Home Repair Minimalist: For the love of tables...

I have many weaknesses...one of which is for the look of a dark-stained table top paired with a creamy distressed base! I just can't get enough of it.

I saw this table on KSL.com several weeks ago. The price? $10. I usually think about an ad for a day or so before I call on it--not this time. I made an appointment to go get it, but actually had to go back twice because the seller slept through his doorbell! It is a 4-foot round table, plus an 18" leaf.

The table was old--truly old, not just a reproduction. I didn't care.
A dog had chewed on the feet. I didn't care.
One side of the table wanted to lift completely off the base. I didn't care.

Did I mention it was $10?

Later I found out why it was $10...but I still didn't care (much).

In addition to needing screws to re-attach the top to the base, I also had to use my Dremel to sand down the apron so the table top could meet without a 1/2" gap. Yep, the apron was wider than the table top. Not sure how they managed that. Then I think the leaf was added at a later date, and whoever put it in didn't think the leaf should ever come out. I had to have a friend (a braver friend than I) cut a chunk of wood off of one of the sliders underneath so it could close all the way back down. It was an adventure!

But in the end...

I stained the top with a layer of Antique Walnut and a layer of English Chestnut stains this time. I love the combination. The bottom is painted "Creamy" by Sherwin Williams, and I used the English Chestnut stain for the glaze.

I don't have "before" pictures of my chairs. I was too busy getting this set ready for the Spring Market! I had two of this style of chairs; they are surprisingly comfortable! I paid $5 for both of them at DI!

And then two of this style of chairs ($5 each from a good friend), which I got the day before the Market. I finished them up with a coat of Minwax Polycrylic literally an hour before I got in the car to go!