I found a drop leaf table today at a garage sale that will work nicely as a kitchen table with a bit of refinishing. The side leaf in the first phot shows the original color (I didn't think to take a picture until the main portion was sanded).
This second was after a partial sanding. I am thinking about leaving it and just topping with polyurethane (and doing the same sanding and finishing for the rest of the table).
My new house has hardwood floors stained a dark shade, so I'm thinking that the table will stand out more and not "disappear" if left like this. Unfortunately I am not as gifted with photography as I would like, and neither picture actually gives a true indication of what it looke like / now looks like. Also I think having other wood in the second picture gives a distorted vision as to the real effect.
Anyone have any suggestions (either between the two choices, or with a third option)?
Bogie--I know that you prefer wood tones and that you have to consider your four-footed companions, so I'm not much help. In my house, I would lay a couple of light coats of off-white enamel (to brighten up the room a bit) and antique it with black or dark blue translucent glaze (brush on for grain, speckle by flipping the brush, or wipe/sponge on). Now that you are finished laughing...I got nuthin'.
Posted by: Cop Car | November 04, 2013 at 12:55 AM
I did think about paint - but I really hate to paint perfectly good wood. However, your suggestion is worth thinking about!
Upon reviewing pictures of the house, the dinette area is linoleum or tile. But still appears a darker shade (I know the kitchen has a nice dark green tile), so I may wait to finish the table until I get a look at the room again - on the 15th!
Posted by: bogie | November 04, 2013 at 07:09 PM
Sounds like a plan.
Aside 1: The nice thing about good wood is that paint may be removed at a later time when one has more time/experience from which to deal. Were it not good wood, I would have said that "I would install a plastic laminate (Formica, for instance) on the top surfaces.
Aside 2: I loved the custom, dark stains and that we had on the woodwork, and the heavy draperies to shut out the sun, on Sunrise. That said, as I've aged, I've become more drawn to lighter & brighter - which proved a good thing during the several years before my cataracts were removed. As you know, this house specializes in lots of windows/skylights (no draperies - just off-white, vertical slat blinds to control sunlight), and medium tones on the woodwork and flooring. Different from the way I went with Sunrise, eh? I don't wish to become an old woman in a funk, so many of the differences were thought out on that basis.
Posted by: Cop Car | November 06, 2013 at 08:38 AM