Childhood Breakfast Table Before/After

Hey everyone! Man, does anyone need another day to recuperate from the weekend? After a full weekend, I could totally use one. 

Last night, we went to Jules’ first ballet recital. Can I just brag for a second about my bestie, Unchong? She watched my kids three times this week! I had to go to a kindergarten application appt for JJ so she watched the kids on Tuesday. Then, she basically forced Jimmy and me to go on a date night on Saturday. Jimmy never says no to date night. He’s been working a ton of hours lately so it was soooo appreciated! We went running, ate out and then went to our favorite place, HOME DEPOT 😀 lol! She came over again last night to watch JJ and Ems so we could peacefully enjoy Jules’ performance with my parents. Thank you, Unchong, my sister from another mister! I am so thankful to have her live 8 minutes away. 

Here is Jules all ready for her recital. She’s been practicing since last August. 

My parents were so proud of their first grandchild. 

My baby is growing up too fast. I fear soon, she will be as tall as me 🙁

Last weekend, I worked on another project. It wasn’t planned but my parents switched tables and chairs with us. We gave them our dining room set and they gave us our their super old, beat up breakfast table set. This was the table I grew up eating probably a gazillion meals. It was pretty beat up considering my 3 siblings and I grew up eating there. My mom is the best cook I know and she passed down the love of cooking down to me. She has been wanting to get rid of this table set for years but it’s really sentimental and nostalgic to me. I knew I could try giving it a second life.

In the picture, it doesn’t look bad but the table top was badly scratched up. I left the white parts alone because I love the natural worn and scuffed look. I love windsor chairs like these because it gives off a more casual and farmhouse vibe. I didn’t love the pine color so that’s where I knew the transformation would take place. 

Funny story: Jimmy and I attended a wedding last week and I decided to start painting this set a few hours before the wedding. Let’s just say I ended up not being able to take a shower because I lost track of time and had to wear a dirty hair top knot with painted hands. #diyaholic #truestory #paintersgonnapaint

I made my own chalkpaint and painted it this light gray color. It’s a mixture of my light gray cabinet paint and dark gray island paint. When you make your own chalk paint, here’s the ratio. 1 Plaster of Paris to 3 latex paint. First, you take the plaster of paris and add enough water to make paste. Then add the latex paint and mix.  A little goes a long way so you don’t need to make a lot for most projects. I keep the leftover chalk paint in a lidded container. I also made it for this project. 

On the chairs, I only did 1 coat because I wanted it to look more weathered. Haha, I’m trying to make an old chair look old. 

After painting the chairs, I thought it looked a little plain and too matchy matchy with the kitchen. I decided to add a coastal vibe to the chairs and made this stencil on poster board. I created lines to paint stripes on the chairs.

I didn’t want it to be perfect because remember, I wanted it to appear weathered.

I put it down on each chair and painted inside the lines using an old white latex paint I had on hand.

Look how cute!! It’s different and adds more character. 

After drying, I took a slightly wet dish sponge and gently roughed up the lines making it appear a bit distressed. I also decided on a dark graphite Annie Sloan chalkpaint on the table top. I think the contrast between the light and dark colors really stand out but still go with the aesthetic of our kitchen. 

I really love the coastal vibe with the stripes! I painted the table top 3 times. Remember, with chalk paint, you don’t have to sand but the finish isn’t as smooth as a spray. It gives it a chalky finish. Since the table top will be used quite a bit and needs to be cleaned every day, a polyurethane coat is necessary. I did 3 coats of poly on the table top and 1 on the chairs. This coats it nice and smooth and makes it quite durable. My Instagram friend, Brittani from Doss Decor recommended Varathane polyurethane in satin finish because it doesn’t yellow the color. 

Isn’t she lovely again?? It has a new life and now my kids get to grow up eating at the same table from my childhood. How awesome is that?! 

The table is such a pretty backdrop for pictures now. You will be seeing this table a lot in pics in the future.

I think it goes pretty well with the rest of the kitchen. What do you think?

I love how it has transformed into a piece that I love and holds a lot of sentimental value. You know I love a good before and after.

If you have any questions, lmk! Some friends have been working on furniture with chalk paint so I’ll be sharing those on facebook this week too. Make sure you like loveyourabode on facebook to follow along with updates as well as seeing everyone else’s creations. Keep the pictures coming! I love it when you share!

Let’s make it a good Monday!

<><yuni

For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Romans 5:10