Drop Leaf Table Makeover
I’m so excited to share this drop leaf table makeover with you!
I’ve been looking for a narrow table to put in my dining area, and found this dated drop leaf at an estate sale a couple of months ago. It was the end of the sale and they offered to sell it to me for $75. This is not exactly what I was looking for, but the price was good and the size is right, so I decided to make it work until I found exactly what I want.
I put a drop cloth on my front porch to paint on, cleaned the table really well and used chalk paint I already had. Since I was using paint I had on hand, there was a menagerie of brands/colors, but I made it work.
I did a quick base coat of Annie Sloan Old White paint, but didn’t cover the table really well, because this coat won’t show much. I just like a hint of the lighter color in places when I distress at the end. This step only took about 20 minutes, since I didn’t care about brush strokes or coverage.
Next, I painted a coat of Maison Blanche paint in Fransiscan Gray. I didn’t want full coverage with this coat either, so it was another fairly quick coat.
After this coat was dry, I applied the final coat of Fransiscan Gray.
After the table had completely dried, I distressed it using my small electric sander. You can certainly do this step by hand, but I find it much faster using a fine grit sandpaper on my electric one.
I only wanted a little distressing, so I lightly went around the edges on the top of the table, and in places on the legs. When I finished sanding, I cleaned it off really well and was ready to wax.
This gray paint has a hint of a blue undertone and I really wanted a warmer gray, so I used a coat of clear wax and then a coat of light brown. The brown wax goes on a little more evenly if you have waxed with clear first, and then apply the brown while the clear is still wet. I prefer light brown wax over dark brown, because it’s very subtle. You can use dark brown wax lightly and quickly wipe off and achieve the same look. Especially if that’s what you already have on hand. And you can certainly just use a clear wax to seal it if you like the color of the piece without a colored wax.
You can see in this photo the difference in the gray color after waxing. The front leg has the wax and the back leg doesn’t yet. It warms the color up, just a bit.
The finished table! Now, time to get it inside and style it.
I shopped my own house for things to style the table with and I found this old deconstructed stool that I thought would be cute under the table. My plan was to recover the stool, but for now it will live here.
I’m sure the table will get restyled a thousand times in days to come, but for now, I’m liking it here.
I hope you found some inspiration from the drop leaf table makeover. Feel free to message any questions, and be sure and let me know if you try your own table makeover.
blessings,
michele
It’s perfect. I love it in that spot.
Thank you! So glad I finally found a table that fit there.
Thanks so much friend!! Have the happiest weekend!
It’s beautiful and reminds me of my 1972 Ethan Allen kitchen table. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! It was a fun makeover project!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting! Happy Weekend
I have my mother’s Duncan Phyphe (sp?) dropleaf table and keep thinking I’d like to paint it. You have inspired me. Now I just have to wait til I can go buy some paint. Thanks!
So glad you found some inspiration here! I would love to see it when you’re done. Maybe you could order paint online??
Thanks so much for stopping by!
This table turned out beautifully! and I love how you styled it:)
BTW I found your blog from Thistlewood Farm!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate you stopping by!
Have a great Sunday!
I’m here from Thistlekeeping. You have a beautiful blog! Enjoyed!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate you checking out my new blog. Kari Anne aka Thistlekeeping was so sweet to send people my way!
The table makeover looks great and the way you styled it is beautiful. Where did that gorgeous lamp come from? I couldn’t take my eyes off it! :o)
Thank you so much. So sweet for you to say! I bought the lamp years ago at an antique store in South Texas. It was part of a pair and I bought them for $45!
I love the drop leaf table and the distressing and waxing on the legs. Do you know the blog Q Is for Quandie? She does the best reclaimed tables, and some of her best ones are drop leaf tables she has removed the dropped leafs from. Your table made me think of hers. You said that one would do until you find the ‘just right’ one. I don’t know what you are searching for, but you might like yours with the drop leafs removed. I love it, though, the way it is. I too have a Duncan Phyfe to paint, but I’m scared to death I will ruin it. Love your blog. Found it at Thistlewood Farm, too.
I’m not familiar with that blog but will definitely take a look. Thank you so much for your input and suggestions about the table. I truly appreciate you following along with my blog!!