Divine Dining

I have been a little neglectful of my blog. Not for any other reason than hotspotting my phone so that I can use my computer sucks the life out of my data package through my carrier. Bring on the phone connection that has taken 2 months to get into place...

 

So I have decided to share another one of my projects with you. I am having a little bit of a dry spell regarding my projects but I have a couple of big ones up my sleeve, that I cant wait to get my little paws on and then share with you when complete.

 

I am sharing my dining table project with you today. When we left WA we sold nearly everything. Thank goodness we had the forethought to keep the mattresses, a lounge and a fridge. We intended to buy up a treat at Ikea when we got here but whilst I LOVE Ikea, I had a change of style and inspiration (and penny pinching) and decided that I LOVE recreating and breathing new life into old furniture. Now. It doesnt need to be antique old (although I love some of those antique pieces) but preloved is definitely the key.

 

Now I had been on the hunt for a dining table for us for a few weeks prior to the move. I have a new found obsession with Pinterest and Ebay so scoured both sites not only for inspiration but for that perfect piece. Then it happened. I found it. A divine dining table with 6 chairs, already upcycled for my relaxing pleasure... so I happily bid on it and kept an eye on it for days. SWEET! Noone else had bid on it and I was heading into the final few minutes. Now because I have no self control, B had put me on a price limit and I had put that into Ebay as my maximum bid, knowing it would only get to that if someone else was willing to pay the same. (side note- all of this was happening while I had received the news that the rental we were in needed the tiles and concrete ripped up in the kitchen to assess a broken pipe, and that we needed to be relocated for the duration). Now back to my story. I was counting down the minutes until this gorgeous table was mine... Then it happened. Someone put in a bid greater than mine! In the last 30 seconds. I was frantically trying to decide and get B to agree to a price increase, he wouldnt have a bar of it. OH NO!!!! It sold. To someone else. I was devastated. DAMN YOU SNEAKY BIDDER! So I huffed and puffed around the holiday house while B continued to play on his phone. Did he not understand the significance of this. I lost the table. Ugh he frustrates me sometimes... He called out to me and showed me this table he had found. On FB. He asked if it was similar and I grumpily said yes it was similar but to get what I wanted it would take time and lots of paint and if he'd just let me get the other one I wouldn't have to worry about finding one again. He announces (very proudly may I add) that he has bought the table on FB. WHAT????

 



After a long discussion with the seller of the table (who might I add, was completely fabulous) I stareted to get excited about the table. Yay! I had a dining table. Now to plan the next bit. What was I going to do? Did I keep her fabulous silver legs and have fun with the top or did I keep it in line with all the other pieces I had done or was about to do? Hmm! After hours and hours of contemplation and planning I decided to have a crack at "Laurening" it.

I sanded the top back to the beautiful raw timber. My favourite bit of this was that I couldnt sand back all of the white undercoat that had been on it so I was left with this GORGEOUS industrial, beach speckle. I LOVED it. Now the bit that I didn't love was the legs. Because there were so many layers on the legs I decided that sanding would, a. be time consuming and b. ruin the curves of the turned legs. So I had a crack with Paint Stripper. Now just for the record. I HATE paint stripper. I can see its usefulness on big pieces of furniture but fiddly pieces like what I was playing with was painful and frustrating.

 

Next I got out my trusty undercoat (I used the spray can undercoat) you can get it at any hardware store and I sprayed the underside of the table and the legs. While I waited for that to dry I carefully turned over the table and I sprayed the top of the table in the clear acrylic that I had (may I add that whilst I loved the sheer nature of the clear acrylic for the tabletop, remember it is a table top and you will want it to be durable so if I were ever to do again I would use a clear wood varnish- I may still use it yet). Can I add another side note- I did do all spraying and painting on the back lawn on the supersize tarp hubby bought and recommend the same. It allows for any overspray and with aerosol cans you dont want to be in an enclosed space...

Once all the paints and undercoats dried I applied another coat and waited for that to dry. Fortunately (despite recent weather to the contrary) I didnt have to wait very long before everything was dried. I got the pleasure of re attaching the legs and setting up my dining table. I think I have THE most divine dining table (and I have some friends and family that agree) and it is even more special because I got to play a part in its current state. So drumroll please...

 

 

TA DA!!!! One gorgeous table (or so I think). I just have to do the chairs now. I am tossing up between painting them 1. all white, 2. white with timber seats or 3. blue. See here is my inspiration. The VERY talented Lindsey showcases all the best of befores and afters http://www.betterafter.net/2012/01/accord-at-vinnord.html

 

 

Now focussing back on my pictures of the table. See that little buffet in the background. Do you see it? That was my next project and will be the one I feature next. Just wait until you see the after... Anyone would think that being a girl who LOVES pink I would keep it as it was. NOPE! Just you wait and see... VERY EXCITING!!!!

 

Signing off as I listen to the birds in the trees, the sea breeze cutting through the open windows and the sun shining (thank goodness).

 

Keep smiling

xxx