Delicious Changes

Today's projects revolved around food, though not in the normal sense. Rather than cooking something fabulous (which I've been considering), I decided to make our eating spaces fabulous, instead. I cheated a little and bought some new chairs for our kitchen table at Ikea yesterday. The old chairs are going to Goodwill in hopes that someone more skilled than Jeff can give them new life. (Seriously, these chairs are really wobbly, and every time a guest sat in one I was afraid it might fall apart! Jeff fixed them repeatedly, but the last year or so he hasn't been able to make any progress with them.) Luckily for me, tall and shaggy knows how to follow Ikea picto-grams and use basic hand tools to put the chairs together after a morning trip to the grocery store. (By the way, can I tell you how much I love shopping on Monday morning! It's one of the best things about summer break!)

Once the chairs were together, I had to find a way to spruce up the table as well. It occurs to me that the before photo doesn't really show all the flaws with the glass top. First, we used it outside for awhile (at another house) and it became a little sand blasted with small abrasions on in. In addition, when we purchased this table (ump-teen years ago), we thought it would be easy to take care of since it is glass. (Just wipe it off, right?) Of course, the trouble is you have to wipe it off every 10 minutes! Suffice it to say, I've been itching to get rid of that table for awhile - and that was the plan. However, after looking at the money for paint, accessories, etc., I decided we couldn't afford to put in a new kitchen island (read much larger with a bar seating area) at this point. Thus, the old table has to stay awhile longer. Enter contact paper. That's right, as I was strolling through Home Depot (waiting for my cabinet paint to be mixed) I stumbled across a display of contact paper in a myriad of forms. (The stainless steel was really cool, but didn't seem to go with our decor!) I decided that $6.50 was a small price to pay for a new table top that I didn't have to flip and paint from the bottom (which was my first intention). The one I chose looks like black leather and feels pretty soft to the touch, giving the initial impression that the table has been upholstered. While it took a little patience to get out ALL the air bubbles, the end result is pretty great - especially with my new chairs.

Before - with the new Ikea chairs and scratch up glass

After - with a smooth, durable surface

While I was working on chairs and tables, the dining seats called to me. These are sturdy metal chairs with a cushion attached by several screws. They've been recovered numerous times, but this project got a twist because I decided to paint the frames as well. I purchased Rust-leum Painter's Touch spray paint. It promised double coverage, and at only $3 a can, was one of the least expensive options. To be on the safe side, I bought four cans, but only needed about two and a half. While I don't know that the it actually covered twice as much as a "normal" can of spray paint, I didn't have to go back for a second coat and the finish dried to a nice, glossy black. However, the best thing I bought for this project was a trigger sprayer for paint cans. This little plastic gadget was $2.50 well spent. It clips to the top of a spray paint can and creates a sprayer with a trigger that is much easier to hold and control. In addition, the trigger - which can accommodate two fingers - saved my index finger from a good deal of pain and swelling. If you're going to paint anything large, invest in one of these!

In addition to painting the frames, I put some fresh new fabric on the seats. After posting photos of several swatches, Jeff and I chose a modern floral print. Eventually, the dining table (which is pretty scratched up) will get a coat of white paint to match the cabinets, but for now it is a staging area for other projects. I can't help but imagine how beautiful it wall all be when it's done.

Before - in bronze, brown, and red tones

After - looking fresh and sassy in classic black and white