apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I don't know about the table but those look like Kurt Ostervig chairs.

I suggest painting it white to match the trim of the room. It will create a focal point, with the dark chairs around it (have you thought of reupholstering the chairs??) and it was be a timeless design.

I also suggest starting with a rougher grit sand paper and then using a finer grit to smooth it out. Put a primer on it first -- just a white wood primer. Then paint it a nice crisp white, I've used paint for your walls from Home Depot, etc. before with great results. One thing I did not do in my transformation though, was to seal it. I have marks on my walls from chairs and chips in the paint from moving -- so I would definitely suggest a good sealant afterwards.

Good luck!

Laura
http://www.grafxnerd.net

I have a very similar table. I didnt even sand it when I painted it... just primed and painted. White is nice, but could you do something a little more fun? Dark brown to match the chairs?

Sand it back and paint it black with a satin finish. I know everybody says "high gloss" but I just finished painting an old kitchen hutch (it was lemon yellow) and the first two coats were gloss and it looked wrong. I added two additional coats in a satin, almost flat finish and the hutch looks great. Many, many compliments and it looks like a completely different piece of furniture from when I first purchased it.
Recommend recovering those chairs. A woven tribal print would be kind of cool (mixing the brown of the chairs with the black of the table).

I don't recommend attempting to stain the table to match the chairs. The result will not be what you're hoping for, especially if you don't have any experience with refinishing furniture (or any outdoor space, since ALL of the existing finish would have to be chemically stripped first).

Laura already gave good advice on painting the table, which is what I would recommend as well. The style of the table and of the chairs are a bit at odds with each other in terms of proportion, and painting the table white will make that less apparent.

Honestly, all you really have to do, is take it outside and spray paint it.

I like Minwax's waterbased stains, which come in 74 colors. (I find it too difficult to paint wood. Really.)

But the waterbased stains come in such a range of colors.

Check out their website. http://www.minwax.com/products/wood_stains/water_based_wood_stain.html

I'm voting for a bright, creamy white. What color are your dishes?

As for technique, hand sand with a sanding block if desired (stay away from that orbital/random sander business), then a coat of oil-based primer and a couple-three coats of a durable (but not exterior) satin finish paint.

Please post an after photo.

sell it... you never liked it.... you'll never truly will.

Here's my suggestion - get rid of the table on craigslist, and get a table that you *do* like.

I agree with manu_pty and JoanneM.

I have essentially the same table. I painted it black. I liked it for a bit, but it doesn't wear that well.

You should sand. Then prime. Then paint.

We found that the leaf looks the best as it wasn't used often. So when the leaf is in, you can see the difference, which is annoying.

It looks like I have the same table. I picked it up at a yard sale recently. It is painted black and looks pretty good. You'd be amazed at the difference between oak and a painted finish.

Paint it - staining it will require so much more work and be very disruptive and stinky if you don't have any outdoor space. If you can't decide on a paint color you like, sell it and get the table you actually want.

Have you thought about a table cloth? My husband had an ugly "temporary" table too when we moved in together, so I put a floor-length table cloth over it. Then I liked that look so much I never bothered to replace the (perfectly serviceable) table.

Depending on the rest of your apartment decor, I'd paint it either creamy white or black and I think the chairs need to have a bit more weight to them if you're able to replace them. I think modern chairs would be fine after you paint the table, but something with more heft.

Shop and save for one you really prefer, then get rid of this one. In the meantime, try covering with a pretty piece of fabric.

Personally, I say got with a glossy black finish. Sand it down with a rougher sandpaper (normally the sales associates at your local hardware store can recommend a good option for you) and definitely prime before you paint it. You might also want to consider a sealer or some kind to finish the job to help with future spills and such.

Also, I would recommend looking for some heavier looking chairs to go with the table. You had such good luck it Craigslist before so it can't hurt to try there again for chairs you can repurpose!

If you are definitely going to keep it, I'd paint and not stain. That looks like oak, which has a pretty strong grain pattern. Even if you stain it a very dark color, the grain is going to pop a lot and it's going to be challenging to get the finish to look even.

I agree with the others who say trade it in for something else. If the chairs are really more a reflection of your personal style, then there's no point going to the time and trouble of refinishing or painting this table since the lines of it don't really compliment your chairs. You needed a table in a pinch and it did the trick, time to pass it on. I'd go with something more contemporary, perhaps with a metal base?

Glad I'm not the only one who thought 'sell this'. It's not a bad looking table (it's a little to traditional country cottage for me), but if the rest of your decor is similar to your chairs it's never going to fit in well. I'd try to craigslist it again if I were you and look for something a little more modern. Also, with all those little grooves and embellishments it's going to be a horror to sand and paint.

I saw something in one of the final Domino magazine about stripping and lime treating (?) a table very similar to this. The results were amazing, although it seemed to require a lot of work. Or, you could make it look like just another IKEA/big box table and paint white or black - high gloss, of course.

I had almost the exact same table. I sanded the base only and painted it with a satin black. It turned out great and I was really happy with it. You could also do something decorative around the edge of the table top, too.

I agree with those who say "sell it." In the meantime put a tablecloth on it.

The table looks really clunky and heavy next to those slim-lined chairs. Painting or staining it isn't going to change that. I say start looking for a table you do like and put this one on Craigslist when you get one that suits your style better.

I like Lisa's idea of a tablecloth. There are lots of really cute ones and when you get tired of it or change your decor, you can easily change it out. It's also a good solution for you since you have no outdoor space. You could even just use it as a temporary solution until you find another table or save up for a table you love.

I agree with the sell people. You're wasting your time hating a table that someone else would love to have.

Just get rid of it and replace it with something you truly enjoy.

I'm with Lisa on the tablecloth idea -
find a floor length burlap/linen cloth with a rope piped edge -
change out square cloths for the top or have a piece of glass cut to go on top -

while the oak finish may not be what you want - the center post makes it really easy to pul chairs up to the table for you and your guests.....

I love this table! You'd be crazy to get rid of it - if it was stained dark espresso or painted white it would look like it came from Pottery Barn. I would use a hand held sander (the Black and Decker ones are seriously $30) and varying grades of paper (start with 60 and move up to 220 or so) to get all the finish off and use Minwax gel stain which is a nice thick stain that will last. Finish with a coat of poly. Oil based poly is best, it dries hard as a rock. If you paint, Zinsser BIN shellac primer is a must as the first coat. Then use whatever paint you like and finish with poly. Water based poly won't darken light paints, so if you go with white you want water based poly.

make sure you use oil-based paint if you go the painting route -- this will create a harder, durable finish. latex paint isn't really suitable for a project like this.

i think it could look beautiful painted white or black.

this table looks like it has a pretty hard glossy surface already. if you try to sand this by hand it will be a nightmare and take you days. try using a liquid deglosser to save your sanity.

I like the 'make do' attitude! I'd paint the table a Granny Smith apple green (my current favorite color but you might prefer white, ivory, black, khaki?) and then put a glossy finish on it with a polyurethane. I'd add some Marimekko fabric on the chair cushions.

If you can't haul the table out to an autobody shop, to do the painting job, make sure to work in a well ventilated area and use a proper painting mask and low or no VOC paints (your lungs are worth more than any table will ever be and if you can smell anything it IS getting into your lungs). For sanding, I'm not sure that's solid oak, so be careful sanding in case it's veneer over oak plywood. It really shouldn't take much sanding, just enough to take off the shiny surface and give the paint something to grab, then make sure to use a 'tack cloth' to wipe off all the sanding dust before you paint (tack cloths are available at paint supply and hardware shops).

I concur with Lisa and the Tablecloth. How about something crisp and white?

I have this table only with claw feet. Not in love with the table originally, I painted the entire base and the apron around the base of the top black. I did not prime, or sand...just painted it a matte or satin finish...cannot recall, but definitely not gloss. I believe I used Benjamin Moore Aura paint. It looks amazing enough that I actually like the table now...in spite of those feet. Have left the top in the original condition. Having said this...I have to admit that it's not our main dining table, but it does look much better.

Another vote for sell it and buy another one from craigslist. Hopefully you will have more time to pick one out this go around and get one you like. It may even end up being cheaper to sell and buy then it will be to degloss, sand, paint, etc... and it would take less time. On top of that, since you are picking out a table you actually like you are guaranteed to like it. Painting it may leave you with a table you don't like, as no matter what you do to it, it will still be a visually heavy table.

Out with it.

I'm with the sell it gang. Time wasted is time that you can never get back. Aren't we supposed to surround ourselves with the things we are truly smitten over? Forget settling for mediocrity. Donate.

http://www.gettogethablog.com

I think it'd be fun to paint it. Then find a fabric you like and cut it to fit the top of the table. Top it with a piece of sturdy glass, also cut to fit. I think that would give it an updated look, and you could even change out the fabric on a whim, or with the seasons.

another vote for white. bright glossy. it'll buy you space visually. and I don't care what those chairs are. they are fug. but how nice that they're valuable. Sell 'em.

I vote for a high gloss, dark cranberry. It will work with the tone of wood and fabric on the chairs while contrasting nicely with the wall color.

I know people who would kill for a good condition golden oak talbe like this. Sell it to one of them, since you don't appreciate it anyhow, and get what you really want.

Definitely sand it slightly, prime it, and paint it with two coats of black, satin finish. You will only see the shape of the table, which is heavy, but not that bad a silhouette.

Cover the chair seats with a retro fabric with lots of black and bright colors, maybe barkcloth, and it will look more French Cafe and less Early American. You can find retro barkcloth fabric on eBay or just google it.

If the table gets scratched and banged up a bit, it will just look shabby chic.

Oh, and it's best to paint the radiator to match the wall, not the trim. That way it will disappear, not be the first thing you notice.

Sell it.

No matter what you do it will still look like a big anvil in your room.

Get something lighter-looking.

You could try painting it a nice neutral, and then for a splash decorate the side with a fun pattern. It's thick enough to make an impact without being overwhelming. I've seen my friends do some amazing things with wallpaper or gift wrap, for example.

Yeah, sell it and put the money to good use.

I painted my table recently (also an oak color and the finish was chipping off). I painted the legs in espresso to match my chairs and then painted the top in whiteboard paint. It looks pretty spiffy and I can use the top as a giant whiteboard when i want to do so.

I sanded the finish off the top of the table and then primed and painted it with whiteboard paint that I bought at Lowe's for $20. The legs I just spray painted but I think they should have been primed first as well for better durability.

Yet another vote for Lisa's idea of a floor-length tablecloth. I don't think you'd ever get it right with the proportions of table and chairs no matter how you refinished the table. They just don't go together, period. I am presently sitting at my grandmother's kitchen table--a claw-foot, original version of yours, and the proportions are much pleasanter--the bottom legs on yours look too small, and there's nothing that will fix that.

Thanks everyone for your input! After reading all the responses, my husband and I are now split. He wants to sell the table after we find another one. I'm still on the fence re: painting it or not - just b/c I hate to give up on a solid table. But of course, if we sell it, then hopefully someone else will put it to good use!

In terms of the rest of the apartment style-wise, we are moving toward a mix of decor. In the end, we both like minimal - not too much "stuff". We like a MCM, industrial, the occasional antique-y piece, and the occasional "thrown together" pieces that happens to strike our fancy. After a year of moving into this apartment, we are still sourcing pieces.

If and when we get a new table, we are thinking about getting something from Barntiques (love a good farm table) OR we can get something slimmer ala MCM style.

Thanks all once again. We will update once we make a decision!