Lane Cedar Sweetheart Chest...

I am obsessed...and when I found this piece on Craigslist, I couldn't wait to go get it....

I have no idea what I am going to do with it. Actually, I know what I am going to do with it...I am going to remove the old varnish and apply 3-4 coats of tung oil.  The problem is, I don't know where I am going to PUT it!! 

I have my grandparent's old steamer trunk in my room, my dad's walnut chest in Katie's room, an old cedar trunk in the upstairs hall, and there is just no room in the boy's rooms right now.  Until I get some of their stuff cleared out, I really have no place to put it.  

But I just couldn't pass it up!  It is a Lane chest and it is walnut and oak...very similar to the Lane Acclaim tables I have a mad love affair with! 

I currently have 7 of these little tables and I am always on the hunt for more!  And I have my square Lane walnut coffee table that is just as beautiful!

This chest is very "mid century" just like my little tables!  I have never seen anything like it.  And it wasn't expensive.  So naturally I had to have it.

One of the great things about these little cedar chests is that the insides are usually in outstanding condition! They have awesome storage potential for blankets, family photo albums and holiday decor! The amazing thing about this chest is that all the tags are still intact, including the little Lane hang-tag! 

This particular chest dates 1968.  Lane made it very easy to date most of their wood finished pieces. Usually you will find a Style # and a Serial # on the underside of the piece....

If you read the Serial No. backwards, you will get the manufacture date...in this case 12 (December) 15, 1968.   I read somewhere that the 7th digit (the first #2) referenced the location of production.  The tables I have only have 6 digits in the serial number.

And finally, Lane furniture produced during the mid 1900s is just as sturdy as the day it was built...not a wobble or hobble.   

Awesome! 

I can't wait to refinish this piece.  Except for a slight flaw in the finish on the top, it really is in outstanding condition! I don't really HAVE to refinish it, but I have found that a fresh coat of varnish really brings out the richness and beauty of the wood!   

So I will give it a little "varnish lift".... and then I will figure out where to put it! 

 

 

Fall is on the way....

...but it's not here yet!!!  July and August were mild, but September is making up for it! We are hitting the mid 90s every day so far this month and the humidity has been brutal but hopefully it will cool off next week. 

Until then it is time to start getting ready to decorate for fall!  With my garage fairly clear after a very successful garage sale this weekend, it was time to start pulling all the fall decor I have been collecting!

Throughout the year I have picked up a lot of Christmas and fall decor at auctions and garage sales....wreaths, garland, leaf pic and floral picks....things I can use to decorate and make arrangements! And my neighbor, Trish, cleaned out a bunch of her holiday decor and gave me two large bags of picks and garland...wow...I have enough to make several arrangements!

Earlier this spring I bought two so-so yard urns at an auction.  I intended to paint them and use them as yard planters.... but I never got around to it!  So I decided to use them to make fall floral arrangements I've seen on Pinterest.  

And today I found two smaller square urns at Lowe's for 75% off their original price...this is the perfect time of year to pick up inexpensive urns!  Make sure you check out the garden centers for clearance urns! 

I piled all my picks and garland in the dining room so I could see exactly what I had to work with.  Wow...just wow....

After cleaning and painting the urns, I filled the bottom few inches with play sand I purchased at Lowe's.  I did this to add a little weight so they would be "balanced" and not tip over easily!  Since these urns were made for exterior planting, they had a little hole in the bottom for drainage. I put duck tape over the hole before adding the sand!!  

These urns are pretty large.  So filling them with floral foam would have been costly.  So I used brown butcher paper and spray foam insulation..... 

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First I took plain brown paper and crumpled it up tightly and stuffed it in the urn.  I filled it to about 4" from the top. 

Then I added insulation spray foam to the top..... 

Major warning!!!  This stuff seriously expands!!!  I sprayed on one layer around the edges and enough to coat the paper...and then I let it expand and dry!  (and it DOES NOT come off with soap and water...have mineral spirits handy!) 

After it expanded and hardened, I sprayed on a second coat and let that expand and dry well.  I would recommend letting it sit and dry over night. 

I used about 1 1/2 cans per urn...but again, these are pretty large planters!

After it dried, I took a serrated knife (NOT an electric one!) and cut off the top so that it was pretty much flat. It is okay if it is not level with the urn rim but you do not want it higher than the rim. And it the foam does not have to be perfectly flat across the entire surface...it will be lumpy and bumpy.  That's okay...you just want to make sure all the paper is covered well and it is secure all around the edge. 

Then I painted the foam black.

I am in no way a "professional florist" but decorating one of these urns really is fairly easy! 

After the paint dried, the first thing I did was take a "berry garland" and circled the rim of the urn.  I did this by tying floral wire about every 3-4" on the garland and then sticking it into the foam.  You can also buy floral "stakes" that have wire attached to a little wood stake...you would just wrap the wire onto the garland and then stick the stakes into the foam....either way works! Most floral stems and garlands are made of coated wire and they will bend and shape very easily...just work with it until you get the "shape" you are happy with! If the garland is to long, just cut if off and make sure you secure both ends well with the little wire "stakes."

 I cut all the stems off two leaf sprays with a pair of wire cutters.  Each spray had 8-10 stems.....

Then I just began circling the rim of the urn with the leaf stems by sticking them into the foam...I alternated sticking them under and over the berry garland. There was no need to glue them because they will be pretty secure in the foam! This is just something you have to play with and keep filling it in until it looks the way you want it to.  I used two different types of stems and alternated them.... 

After my rim looked good, I added pumpkins to the middle.  For these urns I used one large pumpkin and 2-3 smaller ones and one gourd.  

Since I bought these pumpkins at auctions and garage sales, they were all different...which is good.  But I wasn't real keen on the color of a few of them... so I painted them.  I painted one white and another a metallic copper. These little pumpkins are a breeze to paint and paint can really freshen up faded or chipped pumpkins and gourds! Don't toss old foam pumpkins...just hit them with some colorful spray paint!

To secure the pumpkins, I pierced the underside with a wooden skewer and then smeared a little hot glue on the skewer before inserting it into the pumpkin.....then I just stuck the skewers into the foam in the urn where I wanted the pumpkin to sit.....

After placing the larger pumpkins and gourds in the middle, I filled in the gaps with flowers, small pumpkins, gourds and leaves.  I have some large sunflowers I bought at a garage sale and I used a few in each of the arrangements. You could use sunflowers or mums or any "fall flower." Most floral stems have wire in them and will stick right into the foam! And again, to secure even small pumpkins and gourds, just add a skewer! For the smallest pumpkins I cut the skewer in half.

These are pretty large arrangements...perfect for a porch!  You can make an arrangement like this with just about any size urn or pot...large or small...just use your imagination.  I have a few old wicker baskets I have spray painted metallic cooper and plan on making arrangements in.  I will use regular floral foam since they are wicker and the spray foam would more than likely expand through the gaps in the basket!

This is also a great arrangement for REAL pumpkins...just leave off the pumpkins in the center, and set real pumpkins on the foam.  No need to secure them but you can use the wood skewers, or even hot glue, on real pumpkins as well. 

And if you want to be frugal, you can always remove all the fall decor and add Christmas decor! Just toss the fall stuff into a bag and store it for next year! 

For each urn I used about 5 pounds of sand, some butcher paper, 1 1/2 cans of spray foam, a little black spray paint, 1 berry garland, 2 sprays of fall leaves with 8-10 branches on each spray, 1 large pumpkin and 3-4 smaller pumpkins and gourds, 2 large sunflowers and a few extra fall picks as fillers.  

I also took a little picnic style basket, sprayed it metallic copper and filled it with pine cones and a few little fall leaves and pumpkins.  Then I painted the underside of the lid with chalkboard paint.... 

To stinking cute if you ask me....  

I love fall!

Garage sale madness...

I love going to garage sales, but getting ready for one wears me out!   A few of my neighbors are having sales this weekend, so it is the perfect opportunity to rid myself of a lot of stuff that desperately needs a new home!

Naturally I started with my house....I went through every closet, cabinet and dresser and pulled anything and everything I had not seen, used, or worn in the last year. 

I can't function if my closets and cabinets are stuffed and unorganized...so I don't have a problem getting rid of things I don't need or won't use!  Seriously, I haven't made a fondant cake in two years...do I really need 3 boxes full of fondant cake decorating tools?

I even made my kids go through their stuff and pull their "cast offs."  I'm still waiting on Katie...she has been sick all week so I feel bad about making her go through her cabinets and closet, but honestly, she is the worst pack-rat in the house.  

After going through my house, I went to both flea market booths and spent hours pulling things that had not sold!  Truth be told, my booths look soooo much better! Even though I had been selling items, I was also stocking them on a regular basis...so there was A LOT of stuff that needed to go! 

I know there are people in the world whose garages look like this all the time.  But this would drive me totally mad if I had to live like this all the time!!!  Boxes and tubs and baskets FULL of anything and everything!  And believe it or not I am still piling stuff in there!! 

It is a one day sale...so Saturday this all goes away one way or another!  I have a die hard rule about garage sales...if it goes out, it does NOT come back in!!!  My unrealistic goal is to sell everything...but I know I probably won't.  So at the end of the day I will box up everything that did not sell and donate it to a local charity!     

I would like to think I will get my garage back after the sale.  But it is time to start getting ready for fall at home and at the booths.  So next week I begin the process of pulling fall decorations out of the attic and gearing up for the holidays!  

Someday I hope to be able to park my truck in the garage again.  Someday.... 

Stuffy old wingback fit for a teen....

First, let me make it clear....I am NOT a professional upholsterer.  Every time I tackle a chair I end up with numerous blisters and staple wounds. (not to mention the backache, knee pain and headache!)  And I am such a "perfectionist" on this kind of thing that all the little "oops" drive me nuts!  

And of course it always takes MUCH longer than I anticipate! 

This was my first attempt at reupholstering one of these puppies!  (see the before and after here)

 This is one of the chairs that has been sitting in my garage for months!!!  Every time I would pick a new project, I would look at it and have a complete mental block..... 

A little formal...a little "stuffy."  

I knew I didn't want formal or stuffy...I wanted fun and whimsey.

I knew it could be that. I just wasn't sure what direction to go with it. 

Again, I have issues with fabric... 

Out of the blue Katie decided she wanted it in HER room!  Seriously?  Nothing about this chair is her style.  But she wanted it, so we headed to Hobby Lobby to pick out a fabric. 

I assumed she would pick a bright funky floral or chevron or something "youngish." I thought 2-3 different fabrics would have looked cool!  Maybe a wild floral on the back...a geo design on the seat....2-3 coordinating fabrics all on one chair.  I've seen them, and I love them...fun, young and funky!

So when she picked out a "traditional" blue and white toile fabric, I was a bit taken aback.  And then she threw me a real curve ball when she said she wanted RED piping and buttons. With blue toile?  On a wing back chair? HUH??!!! 

But you know what...she was right.  I LOVE it!!!  Fresh AND funky!  And it knocked the formal and stuffy right out of the chair! 

I restructured the arms (major pain!) to soften the "lines" of the chair. Red buttons.  Red piping (can't see in the pictures but the entire back, sides and top have red piping).  A little red paint on the legs. A comfy little pillow! 

 

Just. Too. Stinking. Cute! 

I also made her a pillow sham out of an old coffee bean bag she picked up at her favorite coffee shop!

She has become quite the little decorator!  

When she told me she wanted her room (featured here!) to have grey chalkboard walls and an entire wall with a fail whale mural, I really questioned her decor taste. 

But she nails it...every time.   

And she loves her room. And THAT is what home decor is all about!!!  Creating a space filled with things you love!!

 

Dresser before and after....

Right now I am in the middle of several projects...none finished and ready for a reveal. One is an old wing back chair I am reupholstering for my youngest daughter...I let her pick out the fabric.  Her choice was a tad "interesting" to say the least.  Truth is, I'm loving it and can't wait to reveal it!

So, with nothing ready to share and it being a holiday I thought this would be a good time to revisit a few "old" projects.   We will call them "Oldies but Goodies!"

This is one of my favorites...mainly because I think it shows you can take the worst of the worse and make it something pretty and functional! 

This dresser was one I picked up at the apartments... 

A little repair work, Kilz and paint...this is what "repurposing" is all about.  Taking something destined for the dumpster and making it useful again!  

Full to queen bed frame...

I found this full size bed frame in an apartment a few weeks ago...pretty sturdy and no major flaws except the broken knobby thingies on the footboard.  No biggy...I didn't like them anyway! 

My original plan was to turn it into on of those nifty bed benches.  After all, who really needs a full size frame these days and the bed-benches seem to be all the rage right now. 

But I decided to turn it into a queen size frame and use it in my son's room...or rather my guest room!   

The first thing I had to do was cut the headboard, footboard and side boards in half. 

 

Queen size beds are 6" wider and 4" longer than a full...so "retro fitting" this little puppy wasn't necessarily a breeze.  I would not recommend this project for a novice DIYer. But if you have a little skill and a little imagination, it is doable! 

After cutting it all in half,  I cut off the little decorative pineapple doodads with the chopsaw.  Not really my thing.  I contemplated taking a jig saw to the scrolly thingies on the head board and foot board and just making it square...but naaaa...too much trouble.

I added "insets" to join the pieces I cut in half using 1x poplar boards to make them longer...4" inserts on the side boards and 6" inserts on the head and foot.  I wish I had taken pictures to show how I constructed it, but again, um, no....just "imagine." 

Seriously, it does take a little "engineering" to make the inserts structurally sound...these are heavy pieces and will be holding a lot of weight when you throw a box springs and mattress on there!  

After nailing and glueing (remember, glue is what really holds wood together...nails just keep it together until the glue dries) I cleaned it well.  You may notice in the pictures it was pretty dirty!   But there was no sense in cleaning it until I had deconstructed and reconstructed!

After it was all constructed I caulked the joints and puttied the nail holes.

TIP ALERT! When you paint something that is originally stained, you have to caulk all the joints...they will show after you paint.  I try to caulk as much as I can before I put on my primer, but gaps always show up after I prime.  That's okay...just go back and caulk those, hit them with a little primer after the caulk dries well, and you are good to go!

A little sanding, a lot of Kilz, a lot more sanding, tack cloth, paint and clear coat! 

And WHALLA!!!!  

Truth be told, I'm not really feeling the color.  I like the color of the bed, but now the walls look too "peachy."  Dang it, now I have to paint the whole stinking room!  And of course the sheets aren't right...so I guess I will have to get new bedding and pillow shams too!  Darn!

These frames aren't really designed for bedskirts...so I took the old white bedskirt and used it to "upholstery" the box springs.  Looks good...but a big downside is I can't hide a lot of stuff under the bed! 

The dresser I have in this room is one I took out of my room because it was just too big and I seriously dislike the style.  I can honestly say, I like it even less in this room. Waaaay to big!  

I'm on the lookout for a little mid-century style dresser...just something big enough to hold a few spare guest blankets and pillows.

And of course room for my son's clothes when he comes home to "visit."  (Notice Minkey, his stuffed monkey, is waiting for him...lol!)

 

Still a southerner....

I was reading one of my favorite blogs, missmustardseed.com, and Marian has pictures of a few of her favorite homes. 

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These "country-style" homes were all the rage a few years ago here in NWA.  Slowly the style of preferred home in our area has changed over the last few years and we are seeing fewer and fewer of this style being built....broad front porches, dormer, plantation shutters. 

But they are classics and they are beautiful...and I love them!   To me, this is a home that truly says "Welcome."

I have "gutted" a few and built a few over the years. I even built a "southern style" home for my family 20+ years ago....covered front porch, dormers, shutters, columns, etc.

Right now I am struggling with whether I have enough energy for ONE more or if the one I am in will be my last.  I thought it would be, but then something weird happened...my kids grew up and went away (they do tend to come back, but eventually they might not!) And suddenly I find that I don't need near the space I needed 10 years ago!  I want a few "guest" rooms...after all, they do all come home for holidays.  But I probably don't need three huge guest rooms and two living areas and a large master suite with a fireplace.   And just maybe, eventually, the boys will claim all the "memorabilia" stored in their rooms and the attic!

Nothing is more appealing than a big front porch for the lazy days and sunset years ahead! Looking at the pictures of these beautiful homes reminds me of the plans I have to eventually spend my days rocking on my front porch with Brian.  No apartments to gut or clean and no back-breaking "projects" to sweat over. Could I ever just sit and be still?  Do little more than trim a few roses and sweep off the porch?  I don't know, but it is something I think I might enjoy...some day.

I have beautiful roses in this yard...of course I planted every one of them and there are quite a few! A tiny front porch but a large back patio to sweep...yes, I laid every tile that has to be scrubbed and powerwashed every spring and built the pergola that will need painting. Course it is covered with completely out of control wisteria that has to be trimmed back several times a year! The pond with the fountain that lulls me to sleep when my windows are open....it has to be drained and cleaned at least twice a year. I have lots of flower beds, all I built and planted, but of course those have to be tended to....planting, weeding, watering, mulching.   A very large yard that requires twice a week mowing in the summer! I do have 10 tons of flagstone I laid with my own hands...but that was because I have A LOT of pine trees that keep the grass from growing in some areas and require a massive pine needle clean up every fall.  Three bedrooms upstairs that cost a pretty penny to heat and cool right now...and will someday sit empty for most of the year

Brian swears I don't have enough closet space....it is kind of small for a master closet. And I have a relatively small master bathroom with just a tub/shower combo. 

Close off the upstairs...hire someone to mow and tend the beds...find a good handy-man....put in a walk-in shower (I have used the whirlpool tub 3 times in 13 years!)...get rid of all those clothes (HIS, not mine...seriously, he's like a girl!)   

Personally, I think it is doable....because honestly, I love this house...it is my home!  And while he doesn't live with me, it has been our family home for 13 years!

But then again, this is a key element to a successful relationship...compromise.  

Fortunately, we still have one more teen left in the nest so we have a few years before we really have to come to an agreement.   

Who knows...life has a way of throwing us a curve ball every now and again! Sometimes the best plan is to just wait and see..... 

 

Dresser before and after....

Our "grand opening" was this weekend at Midtown Eclectic so I was ubber busy getting pieces ready last week....no time for flubs.  But things don't always go as we plan in the world of refinishing....

First, heat is a refinisher's nemesis!   Neither paint nor finish appreciate hot AND humid conditions.  And since my garage is technically my "shop" I am a slave to the elements.

Don't get me wrong...this summer has been seriously mild compared to years past.  It is the end of August and we have probably only had a hand full of days over 90.  And the rain has been super awesome.  I am watering my potted plants, but haven't had to water my yard since June! 

But because of the mild temperatures and wet summer, and with temperatures returning to normal, the mosquitos and humidity are just horrid!  Soooo, if I work during the day I risk battling the heat and humidity...early morning and late evening, when it is cooler, and the mosquitos are unbearable!

Which brings me to my point (I get there eventually!) 

Friday I sprayed clear coat on a meticulously refinished dresser top.  Because of the heat, it "streaked."  Usually the result of it drying too quickly.  So when I went to "sand" it with steel wool, the clear coat just peeled off...humidity!!! Imagine sunburned skin...you know, how it peels off in those nasty little sheets after it has blistered.  Yeah, that is how the clear coat came off...well some of it...not ALL of it.   

I am sooooo impatient when it comes to finishing furniture....and that is NOT a good thing. Cure time is seriously important....and I normally respect that. (which explains why I rarely have those pretty "stage" pictures with all the froo-froo stuff!)  But when something isn't right, I get in a big hurry to fix it...thus the nasty mess I made on this dresser I spent days refinishing!  

This is one of those maple pieces you can find major cheap at any garage sale or thrift store.  Cheap, because they are a bit unattractive.  

But the upside is they are solid wood and usually very sturdy.   

Just remember to be PATIENT and give it the time it needs to cure...and remember, not everything has to be PERFECT!   

If you take your time and put a little effort into these pieces, they really can be beautiful again! 

After a day of peeling and sanding and fretting, all's well that ends well. 

I used the gel stain on the top...again, it allows the grain to show through on woods that otherwise will not take a stain. Maple is one that does not take darker stains well.  So gel stain is usually the only way to go.   You can paint the tops of these pieces, but I have to have my stained wood fix!

I used plaster paint on the cabinet and gave it a little "distressed" sanding.  After filling the old hardware holes, I kilzed, sanded and painted the drawer fronts.   New crystal knobs...my favorite!

And all of it got 2-3 coats of poly!  Applied in the evening when it was a little cooler...while the mosquitos made a meal of my legs....grrrrr! 

Beautiful.  A piece that was destined for the dumpster is restored!  

Worth a few skitter bites.... 

 

 

Finding cheap supplies....

Repurposing furniture can get expensive when you start running to Lowe's every day for supplies. 

So when I go to garage sales and auctions I am always on the lookout for anything and everything I can use in my "shop" (okay, it's really my garage but whatever)....

It doesn't necessarily have to be intended for "projecting."  Old hand towels and wash cloths, and even old t-shirts,  are always great for staining or just cleaning up messes. And when you are stripping or refinishing furniture it is nice to be able to throw these things away rather than worry about whether they will destroy your washing machine (and they will if they have gunk on them!)  I picked up athletic socks for 10 cents a pair Friday....perfect for applying gel stain and finishes!   And I have a tenant who works at a commercial laundry business and she gives me old stained wash cloths and hand towels!!  You can always find really cheap towels...just cut them up and use them for "shop" rags!

Glass measuring cups or bowls and old spatulas are great for mixing paint.  I have an old set of measuring spoons with my supplies specifically for measuring plaster of Paris for my plaster paint!

I always check the "oops" paint at Lowe's.  They usually mark quarts and even gallons of "mismatch" paint for around $5....I got a little sample pot of teal paint for 50 cents this week! 

I picked up two quarts of paint and some caulk guns for $1 at an auction Saturday. Not necessarily the colors I want, but I can always mix paints to get a color I like...a "dark blue" can be lightened with inexpensive white paint!  And TRY to remember your primary colors...blue and yellow make green (and so on and so on...if you can't remember ask your grandkids or your 8 year old neighbor...lol!)  

I have bought several boxes of "supplies" at garage sales and auctions...rollers, pans, brushes, sandpaper...all for cheap and all stuff I can use! 

Any kind of container works great for paint brushes or small tools!   Tin cans, pencil holders, storage containers....all great for keeping supplies organized!

And rubber gloves are a must when staining or even painting!  I picked up three boxes of "medical" gloves at an auction for around $5!!!  MUCH cheaper than the rubber gloves you get at Lowe's specifically for that purpose.  Now keep in mind, if you are using lacquer thinner or heavy strippers, you MUST use heavier gloves designed specifically for those types of chemicals.  But I always need disposable rubber gloves for staining and painting! 

And as I have mentioned before, any smart DIYer always recycles coffee cans and plastic butter or whip cream tubs.  

Just remember...just because it is MEANT to be used in the kitchen or bathroom, doesn't mean it HAS to be used there...if it is cheap, grab it and put it to work in your garage or shop! 

Repairing and repurposing Duncan Phyfe chairs!

No one likes stained and natural wood as much as I...and painting some pieces just goes against every grain in my body (get it..."grain"...like wood grain...lol!) But sometimes, as I have said before, it is the only way to fix or enhance a piece. 

A few years ago someone in my family, who shall remain nameless (MOM!), broke the back on one of my Duncan Phyfe dining room chairs!!!  I stuck it in my bedroom along with another chair and a little table.  I only brought it in for big dinners and I made sure I was the only one who sat in it because I knew I couldn't lean back! 

 

Mahogany....beautiful wood and beautiful set!  Busted....literally in half....sniff.

I have seen many of these Duncan Phyfe chairs painted, but as much as I have tired of this dining set, I knew I could never bring myself to paint it.

But because of the repairs I had to do on this chair, I knew I didn't have a choice.  And I couldn't paint just ONE...I had to have a matching pair.    

First I had to glue and clamp the busted pieces.  After that dried, I had to get REAL artistic with the wood filler.  There were several chunks missing so I had to fill and shape...and then do some "sculpting" with sand paper!

Then it was time for a little kilz, a lot of sanding, tack cloth, paint and a clear coat. Maaaaan, that is a tough thing to do with such a pretty set! 

But honestly, I kind of like the way it turned out!   Not perfect but A LOT better than it was and now it is actually a functional chair!

 

I recovered the seats a year or so ago and I really like this fabric and have no desire to change it. So I debated whether to go with a "mocha brownish" kinda paint color or this soft off white.  I went with the off white.  I just decided if I was going to make a change, it was go bold baby!   White is bold in my world!

I put both chairs in my room next to the Duncan Phyfe drum table.  This is my little "computer and coffee" table.

Little story about this table...I actually have two....the other is in my living room (notice the glass...best way in the world to save the tops of your furniture!).  Twenty plus years ago, when I was a real estate agent, we were touring a new listing and the owner was selling all the furniture. I asked how much she wanted for the two drum tables....TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS EACH.  Are you kidding me...I couldn't whip out my wallet fast enough!!

 

Even thought I refinished this table a few years ago, it looks a tad "grungy" next to the freshly painted chairs.  Again, I know paint is all the rage, but I just can't bring myself to paint this table. 

But I am thinking seriously about painting the other 4 chairs that match theses.  I have two more like this and two caption chairs...hmmmm.  And of course the matching Duncan Phyfe dining table.   

As I mentioned, my taste has changed over the years....from "traditional" to more "mid century."  So I hope someday to have a more "mid century" style dining table. Who knows...some day when I have nothing to do I might just drag them all into the yard and give them a makeover....someday....when I have nothing to do....hahahahahaha! 

Because honestly, I'm kind of loving this set again.....see what a little paint can do!