’t like me calling it the meat desk.