A few weeks ago, my husband announced he would be making us a kitchen table. That's right making us a table. You see, Vince likes to work with wood. He likes to make things with his bare (and manly) hands. He thought it would make a nice anniversary gift (in September - it's called thinking ahead).
Anyway, he was really pumped up about it. He isn't in school this summer, so he figured he had plenty to time to work on it. He began making sketches for table designs. We wandered around furniture stores looking at tables for ideas. After consulting with me on what kind of table I like, he began making new sketches. They were remarkably boring. They looked a lot like a rectangle on sticks. Not because he is a bad artist (on the contrary), but because that is what I wanted - a plain table top - single piece of wood - with straight legs. No embellishments, nothing fancy. He kept hoping I would ask for something cool, but I guess my taste in tables is quite dull.
When we had firmly established my boring table designs, he began researching woods. We talked birch, walnut, maple, cherry, alder, oak, and several more. He knew all the best kinds of woods for a table - not too soft, or all those future children will leave their mark, literally. Not too difficult to work with. Not too expensive. Anyway, we had it narrowed down to birch, which was proving exceedingly difficult to come by. No one seemed to stock it in pieces that were the right size. We were on the verge of choosing something more grainy and readily available - oak. We had even started experimenting with stains that would get whatever wood we ended up with the perfect shade of cherry red. Apparently, despite the simple designs, my choices in wood grain and color were anything but easy. After staining a piece of oak several times only to be frustrated in our color designs, we decided to make one last visit to a furniture store to reassess my color choice. It just so happened to be Memorial Day. There just so happened to be a sale. We just so happened to purchase a table that was the right color, design, and grain. It also came with the added bonus of four chairs. That was the clincher for Vince (really, a table sounds easy compared to chairs)!
Now let's talk bed frames...
6 comments:
LOL! I hope Vince isn't too disappointed. This story reminds me of so many things in life, mainly when you think you are going to do something yourself because a) you can do it better b) you can do it cheaper or c) you want a little piece of yourself in it. Then you a) never get around to doing it b) find it much more complicated than it originally seemed or c) just want it done and give up trying yourself. This is the story of my life.
I think your table choice is great. It is elegant and practical at the same time. I'm glad you found it on sale too.
It's totally a great table. I can't tell you how many projects like that we've abandoned (making our own crib, refinishing various pieces of furniture, etc.) finding that between labor and cost it's usually cheaper and easier to just buy it,though not as sentimental or fun, it does save a good portion of aggravation! :)
That's funny. It's the thought that counts :) Cute table too! We just bought one this week too...it's similar style but plain black. I have even more plain taste than you apparently :) I'm super scared of embellishments, color, design, etc.
Leela, sad but true. He really has said he's going to make a bed frame for us. I guess I'm just hoping it means we will eventually buy one :)
Kell, it probably did save us money. Although, I would like him to make us something...maybe just a shelf :)
Rach, the table we got is all one color too. I'm a fan of not trying to match stuff somewhere down the road.
Ha! That's awesome. Well, enjoy your new table. It's lovely. And I'm sure Vince will still make you something...September's not for a little while anyway. :)
Oh, that's funny! Glad you found just what you were looking for even if it's not homemade! Can't wait to see Vince's plan B project!
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