Journey of a Vintage Table Transformation

Happy New Year! We hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and had a wonderful time celebrating with your families! If you’re following us on Instagram and Facebook, you probably already know about our latest project. This time we are starting a Vintage Table Transformation.

During a visit to our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore, a stunning table caught my attention with its beautiful green onyx stone top. The previous repairs on the bottom braces were incorrect. Someone painted the table gold, either initially or as a repaint, leaving evidence of paint on the stone not from manufacturing.

I cleaned it thoroughly, placed a plant, and waited until after Christmas to dismantle and work on it. Disassembling it revealed neglected wood causing instability; someone had wedged a corner for support. Someone repaired the broken brace between the legs at some point, but used the wrong materials. It looked like someone had used expanding glue such as gorilla glue but it didn’t hold well. They also used dowels that were too long to secure the 4 pieces together so they didn’t fit snug.

To remove the glue, I took a knife and scraped out as much as I could. In a few spots the glue wouldn’t let the pieces fit together right so used a rag with some acetone and let it sit on the glue for an hour. The glue came off much easier after that, in fact it made me wish I had thought about using it from the start! Then I used a saw to shorten the dowels a bit and they fit together snug.

To eliminate the accumulated dirt and dust from years of neglect, we employed TSP and a toothbrush. Additionally, there was a layer of antiquing liquid applied to tone down the gold. After thorough cleaning and drying, a layer of Sherwin Williams Extreme Bond Primer was applied. Opting for a vibrant color that wouldn’t overshadow the style, we decided on Cajun Red (SW 0008) after experimenting with various shades of red paint.

Although the color looked good, it felt a bit one-dimensional. Inspired by the intricate details, I decided to add colors to enhance them. After experimenting, we settled on Relentless Olive (SW 6425), the same color as our kitchen island. Chuck suggested gold leaf, and with the right gold paint, we brought his idea to life.

While painting the first leg with green lines, I drew inspiration from the leaves and accents, fueling my creativity. Painting the leaves green and the center gold led to painting the sides and then the beads on the top. When the paint was all done I added 2 coats of a water based polyurethane.

The stone top was badly scratched when we got it but in the cleanup process the dirt was heavy and scratched the stone more. I found someone who could remove the scratches but after some polishing and sealing, the majority of them were gone anyway and the ones that were left behind added to the character.

The end result? Absolutely amazing, and I’m confident you’ll agree that this vintage table transformation was a success.