Wednesday, July 28, 2010

The Saga of the Many-Colored Coffee Table

First off, I would just like to say that I realize what a horrid blogger I've been. I realize how INCREDIBLY behind I am on posting things and on reading everyone else's blogs. I realize it has been AGES since I've done a proper post on my children and about 193,648 other things that are probably much more fun to read about than my coffee table. But. I've been sick this week. And I'm behind in everything else as well. So, this is what you get: an entire post dedicated to a piece of furniture. I'm ok with it. I hope you are too. Don't leeeaaaaaave me!! don't give up on me yet, dear readers!!! :)

If you have read my blog for any length or time or happen to know me personally, you must know that I like to paint things. I paint anything and everything that can be painted, sometimes more than once... as is the case with our coffee table.

It all began not long after we moved into our house, when I began the search for the perfect coffee table. I wanted it to be round, I wanted it on the smaller side, and I didn't want to spend a fortune on it (ie. over $50 dollars. I'm cheap.)

I searched high and low, in every goodwill and thrift store I could think of, at Target and Walmart, even in furniture stores (which of course, was pointless). Nothing. Meanwhile, we continued to drag the piano bench over in front of the couch whenever we needed a place to set drinks or rest our feet. Those were dark days indeed (haaa).

And then, one Saturday I headed downtown to The Five and Dime Antique store (Woolworths, as you Bakersfieldians know it) just to browse. At this point I had given up on my search and was simply waiting for a table to fall into my lap. Wouldn't you know, that was almost what happened. I turned a corner and saw, sitting there, piled high with old books and dishes, a little oval coffee table. It was very shabby and dingy and old-looking, painted an ugly flat white. It was dirty and dusty... and it was perfect. I cleared off all the other junk, grabbed it and took it up front where I paid $40 to bring it home and love it.

Obviously, it needed paint. I was only too happy to oblige, and I spray-painted it blue.
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November, 2007
See, the thing was, this was before I had really found my decorating legs, so to speak. I didn't have the "feel" of our home and my own style pinned down yet. Not to mention that this sort of thing is always evolving anyway... so, it was only a matter of time before I started to bemoan my blue coffee table and want to paint it again. I wanted something different, something fun that would pop.
Enter sister-in-law Jessica, who supplied me with a can of brilliant green paint. YES. and our coffee table was reborn yet again!
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June 2009
I'll be honest, I LOVED this color. I still do. And if it wasn't for the fact that this paint, for whatever reason, started to chip quite badly and peel off in places, our coffee table might still be green.
But, since it NEEDED to be painted, well, who was I to refuse?

I knew exactly what color I wanted it to be: coral. I've fallen in love with coral as of late. It's so pretty and warm, and just the right amount of girly without offending the male sensibilities.

I also knew that this time I wanted to do things right and really prep the table so this paint job would last. A great idea, right?? I thought so too. However, 5 hours into the SECOND day of prep-work, as I continued to scrape and work in the hot sun, after my fingertips were tender from grasping and peeling back miniscule bits of paint and I had cut my wrist on the scraper, as I was pouring down sweat and muttering "kill me now" under my breath... NOT SO MUCH. I finally gave up, having only gotten a little further than this with the tabletop:
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Never again. There's a reason I'm a slap-a-coat-of-primer-on-and-then-paint kind of girl. I sanded the whole table down as much as I could, primed it, and then began the part I really love: painting.
Behold, the finished project:
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Sometimes it looks more orange, and sometimes it looks more pink-ish, depending upon the way the light hits it, as you can see. I love it. The coral is so cheerful and bright!
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And how long will the table stay THIS color, you ask? I do not know, for only time will tell.

17 comments:

Sami Jo said...

Talia! Don't worry your pretty little head about not blogging ~ you're too funny. I LOVE the coral it is awesome! Very fun change - I wanted to also stop by and tell you I just hit my 400th post and I'm doing a giveaway! Go leave a comment for me on Monday's post and you'll be in! I draw next Monday and I'll let everyone know then!

Happy Day, The Lady of the House

bandofbrothers said...

haha, i understand. i change my curtains as frequently as I change my underwear. ok not really. that would be so gross, but you get the point! however, I am trying very hard to be more content. i need to just let these things go!

i think your table is lovely and i think you did an amazing job. you can totally tell that you did the sanding and scraping properly by the gorgeous smooth surface. well done!

Unknown said...

I'm in LOVE!!!!!!!!!!! It's amazing! I love that a simple thing like an oval table can be sooo ever changing and lovely... now you got me thinking about painting a dinning room table.... HHmmm OH The possibilities!!!!!!

liza mae said...

love love love the coral. very cheerful indeed! I am a LOVER of spray paint as well.... gotta love instant gratification (im not much of a prep work girl either :)
your prep work was worth it though!

alyssa said...

I love it! it looks really good next to your couch too :) I am a big fan of primer + paint and no sanding, lol!

Unknown said...

wow it turned out wonderfully! I love the color and the paint job looks amazing. All that tedious prep work paid off :)

Tristan said...

I ADORE it...so pretty!!

Rebecca said...

i love how you can take old crappy looking things and make them into vintage-y amazing things! also, i really loved woolworths and i miss it so :(

Stephanie B said...

There is something beautiful about what you can do with beaten-down furniture and a can of spray paint! The coffee table is perfect - I love the coral!

Sarah said...

The table looks wonderful in coral! I want to run out and paint something coral now!

Morgan said...

I share your love of painting, for suuuuure. I've always thought your coffee table was so adorable in the green, but I really do love this coral!! And all your sweet little feminine touches! AND VINTAGE BOOKS!

"It's so pretty and warm, and just the right amount of girly without offending the male sensibilities."
... you are so cute. :)

Mommy Diffee said...

AK I love love love it! I mean I loved it before too but I love it so very much more now! I think you will re-paint it again when the season changes though ... no? He he =)

Mom said...

Dearie!! This is my favorite color as of yet!! It goes so well in the room - complements everything:)

Lauryn said...

Ooh! I LOVE the new color! How fun to have something simple that you can change whenever you feel like it. That makes decorating fun and challenging :)

Sunny said...

Talia, I love it! You change that table's color any time you want, it always looks great!

.jimaie.marie. said...

I love this SO SO much!!! Look at how all that hard work paid off! And sheesh, what hard work it looks like too! It's so beautiful and smooth and pretttttyyyyyy now Talia!! I really thought I loved the last color the best but oh my I love this coral so much!

sarah marie p said...

Oooh I LOVE coral! And I love all of your little accents on the table. It's all too darling!

Wow, that looks like a lot of hard work! Looks like it was worth it though! I realllllly need to repaint our coffee table. The paint is peeling and dirty. Eww.