This table has been a big part of my life. As a child it was my parents dining room table. Back then it was stained with a dark mahogany color that was quite popular in the 1930’s.
Birthdays, Thanksgivings, Christmases and Easters were spent around this table. Christmas cookies were frosted at this table and tea parties were held. I can hear the laughter, and the jokes and almost see the smiles from my family of yesterday, if I stand close enough to this table.
Then for a while the table got lost. I’m not sure who had it, but I do know it didn’t get used. I think it was in a basement.
Then I got it. I was with my ex-husband then and we brought it home to our apartment. Then I made new memories with my two daughter’s at birthdays and holidays.
By then, the old table was not looking too good. The once beautiful mahogany finish was scratched and faded and rather unattractive. But in many ways, it was a piece that had a history about it.
When I divorced and remarried the table came with me, and my mother offered me the matching piece, a china cabinet that had been sitting in her wet basement for years.
I looked at the old table and the cabinet and saw years of use, which had caught up to it, like a worn out favorite toy.
Slowly I started to sand away the scratches, and grime. As I sanded and stroked the table I could feel it coming to life under my fingers.
Under the mahogany finish was solid red oak! Imagine covering that beautiful wood with mahogany stain? I stripped the cabinet as well and found the same red oak wood.
I went to the hardware store and selected a stain. A light red oak stain. Lovingly I rubbed it on until the wood began to glow. Then I alternately polyurethaned and sanded it until a bright glowing finish had been achieved.
This table has been with me almost all of my life and I suspect it will remain with me until my final days. My table and I share a lot of history together and as I look into the future I see we will make many more memories before it’s job is done.
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That is such a lovely story. I think it’s so cool that you restored it, too 🙂
That’s a really beautiful table 🙂
I love that table!
I had the table for a little while, but then we got one a better shape to fit our kitchen area. I always loved that table too and I am so glad you lovingly restored it.