April 6, 2015

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

When we were putting the finishing touches on our Dining Room Makeover, one thing really stood out. Our Dining Table didn’t match this house. The last thing I was wanted to do was make over this table (again) after that hard work we’ve put in fixing up the kitchen.

But something had to be done y’all.  It stuck out like a man in a Hawaiian shirt and flip flops at a fancy wedding. Not pretty!

I have been swooning over the tables I see at Restoration Hardware and Ballard Designs, but that new table was not in our budget.

Here’s how we made over our dining room table for $20 and leftover paint.

Dining Room Table Makeover for $150

We purchased our Dining Room table on Craigslist for $150 over 4 years ago and refinished it with the beautiful Mahogany/Cream two tone pictured above. You can click the photo for more details of the original refinishing.

We loved the look of the table, but when we put it in our new home, it didn’t look quite right.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

The original cream color had yellowed making the white more of a buttery cream.  It clashed so bad with all the white in the room and trim.

So where did I go? Pinterest of course! I started searching for inspiration, like this one from Ballards.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, this amazing makeover is a Ballard Designs Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

source Ballard Designs

Or this piece from Wayfair.  I love the dirty, chippy paint on the legs.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, this amazing makeover is a Wayfair Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!
source Wayfair.com

I wanted my top to be the gray wash that’s so hot right now from Restoration Hardware.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!
source Restoration Hardware

So with all three choices, I decided to combine them the best I could.

First we had to sand down the top.
Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

We sanded the table top and seats of the chairs using an orbital sander to remove the initial stain and followed up a hand block sander for the fine finishing.
Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

On our original table, we added distressing to give the top character. We made sure to keep those intact when we were sanding this second time.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

This one is my favorite! I took a huge screw and a rubber mallet and banged these marks on several spots on the table. It was a great stress release.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

Make sure to use a tack cloth to get all the sanding dust off.

Valspar Signature Colors Half Pint Size Container Interior Eggshell Asphaltum Latex-Base Paint (Actual Net Contents: 8-fl oz)

source Lowes

Now for the stain, I wanted to go with a washed, worn look. I had some Valspar Antiquing Glaze on hand.

I watered it down and simply just wiped it on and let it soak in.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

First coat, still wet.
LOVE the character coming out.
Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

After it dried, you can tell that it’s not nearly as dark as when it was wet,
so I applied a second coat.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

Much better!

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

While the top was drying, we lifted the table and began to paint over the cream with white we had leftover from painting our closet interiors.

Don’t judge my messy garage, y’all!

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

I didn’t completely cover it with paint since I knew I would be distressing and glazing the bottom with the same antique glaze. I purposely painted in varied stripes and patterns to add to that aged, weathered look.

It’s all about Beauty in the Blemishes!
Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

Now here’s where I messed up. 

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details of why you shouldn't use paste wax on a dining table!

I had read online the ease and beauty of using paste wax on furniture. When we refinished the table top a few years back, the poly I used was a pain on pine and left tons of fisheyes in the finish.

Fisheyes are the evil, sappy spots that refuse to take stain or poly, so I wanted to opt for an easier option and I thought wax was it!
Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details of why you shouldn't use paste wax on a dining table!It was a breeze to apply and will definitely use it one other pieces of furniture in the future, but after our first meal….

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details of why you shouldn't use paste wax on a dining table!

Okay, so I felt incredibly stupid.

Wax + Heat are not friends. You can say it… DUH! I was so excited to use the table and almost cried after we ate a hot bowl of soup that naturally heats the china and left that ugly ring above.

Then…. ugh!

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details of why you shouldn't use paste wax on a dining table!
*sigh* boys…A couple of days later, after wiping the table after my messy, messy boys, I noticed that it wasn’t just heat that ruined the wax, but anything acidic or oily.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

So I was back to square one, and sanded the wax off. I was able to keep most of the finish, but had to reapply one more coat of the Glaze/Water mixture.

Finally the hero of the story arrived:

Minwax Pint Size Can Wipe-On Satin Polyurethane (Actual Net Contents: 16-fl oz)
source Lowes
This stuff made my day!

Minx Wipe-on Poly, where have you been…or….where were you 4 years ago?

No fisheyes, just a smooth, satiny surface. CRISIS AVERTED!
Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details! Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

It was a beautiful finish to my worn weathered look I was hoping to achieve,
and now the final reveal:

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!
Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

I love the variegated effect the wash created.  It went from Red Mahogany, to a grayish worn top.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

The chairs were painted with Sherwin Williams Dovetail left over from our
Farmhouse Kitchen Remodel.

What a contrast of the before and after.
Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

The seats were stained with the same Glaze/Water mixture and poly’d as well.

 

 

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

I glazed the chairs to match the weathered look.
Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

I think the legs turned out beautifully, much like the inspiration piece.

I took a planer type tool, scraped the sides and then glazed over them.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

And, my chandy looks gorgeous hanging above!

Beautiful antique brass chandelier hanging in this farmhouse dining room.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

Adding a few farmhouse style elements tie in the vintage items throughout the room like this chicken wire salt and pepper holder with mason jar shakers.

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

Farmhouse Style Table Makeover: Using gray tones, and distressing techniques, this amazing makeover is a Restoration Hardware Knockoff. Click the pic for more details!

My heirloom vignette stands out beautifully in the corner opposite my Heirloom Hutch.


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