This kitchen table and chairs set refresh did not turn out exactly how I thought.?But…. in the end I love it.?Today I am sharing how we changed this fabulous kitchen set and kept it.
Last year I participated in a pop-up Vintage Market with some friends, which I shared here. Well, I had planned to refresh my kitchen set to sell at the Vintage Market and replace it with a more Frenchy feel set for our home.
Well best laid plans… we ended going in a totally different direction and I could NOT be happier.
About the Kitchen Table & Chairs Set Refresh
We bought this set back in 2000 from Ethan Allen and it was part of a Swedish collection. Before this last total refresh, I have changed out the upholstery once and we had it refinished once, which I guess is not bad for almost 20 years. And even though it was and is a great set, I was ready for a change .
The picture above shows the before, where you have seen quite a few of my tablescapes. My plan was to paint the base and chairs in Annie Sloan Old White and have a raw wood top to sell at the market. Unfortunately, we had it refinished after the kids outgrew their destructive creative stage in life and whatever product was used had a strong yellow undertone and it got stronger through time. Originally it was a beautiful cream finish {you can see it in the matching hutch in the background since we never had the hutch refinished}.
Steps to Refresh the Kitchen Table & Chairs
Sand
As I started to sand down the top, Mr. Masterpiece became intrigued with my project. Keep in mind that the paint finish on this set was somewhat of a lacquer type of paint. Like I said, the original finish was beautiful and also great to wipe down as a kitchen set, BUT not the easiest to remove.
Stain
Further into the project we realized how beautiful the wood grain was underneath. Who knew? I do know Ethan Allen produces high quality furniture and this was just a bit of confirmation I guess. Well, little by little Mr. M took over the project and finished the top, including the 18″ leaf.
Once it was done I wasn’t sure I wanted to get rid of it. We decided to stain it with a gray finish and between the wood grain & the gray stain, I fell in love. We stained it with Varathane Wood Stain in Weathered Gray. It became a great farmhouse table and it was not going anywhere.
Paint & Reupholster
I painted the base and chairs Annie Sloan Old White as planned, and I sealed it with AS clear wax as well. And to finish it off, and really give it a farmhouse vibe we reupholstered the chairs with some grain sacks I had kicking around.
Final Thoughts About the Kitchen Table & Chairs Set Refresh
I am so happy how it turned out! AND it wasn’t even planned.
I am a total sentimentalist and have a hard time parting with things so the fact that I had come to terms with letting go of this kitchen set was HUGE for me. This is the first kitchen set {& only kitchen set} we bought, this is the kitchen set our kids learned to eat on {& thrashed}, this is the kitchen set that is staying in our house. No parting guilt here.
I am so happy we breathed new life into this pretty set.
I canNot wait to share some tablescapes, stylings, recipes and more on this “new” table set.
‘”I’m going to make everything around me beautiful?and that will be my life.”
Elsie de Wolfe