Thousands were without power but I built a table
Posted: February 6, 2014 Filed under: Fun Finds, Makeover, This Old Row House | Tags: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, building a table, makeover 5 CommentsThis past week we’ve had two major winter storms. One brought over a foot of snow, the other brought enough rain and ice to knock out power to 650,000+ people. I couldn’t go to work. I got to build a table on my unplanned day off.
Last summer I rescued a weird industrial sort of “tabletop” from my dad’s hoard of stuff.
One of the weird things we found in my father’s basement hoard. It appears as though something once covered the middle area because it’s cleaner and lighter. Mysteries!
Why was it partially painted? What was it originally used for? I have no idea. I just thought it was interesting.
I bought new screw-on legs at Lowes last summer but never got around to putting them on. The brackets were too wide to fit on the underside.
Somehow it feels criminal to put cheesy big box store legs on this, but it’s my only option. I’m not a craftsman. But you knew that!
So today was the day I finally got out my screwdriver and got to work. First I had to relocate the boards that were holding it together. The screws came out way easier than I expected.
All those years of annoying my dad in his workshop have paid off. Ha!
Isn’t this thrilling? I’m sure everyone is so impressed with my woodworking prowess.
The nerve-wracking part was teaching myself how to use ManRay’s DeWalt drill to make new holes. There weren’t any instructions in the box. ManRay probably could have done it all in ten minutes. It’s a good thing he was at work and couldn’t see all my klutzy trial-and-mostly-error attempts. But I did it! I got it reassembled with brand new legs!
Do YOUR legs look this good? No? Then don’t be critical! And one of these days I will actually hang those great vintage game boards on the wall above where they’re sitting. I promise!
I slopped on a heavy coat of chalk paint, deliberately coating the shiny brackets so they won’t glitter and catch your eye. I went off and cleaned up the kitchen while the paint dried, then added a heavy coat of dark wax.
Great drop cloth, eh? Good thing ManRay wasn’t home to see how I was winging this paint job on the living room floor. We need to refinish it, anyhow.
Now my new table is upstairs in my sewing room holding orchids, amaryllis and other house plants. This is the sunniest window in the house. The amaryllis are ready to bloom. One of the orchids is loaded with buds. And it feels so good to finally have this project done!
Ta da! My amazing reclaimed junk table is perfect for holding plants.
luray
janeray
dish sisters vintage home and housewares 
I love that you didn’t try to pretty up the top with its odd black paint. It looks great with the black legs, especially on that rug! And HOW do you get your amaryllis to rebloom? After several years of being hopeful but failing with mine, I finally gave it away to someone who will have better luck.
Well thank you! I don’t know how I get the amaryllis to rebloom. I ignore them on the patio all summer, forget to water them, and leave them outside until the nights get into the 40s. Then I stop watering them and cut off all their leaves before bringing them inside. Eventually they send up shoots and I start watering them. It’s probably all wrong but they survive. And bloom.
You must be doing it right if they bloom. I ignored mine all the time, and all it ever did in return was send up leaves. Maybe my amaryllis just took more offense at being ignored than yours.
What a lovely find and great redo on it. It’s amazing what we can come up with to reuse in a great way. Nice!
Thank you so much, Loretta! The first time I saw it I thought it would make a great table top “as is”. It was great to have an unexpected day to jump in and do it!