Addison Harris
We’ve lived in our home for almost two years now without eating a single dinner at a dining table inside. We typically eat in the basement at the countertop or outside on our patio, due to the lack of dining setup inside.
I purchased the antique table and chairs right after we moved in and this project completion has been a labor of love and a lonnnng time coming.
However, I thought it would be helpful to share tips & tricks for restoring and transforming vintage or antique furniture… so you can see what the actual process looked like, and my reasoning for hiring the pros for certain portions of this project.
*Quick disclaimer- I did a pretty good job sharing the process on IG stories, and it’s saved in a dedicated “dining set” highlight. Almost two years ago, I convinced Emmett to go with me to an elderly lady’s storage unit and buy this vintage set (her son had listed it on FB Marketplace for her).
We arrived to find it covered under an inch of dust, smelling like pet urine, and as we pulled it out of the unit, one table leg snapped in half, a chair fell apart, another chair lost a leg, and pieces were literally falling off as we loaded it up. !” look, and I didn’t even negotiate because despite the terrible condition, I could totally see the potential and fell in love with the shape and very dusty details.
I loved the textural cane back on the dining chairs, the two toned floated table, and the high contrast pairing. If I had an unlimited budget, I probably would’ve bought it right then and there, but the entire set was wayyy out of my price range.
Given the shape of the dining table with the floated top and the matching cane chairs, I thought my vision might be in reach after all…. That designer set was really a huge inspiration for the entire color palette and two-toned look.
Once the repairs were made and the table & chairs felt sturdy (and safe) again, we were able to begin the cosmetic transformation. We enlisted the help of our friend and previous neighbor, Brad (who is a very talented woodworker), to exactly replicate that original chair detail. My initial plan was to paint the tabletop Tricorn Black, but after Emmett finished sanding the top- we uncovered a beautiful handmade table with incredible woodgrain.
Having spent a good chunk of change on premium leather (around $450), I figured upholstering six seats would be too stressful.
Our dining room is far from finished, but I can’t wait to share many meals and make lots of memories around this table. In our case, we want this dining set to be heirloom quality- especially given the age of the piece, so we were willing to hire professionals.
If your piece is of a higher value or you want it to last for years to come, take the time to do it the right way (repair, sand, use primer, high quality paint, enamel, lacquer… or powder coating on metal components). Will you be keeping this piece forever (heirloom quality furniture) or would you ever plan to sell it down the road as your aesthetic evolves?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for quick makeovers too (like my enamel desk), but I know those types of pieces aren’t worth as much.
I was carrying the snapped leg into the garage and rubbed the dust off of the foot accidentally to reveal the brass. Emmett, on the other hand, was not amused as the table leg I was raving about, was snapped in half, which equates to a LOT of work. This dining set already had a ton of character to begin with, and after a whole lot of love went into this thing… I know this special find will become a piece in our home we’ll cherish for years to come.
