Taking Back the Dining Room

Awhile back, I wrote about painting the dining room, my new buffet, and that I'd be doing a dining room reveal soon. But I had to get this problem out of the way:



This is my dining room as it is today. I actually call it the "Lego Room" and it makes me crazy. It looks like the Lego factory exploded in my newly painted/designed dining room...all day, every day. Something needed to change.

I searched Craigs List high and low for a play table, but everything was pretty small for our needs. My oldest is 6.5 and really tall, and his brothers are tall also, so I had to improvise. I found this table, and even though it was more than I usually spend, it was the perfect table top size. A former kitchen table that used to have leaves. This picture was taken after I sanded the top...it's pine and was in pretty rough shape.



I used this table from Pottery Barn Kids as my inspiration because it was a similar shape to the one I'd found. This one is 22" high and I had my father-in-law cut down the legs so that OUR table stands 25" high.



I bought paint pens in blue, green, red, black and white...and using stencils, I went to town. It took 3 nights to finish, but I really like how it turned out.

















I'll be moving all of the Legos to their new home...as soon as I find the perfect chairs. I'm actually considering buying adult chairs and cutting THEM down. Stay tuned!

~Allison

Another Trestle Bench

I forgot to get a before photo of this one. I got it at GW and someone had already stripped part of it...and left layers of stripper on it. So that was fun...trying to sand off and wipe off stripper that was possibly years old *eye roll*

Anyway, I did my tried and sometimes true method of steel wool and vinegar, but since part of the old finish hadn't been totally removed, it left me with some orange spots that looked like some sort of wild animal.

So then I did a layer of pickled oak stain. And then I dry brushed a medium gray all over...in several coats.

And here she is during her photo shoot last night:











Enjoy!!

~Allison

Birthdays and Fundraisers with a Dash of Orange

How's that for a blog title?

I apologize for my lack of consistency in the past few months. The school schedule this year is taking it's toll. My younger 2 boys have preschool 3 mornings each week until 11:30. My oldest gets on the bus at 12:20 for afternoon Kindergarten. So by the time we get home at 11:50 and make lunch, there is about 15 minutes to eat and walk down to the bus. Add in the school fundraisers that I've painted pieces for and my middle kiddo turning 5, and it's been hectic!

First, the birthday boy! Between school and family, he got to celebrate 3 times last week, so he was happy.

And now here is my latest makeover! Starting as a dated bamboo table:

I went bold with this one, using Real Orange in gloss (by Rustoleum)
Enjoy your day!! ~Allison


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