A Pair of End Tables

Sometimes a project takes longer to think about than to actually complete it, and that's a good thing. (Projects can also seem easy and turn into more than you bargained for, a few examples of which are taking up quite a bit of room in our basement at the moment.)

I picked these up on Craigslist nine months ago.  The finish was in poor condition, but the top was veneer, which meant I couldn't really refinish them unless I was to replace the veneer, which is something on my list of things to never do.  I knew I would end up painting them, but I didn't know what color.  I debated and considered and waited for them to speak to me, and for a while I thought they were asking to be tangerine.  Alas, I made a very safe move and went with a basic black. 

Every room needs a little black in it, and now I can focus on the shape that originally attracted me to them, without being distracted by the damaged finish.  I used the same dark primer and Benjamin Moore enamel paint we used on our dining room table.  Enamel is supposed to be more durable than a typical latex paint.  It goes on thick, and you have to work quickly and methodically, because if you go back over an area that has started to dry, you'll make brush marks in the smooth finish.  I could show you a few spots to prove it.  When we did the dining room table, we used a roller, and repainted a few times before we got it right.  It does clean up easily with soap and water, which is nice.

I think they turned out alright, and hope that it was the right decision, though I won't really know until the rest of the room comes together.  I've put upholstering the antique chairs on temporary hold because I'm debating getting a pneumatic staple gun with an air compressor.  It's a big investment, but seeing that I have a bunch of upholstery projects lined up, it might be worthwhile.  (So much for free chairs.)  And I'm gathering supplies to make a couple of unique lamps to go on either side of the sofa. 

I promise that my next paint project is going to be much more colorful.  It's on my list of things to do this weekend, after I strip some of the wallpaper from the bedroom adjacent to the bathroom, so Matt and his dad can put up the wallboard.  We won't be heading north; it seems there's finally snow on the way, but it's going to fall in southern New England, rather than in the mountains where it counts.  Are the snow gods mocking us?  Maybe there'll be enough of an accumulation to go for a snowshoe or cross-country ski in our local woods on Sunday. 

Have a good weekend!