Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Wide Farmhouse Table

When my family first moved to Clearfield, Utah, in 2003, I was lonely and needing a friend.  Thankfully, I found one in a neighbor and fellow church member (Stacy) who lived just down the street, and we have enjoyed a steady friendship ever since, despite the fact that they moved away from Utah years before we did.  Our move to Washington, however, brought us within 3 1/2 hours of each other, and we have found many excuses to burn up the road between Portland and Seattle since then!

Back in 2011, I refinished a table for Stacy’s family, seen here.  Shortly thereafter, though, they added a fifth child to the family—and there was no room for him to have a seat at the table!  In addition, a small antique table didn’t really provide enough room for both plates AND food, so it was time for a change.

Enter the “wide” farmhouse table.  The space for a table was limited in length, but there was actually a fair amount of width to work with so Stacy had the brilliant idea of making a table that could accommodate two chairs on each end.

Stacy's Table 007

The table is 50” wide by 72” long.  The top is made out of various board widths, and I used my table saw to rip 1/2” off each side to get rid of the rounded edges that stock lumber has.  It makes for a nice smooth table top—but I lost the look of the random width boards because it turned out so smooth!

I distressed the table with chain, hammer, needle-nose pliers, screwdriver, and a Dremel tool.  It was stained and sanded down about five times (no kidding) because I had a hard time finding a color I liked—that I thought she would also like!  In the end, it’s basically Rustoleum American Walnut, sanded back, followed by Rustoluem Wheat (we’ll ignore the layers of black, willow, weathered gray, and paint).  It’s finished with Minwax Hand-Rubbed Polyurethane and Dark Paste Wax.

Red Hen Home Table 9 009

I bought a set of four pressed-back chairs off of Craigslist.  I liked them because they were in a dark stain to begin with, rather than a medium oak.  I painted them with  SW Creamy.  As I was painting the chairs one afternoon, I kept thinking to myself, “I HATE painting chairs!  This is why I don’t paint chairs!!”

But the next day, when I was distressing them and glazing them, I thought, “These are so pretty!  I should refinish more chairs!!”

It’s confusing to be me!

Red Hen Home Table 9 006

I built the benches based on the plans in Ana White’s Handbuilt Home book (adjusted for size).  The picture on the left shows what they looked like when Stacy came to see the table…and the picture on the right is what they looked like when she left with them!

bench collage

I had first stained the benches with Rustoleum American Walnut, and then I used MMS Milk Paint in Tricyle over top.  I really, really didn’t like the way the color turned out.  Even with dark wax on top, it was a bright tomato-y red, and not a deep dark red like I love. 

Stacy's Table 001

Stacy wanted them to have more wood showing anyway, so between the two of us we sanded them some more (I may have sanded them a LOT more than Stacy was anticipating, but she graciously went with it), and then we rubbed more of the American Walnut stain over all.  It colored the wood where it had gone to bare wood, and it deepened the color significantly.  It looked MUCH better, and blended better with the overall look of the set.

Stacy's Table 002

At least, I think so!

Stacy's Table 004

The table, chairs, and benches made it safely to Portland this past weekend.  We managed to fit all of them…plus a copper boiler, four big shopping bags full of dishes, and Stacy’s LUGGAGE (which is always significant) in a Honda Odyssey!  And knowing that the table is 50” wide—and a Honda Odyssey is only 49.5” wide…you should be VERY IMPRESSED by that fact!

Red Hen Home Table 9 003

Stacy has hosted guests for dinner twice since she’s been home, and a batch of homeschoolers besides.  One night she had room for nine people, three pizzas, salad, a pitcher of lemonade, and I don’t know what all else!

I feed eight people all the time.  Maybe I need a wide farmhouse table too!

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Disclaimer:  Stacy may or may not be my friend’s real name.  And if it isn’t, she may or may not have preferred to be called Princess Leia and/or Hot Rod.  And she may or may not be a hobbit.

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Linking up here:

The Inspiration Exchange Elizabeth & Co.
Primitive & Proper  
Friday Remodelaholic The Scoop!
Funky Junk’s Saturday Night Special The DIY Show Off
Miss Mustard Seed
Beyond the Picket Fence Coastal Charm
Knick of Time
Domestically Speaking
Common Ground My Repurposed Life
  Mod Vintage Life

13 comments:

Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co. said...

Wow Korrie, that table is amazing! The extra width - genius! And I love the red benches and the chairs too! And I know a whole lot of love went into this project!

My Repurposed Life said...

hahahah love that disclaimer! :)

beautiful table and I love the end result of the bench.

I'm making my first table top. I thought of you the entire time I was putting it together and sanding it. I don't know why you keep doing it. This will probably be my ONLY one. :)

gail

Unknown said...

I love it as much as I do you! Thank you so VERY much for all your labors and willingness to make it perfect for me. I know that's not an easy task! I love that I get to have a part of you in my house everyday.

I was relieved that you didn't disclose my other nicknames...but there's no reason to put down the excessive luggage! :-)

lillie mae acres said...

Beautiful table and great idea about having 2 end chairs to make more room.

eleven-o-one said...

Awesome all the way! Love the table, the bench (I have to look up that plan) and the chairs. I'm with you...I HATE painting chairs but I'm about to do it again, myself!

Carolyn said...

It's beautiful! Cranberry red is my favorite color, so I know what you men about tomato red! LOL! I think you greatly enhanced it by the distressing and rubbing of walnut stain. I'm sure it will be the center of many happy memories for Stacy & her family.
And by the way, yes, you do need a wide table! :o)

Cynthia said...

You are so very talented. This table is so amazing. Love the benches too. One lucky girl.

Cynthia

Bliss said...

We just took a plank out of our wide table. Why? Because we play cards at that one and it was so wide my short arms could never reach the middle of the table to grab a card. It's just right now and was easier than making my arms longer.

Unknown said...

How genius - love it widened- and those chairs were worth every bit of effort you put into them ( I HATE painting chairs too lol )
And that bench? All of it is just beautiful together - great job!
XOXO

Tracy's Trinkets and Treasures said...

Love the bench with it all. Did you get your sectional? My replacement one arrives today! I hope I like the color of this one.

Unknown said...

I can't get over how amazing your dining table set is. I saw those exact chairs last week. I may have to go back and get them! I would love for you to share on my Chic By You Link Party @ http://chicbytab.blogspot.ca/2014/03/chic-by-you-wednesday-link-party-2.html. Hope to see you there!

Christine @ Rustic-Refined said...

Great job, and the bench looks wonderful! That's also a great idea to make the table wider to accommodate a second chair.

sarah said...

Hi! I love all your posts. I have chairs exactly like these I am trying to re do and I am a beginner. I have them painted with a white chalkpaint but would like to distress and glaze them like you have. What type of glaze do you use and do you just brush it all over and wipe immediately after? Any advice would be appreciated! thanks!