Breakfast Nook Redo - During

This weekend, my dad delivered my free Craiglist table to add to my breakfast nook redo.  I was so excited to see if the ideas from some of my inspiration tables would work.  Rusty and I set it up in the breakfast nook to check on size.  It is a 48" table, and we needed to still be able to open a pantry and back door in the nook.

The size is PERFECT!  However, there is one small problem.  {And I say small because how big could a problem be when the goods are FREE?}  The only problem is that the table top itself is not wood.  In order for us to be able to stain it to match the chairs we already have, we need to be able to strip it.  Here are some close up pictures of each of the pieces for you to see.

Wood pedestal

Salvageable wooden trim 

Wood veneer top

Here is our inspiration photo.  We already have the four walnut stained chairs.  We will need to paint the pedestal and trim white and stain the table top.

How will we press on?  We called up our friends at Black Mountain Furniture {who also made our custom office built-ins} to build us a table top.  They are able to cut it to size and leave it natural for us to stain to match our chairs!


I am still working on getting that room painted, hanging some curtains, getting a drum shade and putting some plates on the wall.  We are very much in the "during" stage.


What's the best free item you ever scored?

Patiently Waiting

For once in my life I waited.  I had an itch to go out and buy a new pedestal table and chairs, but I refused to scratch it.  Well, I was virtually scratching it and trying to find one cheap.  You have no idea how happy I was when my Blackberry went off and Reginia over at The NOT So Modern Family forwarded me a Craigslist link to a FREE table.  That's right...FREE.  Well, by the time I gave her to go ahead, someone else had already claimed it.

No big deal.  I just kept looking.  Reginia kept looking.  Then we get the e-mail that the 1st bidder never came and picked up the table.  So, I snatched it up.  Thankfully she lived about 3.5 minutes from my lovely mom and dad, so my dad picked it up from me and will be bringing it up on January 22nd.  

Here are the Craigslist pictures of the table right now:

After researching and writing this blog, Rusty and I have decided to paint the pedestal and chairs white and strip and stain the table top a dark walnut stain like this:

I am not sure if this table will even work out for me.  There are no chairs.  It is 48".  I might not even be able to open my pantry door if this table is in there.  But do I care?  NO!  Because if it doesn't work, I will just pass it along to someone else or sell it to parlay into my dream table.  

There is no one like my friend over at The NOT So Modern Family.  I spoke with her today, and she is writing a blog all about her strategies on finding these hidden treasures.  After I post this, I think I will send her over my wish list and see what she can find me!

What secrets do you have when trying to find deals?  What is the best FREE thing you ever ended up scoring?