That Time I Got a Table and Chairs for $20…

Sometimes things just have a way of working out.

Take this table for instance.

table makeover

My husband has somehow held onto this oak round table from his BACHELOR PAD. (We’re talking decades). It has moved with him many times, and we’ve even tried to sell it! And yet…it still remains.

You may have one just like it – they’re a popular style, and solid, well made…and it hit me, when we were making over the basement. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em kinda thing – this table seems to want to stay with us, so heck, why not paint it, save a few (or a lot of!) bucks and make it work down here??!

DUH.

So we decided the honey oak round kitchen table from decades ago would be our “Art table/food table/whatever we want it to be table”…but how about chairs?!

I went to a flea market back in June and spotted some old school desk chairs. Super cute. The lady sold me two for ten dollars. I mean, how could I say no?! When we were leaving, I spotted two more…they were the slightest bit different, but they’d still be perfect with the other two. It was almost closing, so the lady sold me those for $10 as well.

Let’s recap: Free table, four chairs for $20.

Ummmm, yes please!

table makeover

And as cute as the chairs were as is, with the couch right there, that’s just a whoooooole lotta brown. Even with a painted table.

table and chairs makeover

So first, I knew the table needed to be white. I gave it a quick light sand. Like, for all of two seconds. I’m not good with taking my time. Besides, if this thing chips here and there, it’ll only add character, right? Got out some white paint, and got to work.

table makeover

Now. What to do with the chairs?

table and chairs makeover

I have to say, this was a toughie. Those chairs sat like this for a WHILE. Do I mismatch them? Paint them all a fun, bold color? Oh goodness, what to do, what to do….

Then I decided.

Green.

GREEN?

I know, I’m not usually one to go for green paint. But the walls were blue, and we already had plenty of red accents. So those colors were out. A soft, sort of vintage-y green would be just right.

I went to Home Depot and grabbed a few samples, and went with a color called Thai Basil, by Behr. It was perfect for what I had in mind.

chair makeover

I did the same thing – sanded for 2.2 seconds, wiped clean, and started painting.

Once they were done I had an idea. I wanted them to be a little more fun. I got out some stencils (and for some crazy reason I either didn’t take pictures of this step?!!! or can’t find them) and went with my trusty Rustic 4 inch letters stencils from Hobby Lobby that I use ALL. THE. TIME. Just a dab of white craft paint, and the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 on the front of the chair, and the words spelled out: one, two, three, and four on the back.

chair makeover

I used some fine sandpaper when it was all dry to give it a more aged look. And that was it! No waxing or anything.

And now…

 

table and chairs makeover

table and chairs

It’s made for a perfect little spot for, well, pretty much everything. When friends come over to watch the game, we serve food and drinks on it, when the kids want to watch Saturday morning cartoons and eat their breakfast down there, it’s great, and when they want to color or do homework…it becomes the perfect arts and crafts table.

Oh! Let me tell you about the easy DIY runner. I had some leftover canvas drop cloth from my DIY Dining Room Table Ruler Runner (whew, that’s a mouthful!). I cut a strip to size, ironed on a little hem tape so the edges were um, ‘hemmed,’ and decided it needed something simple. (See more in depth details for the runner in my Ruler Runner post here). I was wandering Michaels when I found this masking tape with the alphabet on it. It looks like chalkboard and I just ripped off a piece for each side! Done!

DIY runner

table runner

I mean, since it is a spot they do their homework on and everything…I thought it was just the thing. (I bought that caddy from Homegoods a few years ago).

And the canvas was my inspiration for the color of the interior doors (post to come very soon on those!) – you can see one in this photo:

table and chairs makeover

I gotta say…I’m pretty happy that table stayed with us all these years…you just can’t beat four chairs AND a table for $20!

Comments

  1. Super cute – love the runner idea with the tape. You’re so lucky to have a basement!! Of course, now you’re running out of rooms but my guess is you’ll be ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas decorating next 🙂

    • Thanks, Lynn! I’m working on our bedroom AGAIN right now! I’m a little – ok a lot! – crazy;) Never a dull around here!

  2. Love it!

  3. Very cute!!! What type of paint did you use on the table and chairs? Chalk, latex or enamel paint?

  4. I love your blog!! You stay busy!

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