painting formica

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My grandfather covered my cheap, wooden desk in my studio at school with formica so that it could withstand all of the wear and tear from exacto blades and the like. However, i didnt think to tell him a specific color of formica, and ended up with white. I dont care so much about the aesthetics of the desk, but as you may know, stark white can be hard on the eyes after youve been working for several hours. So, i was wondering if it would be a bad idea to paint formica. Since i work with knives, I fear it will chip right off. any suggestions besides buying a new piece of formica?