Table for Two?

I hope I'm not the only one who has thought this, but have you ever had buyers regret? You think something is fabulous for the first two months you own it and then after that think of all of the ways to either get it out of your house or make it better without spending lots of money?

I have. Namely my bedding set, dining table, and TV stand. Each was purchased either right before we got married or right after. Before I had a style, let alone KNEW what that style was. The bedding set I took care of (see new bedding) and still love it (though I want to try something different for summer bedding). The TV stand we no longer use, due to the fact that our plasma hangs on the wall, so it's been repurposed and is about to get a makeover. But the dining room table...expensive to buy new..... couldn't find any I loved....oh bother! Well, better find a cheap one and FLIP it so that I love it! Oh dear, can't find a USED one either! So finally, after lots of time had passed, I convince Adam to ask his parents for their old one, that was sitting in the basement. Serious? They'd love for us to make good use of it? And they don't mind if I paint it to make it mine? It's Free?!? YIPEE!!!

So after much color diliberation, here we go!

Here's a half-before picture, since I had just started sanding. Just your standard pine table and chairs with white legs and yellow-y wood top. "Just like everyone else" is SO not my style!

Got rid of the yellowish top by sanding down the top FOREVER!!! Do you know how many coats of poly are on the top of those babies? TONS! I sanded with the palm sander until my arms got tired, then Adam finished up. Then we used more fine sand paper and hand sanded. Then even finer (more fine?) sandpaper by hand until my arms were numb.

Finally done with sanding, on to the stain. Oh, so much warmer and my style. Looks fabulous! About 5 gazillion coats of poly later (and two sanding sessions on the top) and the table top was done! Now just paint the legs--I don't have any pics, yet, but we painted them a barn red, added wood buttons (those little mushroom things on the post of your railings, tables, etc to cover screw holes) for some added character, and glazed it with stain, since our glaze didn't show.

Next, the chairs. We decided (and by we, I mean me) to paint the chairs black and then distress them. This was my attempt to bring some black in my house (of which I have nothing!). Bad mistake. It took 5 coats of paint, the distressing looked horrible, and I hated it!

And because I hated it (even after waiting for a week to see if I'd get used to them) you don't get to see After pictures...yet. Unfortunately, I'm in the process of REpriming and REpainting those chairs BACK to a light color. I'm hoping for two good coats or primer and one coat of BEAR paint/primer. Oh, plus a good rub down of glaze, before I give it a few coats of poly. Ha! Wish me luck! I may go crazy before the chairs are done, but so be it!