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Creating a New Place to Gather...

We have never had a dining area for the family at our lakehouse, just a small table indoors and a few outdoor tables.  We often just used folding tables for our get-togethers. It's always been fine, and we have fun, but recently I decided to remedy that situation...
and to do it on a budget!
We started out with the old 7 foot long wood table from our sunporch at home.  It's a great sturdy table and provides a lot of seating area.  It has always been very worn and rustic and the stain on the two leaves has never matched the rest of the set.  
Here's how it looked when I bought it for $30
 at a garage sale several years ago...


Next, my husband built two great wood benches, each measuring nearly seven feet long.  He did a beautiful job and adapted an
 Ana White plan to be just what we needed.


Next, I took two wood chairs from home, that I had recovered...


Finally, we married all these disparate pieces together with paint!  Since these were going into our family's lakehome, we wanted a rustic, casual beachy look.  The table was done with an almost dry brush technique.  I used DecoArt's Americana Chalky Finish in Yesteryear, a soft light gray. 


I left stained wood showing and wanted the wear on the table to be highlighted.  It has an almost driftwood or birch look...




I love the old name carved into the table...



The chairs and benches received a solid coat of DecoArt Americana Chalky Finish in Relic...a dark gray, almost chalkboard color paint.






I finished the pieces with DecoArt Americana Light Satin Varnish for a stronger finish than wax.


It gave my husband and I great pleasure to see the family gathered around the table, sharing meals and playing games, at our recent gathering!  It worked perfectly for our needs 
and it was great re-using pieces we already had!



Have you heard about the wonderful Chalky Finish contest DecoArt has going on right now? The grand prize winner will win $2000 and $500 of product!  
Click on the photo below for all of the details!


I am a blogger for DecoArt...all opinions are my own.



Until next time...


32 comments

  1. Nice job, Linda, to yours and your husband's part in this project. This will be perfect for big family meals or games, or even just sitting around talking.

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  2. It looks great, Linda. I know your family will really enjoy it. xo Laura

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  3. What a sensational looking redo! I still have the four, four-ft benches that were made for my old oak family table. They are so versatile. But we passed on the big table to my oldest son. Sure wish I had a cabin or beach house to keep it in instead! Haha! You must be thrilled with the new look. Fabulous!

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  4. What a great job you did updating this well-loved table. So much nicer with the lighter paint color. Your husband did an amazing job with those benches. He's hired!! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Inspiration Party.

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  5. This is awesome, Linda---the perfect 'family gathering' table!!! You guys did a great job. I've used this brand of paint on a few projects and it's terrific!

    Jane x

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  6. Every piece works so well with the other pieces, a family table.

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  7. Linda
    Your table and bench turned out so nicely. I do like the colour.
    It's a great size for a family to gather around too.

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  8. I love that paint! I use it a lot. I love how you painted the table, benches and chairs. Very casual but pretty!

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  9. what a great project - and how great that your husband built those benches - what a guy! I'm sure you'll have many great times around that table...

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  10. For $30 you sure got your money's worth! You've found a great farmhouse style table for your family, and the benches your hubby built are fabulous! I'm sure you'll enjoy your dining "set" for years to come. Great transformation, Linda!

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  11. Good morning, Linda :)

    The table and benches look fantastic! Your and your husband did a wonderful job making all the pieces work together.

    Your sunporch look beautiful too and I love the table in there as well.

    Glad to hear you're having a great Summer :)

    xo,
    rue

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  12. The table and benches look very happy married together

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  13. I'm blown away that you got "the table of my dreams" for only $30.....sigh. It's gorgeous, and you did an amazing job of redoing it.

    Jen

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  14. Linda , it is gorgeous and perfect. What a great gathering place and hats off to hubby fabulous job!

    Carol

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  15. Linda,
    This is perfect. Love the paint and re love of all the pieces. How fun to sit for a meal or play games with the family. Great job.
    Kris

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  16. I have just started following your blog... this table is beautiful! Love the benches with it!

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  17. Linda your table is wonderful and the color you used is one of my favorite chalk paints. Have a great day. Jo

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  18. Well, that looks great! Kuddos to making your own benches too. I actually didn't know they had a varnish. I like how they package it in jars rather than the old school cans. It makes it seem neater or something. I'll go check out their contest!

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    1. Thank you! They have several varnishes...an ultra matte, light satin, and soft touch. They give a more polyurethane like finish, are water-based and easy to use.

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  19. Looks fantastic, Linda! I'm assuming to get that streaky, beachy, old look that you simply used a brush to brush on the chalk paint? I would love to do that on one of my tables, but I'm not sure how to achieve that look. I used the Americana Decor paint in white on a side table - using brushes - and it didn't turn out like that at all. It looks pretty much like a full coverage paint.

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    1. I used an almost dry brush technique, not trying for full coverage at all, I was using a brush and did very light, quick strokes. I would go over and add more to areas I felt needed it...

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  20. Linda- this looks fantastic! I love how you pulled it all together- not just the furniture... BUT THE FAMILY!
    I'm not real familiar with this paint... But it looks pretty!

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  21. Fabulous! I love the transformation. $30 bucks? That is the deal of the century.

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  22. Nice job, Linda--I'm hoping to finish my table and enter it into the contest :) I've posted yours on Facebook--

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  23. ahh it looks so nice.... and has already been put to good use.... I see lots of fun times ahead around this table :)

    another great project Linda

    Karen x

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  24. Beautiful job Linda! Where can you buy that paint? Ann

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  25. Perfect! As your family has grown the last few years you need that table space, plus all the outdoor & previous tables too!

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  26. $30??? You have got to be kidding! Wow! I am impressed! It looks like a farm table now. Love what you did. The benches add even more character! I've had some thoughts lately about being around the table. I feel a blog post coming on.

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  27. This looks great, like the setting for one of those holiday movies where the whole family gathers and the drama begins. Hope you'll make a lot of wonderful memories around that table.
    Amalia
    xo

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  28. What a great solution, it looks great! Pam xx

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  29. Looking good, and I've used the paint and like it. I especially like the linen and serenity colors. You made everything go together while looking good...also pat your hubs on the back!

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  30. Linda, this is wonderful! I use the Americana paint too, but I haven't tried that shade yet! Next project...;)

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