Two Chairs, Two Tables, and a Closet

One of the "fun" things about having an alphabet brain is getting obsessive about something for small periods of time then the complete abandonment of said thing.

This brings us to What Did Surely Take Apart Now - the Tables She Hates edition. Oh and Chairs. Wait, and the Closet.

When I refinished the dining table, the chairs no longer matched.  They were also way, way, worn and  inexpensive chairs to begin with.    I've been looking for chairs for about a year now; looking defined as half-heartedly and sort of waiting for chairs to fall from the sky. I don't want new because I'm frugal and would rather recycle.  I've been looking for chairs in second hand shops, reclamation stores, and online.  

Finally, and unexpectedly, I found a pair of chairs on the social media marketplace.  Of course they were located two towns away but they were what I wanted.  Kevin was skeptical about buying chairs we've never sat on and without being seen.  But Pandemic Kevin seems to have given up on me with my projects and ideas.

So, just trying to arrange getting these chairs was a thing.  She wasn't available one day but was available the Friday evening.  I explained it was my anniversary so I wasn't available.  She countered with Saturday morning, to which I'm all "Umm, ANNIVERSARY. What makes you think that would still be an option."  Instead of saying that, I asked for another day.  We finally settled on Monday morning.  

So it was a little exciting to have Something To Do on a Monday morning.  It was about a 40 minute drive so that was nice.  It's in a rural area where Covid isn't a thing (sarcasm) so school was in session, to my surprise.  It was in a nicer neighborhood so it's always fun to roll up in my slightly loud, older SUV.

It turned out that they were what I wanted: sturdy, antique, and worn.  I happily loaded them, stopped at the hardware store on the way home, went home and immediately began to sand them...in my living room.  In my defense, it was raining.  And I'm the one who cleans the house so...

In process and in comparison to the old chairs

They don't look as light as in the photo

Because this is the third time that I've refinished, the process went pretty quickly.  And...I'm mostly satisfied.  I'd prefer them a little darker but so far not enough to do the actual work to make that happen.  I'm nearly out of projects so a return to this one is absolutely possible.  (and so much time has passed since I started this post that I have applied two more coats of stain)

Another view

Photographing something surrounded by windows, sigh.

Now I still want to find two more chairs, in case there is ever anyone else here for dinner.  I want something similar but not necessarily the same.  Because of Lucy's bed, they won't be placed at the table but in my office or wherever until needed.  

This leaves the tables I inherited and didn't want.  Well, the first one I wanted.  It's in the mud room and holds our keys and we've had it a long time.  The second one I did not want, but took anyway because it was important to my mother-in-law. She no longer remembers those tables so super glad I did that. #dementiaissuperfun

The mate to the key table has moved around the house a few times until becoming a side table after our buying chairs/remodeling the living room adventure.  Called into action not because I wanted it but because I needed it.  It had been refinished once, maybe. It has grooves in it where something heavy probably was dragged across it.  Of the two tables, it was in the worse shape.  I have no before photos, even though I am pretty sure I took them.  I'm also pretty sure that I used the snapchat and didn't save them.  Sigh.

Sanded, mostly. The grooves and weird edge can still be seen

Nevertheless, I started with the table in the mud room.  The logic being if it didn't turn out then I would not refinish the one in the living room AND it lives in the mudroom so no one would really see it.  Even a loss is a win in this situation.

Well, looky here. It turned out nice.  The A.d.d. immediately wanted to start on the other table but cooler heads prevailed.  And I was out of some supplies.

Still can't believe this turned out so nice

Now I'm out of furniture to refinish, unless I decide to do my desk.  It's not off the list but it will be a BIG job.  The desk can't be taken out of the room so it would require all the work to happen where it sits.  And the complete disassembly of my work station so I need to think about that.

My last project can best be described by Kevin's comment when he saw it completed: "What the eff is wrong with you."  (said in a funny, not mean way)   I painted our walk-in closet.  I saw it on the interwebs and it intrigued me.

Now most of the closets were calm colors, like greys or creams.  I went a different way.  Years ago, a friend ours painted her windowless bathroom this color and I loved it.  LOVED it.  The paint guy at the little hardware store actually laughed when I asked for it.

So, now I'm sort of out of projects. Until the other day when I learned that I am most likely working from home for the next school term, at least.

Now I've bought paint for the office, I'm looking at refinishing my giant desk, and there is and always will be: Monica's Closet.