I Told My Dentist My Teeth Were Yellowing....

"I told my dentist my teeth were yellowing...he told me to wear a brown tie"- Rodney Dangerfield

Have you ever searched in vain for the perfect piece of furniture? Been to every possible store, hunted at Homesense weekly for a year? I have. It is almost as if I have this picture in my mind of how I want something to look and no matter how hard I search I keep coming up empty handed.

I have been suffering over end tables. It sounds dramatic but I have yet to find a piece I love at a price I even remotely like. I hate country kitchen style which can easily be acquired anywhere. Modern is cool but doesn't suit my house and is really not my personal taste. I have been looking since last April, sixteen months with zero luck. I am also on the hunt for the perfect sofa...but that is a whole 'nother fish to fry. It's a hard knock life.

When my mother sold the family home and downsized to the perfect little abode, she was getting rid of an end table that was my grandmothers. It was a vintage step table that I hadn't even looked sideways at. When I saw it going to goodwill I decided to rescue it figuring I could find a use for it someday. It travelled to my house and lived in my basement housing my dehumidifier for the last year.

I was doing laundry last week and I noticed the table, damp with the over-run of the dehumidifier and I was struck with an idea. I went to Home Depot and spoke with my paint expert/ personal guru Carmel. We decided on a colour called "squash" and I purchased one small tester pot for six dollars.

Next I sanded it down in my backyard, and taped off the leather top. I popped open the brightest mustard paint I have ever seen and went to it much to my neighbour's dismay (he was saying things like "you are not going to paint that beautiful wooden table are you?! ). When two coats were dry I sanded the edges with my handy palm sander (well technically dads...he forgot it here..) and I distressed it for a "vintage-worn" look. My final step was a quick coat of varnish.

I am so pleased with the outcome and am silently lamenting not having the second table! Total cost of project was about $10. Happy do-it-yourself-ing everyone! Remember a little paint can go a long way!
-m