Kitchen Nook, Phase 1: Kitchen Table

I am in the process of making our new house a home. Room by room I am completing projects... and creating new ones along the way. The list is overwhelming, but I am a seasoned veteran in the field of ridiculous project lists. 

My current project: The Kitchen Nook. 

We have a nook in the kitchen with a loooong built-in bench. It has been an awkward empty space for the past few months. The bench is in dire need of cushions to protect the white paint from the inevitable scratches that occur from daily use (read: small child), and our table is so unsightly that it has been hidden under a tablecloth.

Husband has also remarked on more than one occasion that "the house of white could use some color." So, I felt it was about time to do something to get the ball rolling...

Part 1: Make the table presentable.

This was my table in college. It was already a paint-stained, water-stained, worn mess when I acquired it (notice the large stains on the non-primed side) and the center leaf was non-existent. It was gathering dust in my mother's basement until I asked to take it home and revive it for our kitchen.

I decided to paint it a light 'robin's egg blue/green' color to add a little color to the kitchen. 

For those looking to paint furniture here are a couple of great links for tutorials:

Paint Makeovers: An Expert Tells All

How to Paint Furniture: A Beginner's Guide

This table took three coats of primer, especially to thoroughly coat those spindle legs. Using the sage advice of the above links, I sanded after each coat of primer and each coat of paint. The end result was far better than past attempts when I just threw on a coat of primer and paint. As this is a kitchen table, I plan on adding a layer of polyurethane on the table top to prevent wear of the paint layer. 

Here is the finished table. The color is Sherwin Williams #SW 0059 "Frostwork."

Project 2: Sew covers for the pillow inserts...

To be continued!