The Little Table that Could

Ever just get lucky?  Like designer lucky?  It happens to Mr. S and I a bit.  And I'm learning something from it...
Make a piece work for YOU even if it is an "antique" piece, it doesn't have to stay in it's original style/color/finish.  Especially if that style/color/finish doesn't work with your home.  I've tried over and over to force-fit things into my life that I didn't {LOVE} because they were antiques and I was afraid to change them!  But fear no more! :)  I just decided this weekend, if I'm going to cherish everything exactly as it is, I will ALWAYS have a "designer's block".  

So here's the {antique} table that became the crowning glory of my breakfast nook.

First, you should know this table was FREE.  Always, always, always think about what you can do with Free.  Especially if you are on a budget.

                                 

The original table top sanded down to a beautiful, natural color with it's pits and scrapes.

An amazing thing happens if you just sand down or strip a product down.  Suddenly, you have a blank canvas.  You can be inspired anew!  It's ok to change directions after you've started.  Mr. S and I sanded this table and pedestal down before picking out stain colors, because we figured the color didn't matter until the stripping was done!  I'm glad we waited because we ended up agreeing on a brighter green than previously imagined. :)

The pedestal base.  I'm in LOVE with the green

The top after being stained a honey oak color.

At the moment, I don't have dining chairs that I love, but I've been inspired by the vibrant green of the pedestal, which is a complete stain-newbie mishap.  I didn't TEST the green stain before using it, nor did I use a wood conditioner to make the stain take evenly.  I ended up with a very uneven, more vibrant, green than I had anticipated.  And honestly, I love it!  I feel like I always fall back on Bob Ross when it comes to art, but he always said "there are mistakes, just happy little accidents" (at least that's the way I remember it). And I totally believe that.

And the finished product???

My beautiful, inspiring {very} green table! :)

This is my $25 breakfast masterpiece!  All $25 went to sand paper, stain, and brushes.  I own an orbital sander and used that for all of our sanding except on the curves of the legs and there is one metal band around the bottom that I want to cover with a copper strip {or spray copper} but for now, it is just there and we don't notice it.

The one thing I would say is that I felt the Polyeurethane/Stain in one (I used on the top) did not work very well.  Maybe this is just me?  Anyone else have trouble with that?  Whenever I wipe my table clean, it seems the stain/poly is coming off of my table.  Any others encounter this or know what I've done wrong?

There once was a kitchen inspired entirely by green Marjolica pottery.  If I ever find that magazine/article, I will link it for you to see!  This table reminds me of that kitchen!  Now...what to do for chairs...