An Elegant Cottage Style Dining Set

Sanding table tops is always so much fun. You really never know what you're going to find under the pre-existing varnish. Sometimes it's a beautiful piece of wood, sometimes less so. This time I really hit the jackpot. I picked this dining set up off craigslist two weeks ago. I really liked the lines of the table, and the elegance of the chairs. The table had an old opaque surface on it, so it was dull, flat, and monochromatic. Once I sanded it, I realized the table was two different woods, cherry and walnut, I think, and when I stained it, I realized just how stunning the table was. It's hands down the prettiest table top I've worked on. The leaves are just as beautiful! The chairs still have the original label on the underside so I know the set was made by the Paine Furniture Company on August 26th, 1970.
          I painted the chairs and the table base in Benjamin Moore's Navajo, which is one of my favorite colors- a warm creamy white. The seats were re-upholstered as well. This set would definitely be welcome in my home! Before and afters below!