Customized Table with Reclaimed Wood & Vintage Chairs

Hi, friends!

If you struggle with pulling ideas together, this post is for you! When our client, Sandy, reached out to us, she asked us to help pull all of her ideas and various pieces of her project together. And just what was her idea? To use reclaimed barn wood as a table top for a new (much friendlier) dining table for her family! For the better part of five years, Sandy had a vision to use 200 year old boards from her barn as a table top to replace her current (not so useful) high-top table.

Sandy is a creative person and she could imagine the end result, but she was lacking a couple of things: first, she needed the right base to accompany the (what she knew would be) gorgeous top; second, she needed to find some new chairs that would work with her vision; and finally, she needed someone to get the project done. Well, as things would work out, Sandy scored the perfect base for her table. Sure it was in rough shape, but it was sturdy…it just needed the right top! (This is where the barn wood comes in!) So Sandy reached out to us and got her project rolling.

Shortly after meeting with us, Sandy sent an email and shared that she found some cool, vintage chairs that would work perfectly. Just like the base, the chairs were sturdy but needed a refresh. With the pieces in place, we got to work!

Before Photos

On the left you will see the base that she found second hand. It was a little scuffed up, but the base was well constructed and was sturdy. Similarly, the chairs (one shown on the right) were in pretty good shape with just a few scuffs, but solid in construction. Now that Sandy had all of the pieces, it was time to pull together her ideas into a plan of action!

A really neat part of completing a project

Bonus: Using Reclaimed Wood

It is important to understand that if you have or are considering using any kind of reclaimed wood as Sandy did with her barn wood, you need to know a few things:

• Condition – assess the integrity of the wood; does it have so many splits that it will not be functional?
• Prepped Appropriately – make sure the wood has been dried out and has been cleaned/cleared of any mites or small bugs that would potential damage the wood or would be harmful if not remediated; consider having the wood milled to ensure smooth and consistent lines.
• Ensure the Finish – you do not necessarily need to finish reclaimed wood, but it does depend on where/how it is going to be used. Be sure you double check with a professional to see if it should be sealed or oiled.

And now the after photos.

Just take a look at the top of the table. In working with Sandy, she was able to identify and communicate to us the edges she was hopeful to keep in tact as well as the spot of character she desired to have part of the finished top. We were able to incorporate and preserve those details and incorporate them into the design and finished outcome. It is stunning!

For Sandy’s project, we left the wood as is. It did not need to be sealed since Sandy had a glass top to put on it. Adding glass is a great way to keep things protected while enjoying the ability to see the beautiful wood. And, again, Sandy already had the glass, so she was able to reuse yet another piece to this project!

We used Benjamin Moore Black for the chairs and table base and distressed both so the details and history of each could be honored.

Here’s a picture of the newly customized table and refreshed chairs back at home. Oh, and Sandy also found some vintage Cushman chairs to accompany the set we customized for her. Due to the rareness of the Cushman chairs, Sandy chose to keep them in their original form. We love the combination of new mixed with old!

There isn’t really anything to NOT LOVE about this story, but what makes my heart smile a little more is how beautifully all of the components came together! Sandy reused and repurposed and stayed patient to watch her new table and chairs come to life! Right?! Doesn’t it just make you happy!

Thanks, Sandy, for choosing FunCycled for this project! We are so excited for your “new” table and chairs and hope they will be a place where many treasured memories are made!

If you have a piece of furniture and would like us to restore life back into it, contact me today by visiting our Contact Us page! You can also learn more about our process on our Custom Furniture Painting Page.

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We offer interior design, kitchen cabinet painting, and custom built tables, barn doors, and repurposed furniture. Thank you, again, for working with us and for taking the time to spread the word about what we do. 

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ;)

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