Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Dining Room Table Transformation - Part One

"Puffery".




That's the first word I heard this morning.

Kevin said it to me before he even opened his eyes.

"What?" I replied.

"I just had a dream that you were creating a new design style called Puffery". He answered, with his eyes still closed.

A giggle immediately shot up from my tummy and out my mouth.

"Really? What was it like?" I asked him.

"I don't know, I woke up right after you told me what it was called." He answered, now with his eyes open and a silly grin stretched across his sleepy face.

"That's hilarious." I said with a reciprocating smile. "I'm gonna have to blog about that tonight."

:-)


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So there ya have it.
My husband is now dreaming about fictitious design styles with really weird names.
Must be all the polyurethane he was exposed to in the
guest bathroom.
Which, by the way, he's taken a well-deserved break from for a while.
Yeah, he was itchin' to start a project in a room with a bit more natural light, and I'm happy to report the changes he is making are looking sensational! He's looking forward to writing a blog post about the whole thing sometime within the next couple of weeks!

Anywho...
After our "Puffery" discussion, I hopped out of bed, scarfed down my usual breakfast of Marshmallow Matey's and a couple splashes of OJ, then headed in to my office for a few hours of design consulting.

Around noon, my stomach informed me that the Matey's had "left the building", so I slapped together some bologna and cheese and a couple of pieces of wheat bread. I'm a no-nonsense-I-don't-really-care-what-it-is-just-feed-me-now kind of eater. Plus, eating fast afforded me some time to squeeze in a little DIY project during my lunch break today.
Remember what I was dreaming about doing yesterday?





Well, I started doing it. :-)
I sanded down our dining room tabletop!

As you can see, I painted the legs Sherwin Williams' "Alabaster" a couple of weeks ago. And believe it or not, they're actually pretty heavily distressed, but for some reason it's hard to see it in these photos.





The whole job only took about an hour. First, I took the bulk of the existing stain off with a couple of 50 grit sanding pads. Then I went back over everything with a couple of 80 grit pads, and then a 120 grit pad to make the surface nice and smooth...



When I was done sanding, I created some faux "worm holes" to give the top a little more farmhouse style-charm.



I ended up just using the larger of the two nails, and I only had to tap on it two or three times to create each hole.




Tomorrow, (after my bologna and cheese) I'm going to attempt to give the newly-sanded top a whitewash/driftwood-look finish. I'm using these tables as inspiration:











Wish me luck, and have a happy Wednesday!

Layla


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PS- My friend Sarah was feeling extra generous after reading through all your sweet comments on the Whitewash Sundries giveaway post, soooooo she's going to ship out TWO sets of nesting herb crates!

The winners are...




Cate and Celeste

Congratulations ladies! I hope you enjoy the crates!
You can contact Sarah at Lolipop565@aol.com to claim your prize.

:-)



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77 comments:

Amanda@Imperfectly Beautiful said...

Gorgeous inspiration pieces! And I feel sure yours will be equally as stunning. You've got some serious skillz, lady!

And when you figure out what "Puffery" looks like, I wanna see!!! That is hilarious.

~Amanda

DustyLu said...

ohh i love that table!! looks amazing. Great work. Can't wait to see the finished product! You have inspired me once again! ~lulu

Laura said...

Your table is going to look amazing!! You're inspiring!!

Laura@6lalas.blogspot.com

Dreamy Whites said...

I love the table. I just love the way you write. You crack me up!
Take Care,
Maria

My Cottage Charm said...

Puffery huh..........you'll def have to come up with some design ideas for such a unique name! :) Can't wait to see how your table comes out! I have a few projects of my own going.......I'll be blogging about them soon. :)

Kate Riley said...

Pink PUFFERY hearts coming out of my head by looking at those whitewash inspirational photos. SO charming. Can't wait for the reveal, I'm sure it will be stunning !!

Amber Filkins said...

Your table already looks fabulous! I love it with the dark. I love it with the lighter. Can't wait to see it when you're done.

♥ the inspiration pieces too!

Ginger@cottageonrosewood said...

I've been itching to lighten up my dining table for a while. You just made it even worse. Love it. Can't wait to see it complete. Puffery...hmmmm. Maybe Kevin could give us a better idea of what that looks like. Ha!

TheVirginiaHouse said...

Looking good! Can't wait to see the finished product. Congrats to the winners of the crates! I think I'll just have to skip on over and buy some for myself as soon as I find some pennies...

Ange said...

I would love to know how you go about white washing your table. Looking forward to seeing the end result.
cute outfit btw ;o)
Angex

Erin @ The Impatient Gardener said...

I'm so excited that you're doing this to your table because I've been thinking about it but didn't even have a clue of how to go about achieving that look. Do you think one could pull this off on a tabletop that was veneered? It's a thicker maple veneer that's been stained (a color that just doesn't work).

Oh and I'm hoping the marshmallow mateys and the orange juice aren't consumed simultaneously. Although I eat feral in a very strange way so who am I to question whether you put your OJ onTOP of your cereal.

Christine said...

Great job, you are a super-fast worker!

OurGreatEscape said...

"Puffery" made me think of pluff mud which reminded me of the awesome t-shirt my daughter has (http://www.pluffmudapparel.com/).

Perhaps some decorating with "mud" is what Kevin was dreaming about. ;-)

Now, I've got to go find my sander. There are some tables awaiting distressing.

Vanessa Greenway said...

The table will look great Layla! Can't wait to see it finished!

Laura Trevey said...

Love the inspirational photos!!
... and the mask is lookin' good!

Kendall@ Finesse Your Nest said...

Wow! It looks great! Can't wait to see the finished project.!

Shari said...

I see what you are going for, but I kind of liked the dark shiny top. Looked good with the white legs, too. Anyway, I'm all for the worm holes. I'm sure it will be great.

Britney said...

Beautiful! I'm extremely glad you're posting on this and telling the process of how you're doing it. I've wanted to attempt something like this, but never quite knew how to go about it. Good luck to you!

Magic Brush said...

I am queen of worm holes! Ha! They make all furniture cuter! Good luck!

Michael Wurm Jr said...

I seriously can't say I've ever heard the word puffery in my life. Is that sad? Anyway... I just heard the word for the first time last night in a Dominio's pizza commercial... then to my surprise here it is on your blog! Weird how things happen like that!

Oh, the table, stunning! I'll take one!

Leslie said...

OMG - there was a commercial last night that used the word puffery. It apparently means exaggerative, not based on truth. I think... I did get my info from a commercial though!

Ms. Witi said...

I just noticed the grass around you and got stuck on that...oh, how I long to see grass and get outside in a sweatshirt.

(The table looks great too!)

Cheryl said...

Layla, i was laughing hard after reading the puffery story. too cute. He just might be on to something there...maybe the continued story will be tomorrow morning.
You look great in anything Layla. You looked like you were having fun sanding down the table. The drifted wood look will give it that final look you are wanting.
Looking foward to seeing Kevin's post.

Anonymous said...

Love the look! Great job! It's fun refinishing furniture, isn't it?

Sylvia (at) Lily's Pad and Petals said...

Can't wait to see the finished table - You are so talented.

Cottage Dreamers said...

I can't wait to see how the table turns out. I think I'm going to do that to my own table now too! I've been wanting a farmhouse table but, of coarse, there's no $$$ for that in the budget, but I can handle this (I think!)

As I was scrolling down to leave this comment, my own name caught my eye, btw. I won a set of the crates!!!! Aaaaahhhh! My excitement woke my sleeping children! Thank you! And Thanks to Sarah!! You guys are the best! Now I'm off to Sarah's.

Bonnie @ House of Grace said...

looks great so far, you are awesome!

Sjn said...

Love the white-washed tables. You're doing good work girl!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful inspiration. This table will look like it is a treasure you picked up while beach combing. (If only it were that easy!)

Puffery? I hope it doesn't involve "puff paints" !

I love how you just fit creating in on your lunch break. Such a talented woman!

- Deborah

Anonymous said...

Silly you! I think the table is going to be just "puffery perfection" that is! I have two tables that I would love to tone down but I..(believe it or not) am a bit scared to paint them. They were one of the first pieces Marc and I bought together that were new. Took us two years to pay for them Yikes!
ps... you are adorable with any look you wear~
Susie Bloop~

The Kramer Angle said...

I don't know why but when I read "puffery" it reminded me of the puffy shirt episode on Seinfeld and it gave me a good chuckle!

I can't wait to see the finished project!

Hana said...

Puffery??!! How hilarious! Can't wait to see that style....big oversized upholstered pieces that are uber comfy!


As for your table...I am JEALOUS! I'm on the hunt for a farmhouse table as we speak. Haven't found one yet (cheap enough). I may have to have it made cuz I'm no carpenter. Yours is looking FAB. Thanks for the inspiration!!

Rie said...

Your husband's dream is hilarious! Puffery... maybe he has something there. :)

Anonymous said...

great inspiration images, love it!

Traci@ Beneath My Heart said...

The table is looking gorgeous! I think it is going to turn out perfectly. I'm looking forward to see how you do the whitewash. I've never tried that before.
Blessings,
Traci

Unknown said...

can't wait to see the finished product!!

Jennibell said...

I have the same exact table!!! My leaves have the same detail in them as the top though. A couple of weeks ago I posted a "what to do with it?" and linked it. . .I'm anxious to see what you and Kevin come up with :)
http://jennisseasons.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-should-i-do-with-this.html

Cate @ A Tree Lined Street said...

OMG! I have never won anything in my life! I am beyond excited! I can't wait to show you where I put them! (Did I use too many exclamation points? I don't care. I am excited!)

rustic rooster interiors said...

You two are too funny! I love your inspiration tables... Can't wait to see how the table turns out. It's already looking good sanded & with the legs painted white. Love it!

xoxo,
Alexandra

~CBT said...

Puffery is said in the new Domino's Pizza commercial in reference to Papa John's pizza's! Maybe he saw the commercial just before falling asleep! =)

AnNicole@Our Suburban Cottage said...

Lookin' good...both the table and the sweatshirt and mask ;).

Pine Tree Home said...

I love reading about your day to day- including tidbits about real life bologna sandwiches. I'm excited to see how your table turns out. Mine is in need of a major makeover.

Anonymous said...

Well.... It might be good... It could be something special...
Puffery. Just don't let it involve anything to do with sweatshirts.

Crystal said...

Oooh I like the new look already! Can't wait to see the rest! Thanks for sharing!
Crystal

geri said...

I may just have to take the change I have and cash it in directly to a machine, then go directly to Home Depot for a sander, then go directly home to sand all the pieces I have painted to paint them again.
It is never ending how much fun it is to change the look of things or move the furniture around for the 100th time for little or no money.
Love the new look of the table.
Can't wait Layla to see your "abra-ca-dabra" on it. geri.

Anonymous said...

You sure he wasn't dreaming about Domino's? I think I heard "Puffery" in one of their commercials yesterday. It does seem more complimentary to a design style than pizza though.

Wendy said...

Okay, my dear, I expect you to come up with a design style called Puffery, and then reveal it to the world...you can be the next Rachel Ashwell. Ha ha!!

Lovin' the table. Can't wait to see it all finished!

angela walker jewelry said...

Looks beautiful Layla! Can't wait to see the finished piece.
Health and happiness,
Angela

Stacey @ The Blessed Nest said...

*sigh*...just lovely!! I'm sure your table will look amazing! And Puffery....you just may have somethin' there! :)

SeaWorthy said...

SaWeeeT! Im craving that striped wood floor myself, too.

--and yes, that look is awesome on you, you little DI'yerselfer..

puffery..a cross between pink shabby chic and rustic-ery..
hmmmm. he may be onto something, that dreamer of yours
XxXxOoOo
CoastalNest

Ashley Schott said...

i can't wait to see what you do! i'm sure it will be fabo!!!

Anonymous said...

LOL.. too funny! he must have been watching television before he went to sleep. there's a new dominos pizza commercial that defines "puffery" as an exaggarated claim not based in fact. :)

This Little Nest said...

Love the vision for your table! I love the DIY projects over at www.thislittlenestblog.blogspot.com! Must be nice to know that your projects are the inspiration for others!

Nina Diane said...

haha...Kevin must have been dreaming about that commercial that was shown last night and they said "puffery"....subliminal

Southern Fried Charm said...

"Puffery" is on the new Domino's pizza commercial. I read your post early this a.m., but just saw the commercial. I instantly remembered you telling about Kevin's dream. So, he wasn't just deaming about design, he was dreaming about pizza too ;)

Aja said...

Oooh, love this! Can't wait to see how yours turns out! I'm sure it will be beautiful and puffalicious!! :)

the little red rowhouse said...

I am about to embark on a similar project! Nothing to do at home but DIY, with 50 inches of snow and counting outside!

Melissa Stover said...

i love the smell of polyurethane! i actually craved the smell when i was pregnant. weird, i know. my dining table is like that with grooves and i love it, but we do school on that table and all kinds of gunk gets in those grooves. but it's fun to wrap a paper towel around a butter knife and clean them out. we are easily amused.

Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia said...

Puffery, it just sounds silly :) The table is going to look gorgeous, can't wait to see it!

kathy from ct said...

No Fair! You eat bologna and look like that? After seeing all the Blissdom pic I would think you were vegetarian or, at the very least, a healthy eater. Hmm, maybe you take vitamins. Go figure.

chris said...

Puffery (n.) exaggerated statement based on opinion. Not fact.

This is from a Domino's Pizza commercial. So I am thinking that Kevin wanted some pizza and he wanted you to design it!

Jess said...

Looks like it will turn out beautiful! I just did something VERY similar...go check out my table and my post about refurnishing it.http://thehillsarelivin.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-everyone-should-know-about.html

Anonymous said...

Love the way your table is looking! The inspiration pieces are wonderful...can't wait to see how it turns out....:-)

Cottage Rose said...

Love the inspiration tables,, and your's is going to just a gorgeous.. it is a great table to redo... really looking forward to the finished project.... you are very inspiring to me,, thank you.....

Hugs;
Alaura

Cathy said...

Oh that is going to be beautiful! Hmm makes me want to try it on that old dining room table I have! LOL, I'll put that on my list after the fireplace. Puffery? LOL too funny! Maybe y'alls hands feel "puffery" after you work so hard. LOL

{{Big Hugs}}

Cathy

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

I love the inspiration photos and can't wait to see what your finished table looks like!

Puffery?! Awesome!!!

Meredith said...

I read your post yesterday morning about puffery, and I had this nagging feeling that I had heard it before. And then in my seminar yesterday we were talking about legal puffery - it's where businesses are allowed to build themselves up a little bit but they can't go overboard. So maybe design puffery has halfway-overstuffed furniture? :)

Have a great one!

LesleySW said...

Really nice. Love the inspiration and I'm really impressed with what you're doing!

Jami said...

Loving the vision for the table. I have a few pictures of me looking like that!LOL

Samantha said...

This looks great! I have a pew which I bougth from the charity shop a while back that I aim to do white wash on, it looks like it has the same colour stain on it as your table, and have been wondering if I should sand it back or use a varnish stripper on it, but having seen the results you have gotten with the sander I think that is probably the way to go!
Thanks for posting this, by the way what kind of sander are you using?

Ana White said...

I LOVE all of those tables, Layla! Thanks for inspiring!

Andrea said...

Did you know that 'puffery' is Dominos new kind of pizza? I saw a commercial and giggled about Kevin's dream!

Ajflynn23 said...

I actually heard the word "puffery" yesterday on the Dominos Pizza commercial. Maybe your husband heard the commercial too, and subconsciously dreamed about you designing it! It's an actual business term meaning; flattering, often exaggerated praise and publicity, especially when used for promotional.

Just thought it was funny to hear this word in your blog and then hear on tv two days later! :)

As always, I love your blog! Can't wait to see what projects you get into this week!

-Amy

Adam and Natalie said...

I just saw a commercial for Papa Johns all about the word Puffery! Maybe Kevin is making some late night pizza runs and dreaming about it later?

Lauren Caldwell said...

I recently visited your blog after my mother saw you on CBN and I must say I'm obsessed with what you've done to your oh so CUTE house! SOOOO much inspiration for my own home! Thanks for such great ideas! I can't wait to see what you have in store for your chairs! :)

Shelly said...

Hey there Layla,
I was watching the Olympics last night, and a Dominos Pizza(I think it was Dominos) commercial came on, and on the screen pops up the word "Puffery" and a definition next to it, having something to do with crust.
But seeing Puffery totally made me think of you and Kevin, and I completely lost the message of the actual commercial. Haha!

Shelly in Kansas City
shell_anna@msn.com

Mommy, M.D. said...

Sweet Layla,
Would you please do a post about dining table centerpieces? I want mine to look pretty everyday, and I have trouble doing that in a realistic way. I can do special occasions, with tablecloths and flowers and candles, but what about ordinary days? What are some ideas that don't involve fresh-cut flowers? And are halfway kid-friendly? I'm thinking of something seasonal, that can be left out for a few weeks without needing to be messed with. I would love to see your ideas..... thanks girl!