I’ve been looking for an old farm table that I could use for a desk in my office, and I finally found one!
Only, it didn’t look like the picture below when we got it. I thought I’d taken a before picture but, for the life of me, I can’t find it. So just use your imagination, okay?
The top of the farm table was dry and cracked in places and had obviously been used as a cutting board somewhere along the way. The wood was gray and rough and hadn’t been conditioned in years.
Got that mental image?
You sure?
Good.
Then my husband got a hold of said table and sanded down the top, smoothing the rough spots and taking off the old finish that still clung to the wood in places. Then we refinished it and voila!
Isn’t it pretty?
The drawers aren’t in yet in this picture (I was still cleaning them).
I love the legs, too. Gives the table a little umph in the style department!
I’ll share another picture once I’ve got my office organized and up and running again, which will be a few days. I’m writing pretty much 24/7 (when I’m not refinishing tables) on the third Belmont Mansion book. Adelicia Acklen, the mistress of Belmont Mansion in the 1800s, had three special “loves” in her life: art, nature, and music.
In A Lasting Impression, we explore her love of art. In A Beauty So Rare, we delve into her love affair with nature. And in “Title Yet To Be Confirmed,” we learn all about her adoration of music. I’m loving the characters in this story and the journey they’re taking, and hope you will too.
In refinishing this old farm table, I couldn’t help but think about what Christ has accomplished for us through his death, burial, and resurrection. How he’s given us new life, fresh hope, and a transformed eternal perspective.
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life has gone, a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
I don’t know about you, but I cherish fresh starts in life. I stumble and fall so often in my faith. So it’s an especially sweet reminder to know that Christ in us means regenerated life! There’s nothing he can’t make new either. He’s the Master Restorer. And aren’t we grateful!
So, all you DIYers out there…
Have you ever saved an older piece of furniture and given it new life? Please share! I’d love to hear your story.
Blessings on your day, friends,
Tammy
Something Joe shared with me earlier this week. Love it!
Granted, we love sarcasm in our family, so…
Tamera Alexander
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When I first got married, money was really tight. We bought a thrift store table that was gray and dingy. One day I was making something and a blob of butter fell on the table. When I cleaned it up, that one little spot was shiney and pretty. My twisted mind thought “well, if it happened once, what would happen a second time?” So I took a cube of butter and smeared it all over the table. When I wiped it away, the whole thing was shiney and beautiful and stayed that way. That’s been my only experience with making something old beautiful again.
What a fabulous story, June!Butter…the food that keeps on giving (in so many ways!) ; )
I love your desk, Tammy. I bought my desk at a thrift store a year ago and still haven’t refinished it. You’ve inspired me to get busy.
It was fun seeing it come to life again, Lynn. Joe and I just moved it into my office so I’m typing on it now. I thought briefly about painting it, then decided to strip and refinish it instead, and I’m glad I did. I love painted furniture (and plan on painting an office piece or two) but restored wood is so pretty. HINT: Be sure and take a “before” pic. : )
Love your beautiful farm table desk, Tammy – – AND the analogy you shared of Christ giving us new life. What a comforting reminder.
I’ll be eager to see your re-organized office (although I thought it was beautiful when you shared a photo a couple years ago!). I always enjoy seeing the writing spaces of my FAVE authors. 🙂
Prayers as you work on this third book in the series – – cannot wait to read it! I’m sure Little Jack is offering moral support as you write. 😉
Hugs, Patti Jo
Thanks, Patti Jo. I was ready for a change. More Pottery Barn-esque (without the price tag), and less formal dark maple. I’ll share pics once the space is all put together. I love rearranging and redoing but oy, not good timing with finishing this book. It’ll get done, though. I can already hear the characters talking in the background. It’s about time to hunker down and get back to writing for the day. Hugs to you!
I love that table! I have always loved the style of the dark top and the white legs. Tell Joe to feel free to fix up one for me. 🙂
I have never attempted anything like that. My husband can do anything, and my dad could do, but the crafty DIY genes mostly spell DIE when it comes to me. LOL
You know I love, love, love the saying at the bottom of your post. Glad someone is keeping you in line. <3
LOL at the DIE, Linda. You’re so funny. I knew you’d love that saying, btw! Snark loves snark, after all.
And honestly, refinishing isn’t that hard. Mainly time consuming. Chalk painting is especially easy and totally changes a piece. I’m excited to try that out…AFTER I finish this particular book.
P.S. I’ll tell Joe right away. 😉
Fixing up the old lasts longer than the new stuff.
So true. They just don’t make things like they used to, do they? Thanks for sharing, Kim!
I took a old end table that was my grandmother’s and refinished it and it is now in my living room!
Love that, Sheila. Having things that belonged to loved ones is a treasure, indeed. I have a chifforobe that belonged to my grandmother (that was actually my parent’s very first piece of furniture, then they gave it to her). Not “fine furniture” by any means, but treasured all the same.
Your table is beautiful and I love it! I can only imagine all of the wonderful writings that will take place right there. You table is a treasure and more than that, you are a treasure as well!
Oh yes, I love the sarcasm at the bottom of the page!
I have a small round table that was my grandmother’s that turned out beautifully..just needed some tender, loving care like your table.
Old furniture + TLC = Beautiful, lasting treasures : )
Thanks so much for the kind words, Melanie. Hugging you from here!
I love your new desk, Tamera! When we moved, I bought a modern glass topped desk out o desperation and now I hate it. I have a design in my head and Big D has agreed to help me create it but neither of us can find the time so far. It’s fun to pretty up our offices since we spend so much time in them. Mine is messy and not pretty right now but … I always feel so safe and secure, sitting in my room with a view (of the driveway) but still my view!!!
Great post!
Thanks, Lenora! I’m an old world gal at heart, so I always tend to go for the older rather than newer. Love the Big D nickname! Made me smile. ; )
I was astonished to see your table because I had refinished one that looks just the same, but I did mine back in the 70’s. My table was an oval shaped maple dining table that I stripped and then antiqued the legs in that same yellow color. I bought ladder backed chairs and antiqued them in the same yellow paint. Seeing your table took me back to those years and the memories of my children in their early teens. Both my daughters now have daughters of their own in their early teens. Life does seem to go in circles.
Doesn’t it though, Pat! Love that seeing the table brought back good memories. I love the yellow legs, which came that way to me. All I did was clean them up a little. Hugs to you!
It is beautiful! I love the colors! Can’t wait to FINISH the first book that gets completed on that desk. (And yes, I’m bragging because I HAVE read a few chapters of it already. Lucky me!)
LOL! You nut. THANK YOU for all the wonderful catches and suggestions you’re making for me to Belmont #3. Wouldn’t want to write without you, dear writing critique partner since 2002! Have fun in Dallas at ACFW this week! I’ll see you next year here in Nashville when ACFW is at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. Hugs!