This morning we shared pics from our recent thrifting trip and I promised you more details about a certain table that we adopted (along with my cleaning/restoring ritual for old musty wood) so here’s the rundown. We really liked this cool Moroccan accent table that we found at the first place we went (Love of Jesus Thrift here in Richmond). Especially since it reminded us of a few designer ones like this that are selling for $260+. So at $25 for a solid wood table with awesome lines, we took it home.
Boy was in rough shape, so I:
- gave him a wipe down with a damp cloth with a tiny amount of Mrs Meyers soap on it, just to remove the crud in the cracks, cobwebs, etc
- let him dry completely outside in the sun for a few hours
- gave him another wipe down with a damp cloth moistened with white vinegar (that helps to get rid of musty odors)
- let him completely dry out in the sun for a few more hours (vinegar + sunlight is the best way that we’ve found to get that musty old smell out of wood)
- brought him in and introduced him to our bedroom
Another optional step is to apply some sort of wood conditioner or oil to gloss things up if the wood is dry/matte, but I usually only do that when I’m sure we’re leaving something as-is (more on that in a minute). He’s still definitely not mint looking (his pretty ornate top is gorgeous in some areas, but still a little beat up in others) but a lot of the items that we bring home are in what we call a “trial phase” at first anyway.
That means before we rush to refinishing them or painting them or somehow adapting them for a certain spot, sometimes we like to leave them as-is, just to think things through a little more and see how we like them before doing anything too hasty slash hard to undo (like painting something we’d later wish we had left well enough alone). Hence waiting to oil or condition the wood, just in case we later decide we want to refinish or paint something, which is then all greased up and glossy.
Although his top wasn’t perfect when it was bare, once we added a stack of colorful books and a small potted plant, you could hardly tell. Totally works for now during his “trial phase,” right?
Here he is from afar. Don’t mind the weird rug placement, we’ve been meaning to shift that so it’s less awkward. I just need to ask John before he sinks into the sofa late at night, never to stand up again. Haha.
It’s kind of cute how the legs of the table tie into the pattern on the rug. We like that it’s subtle so we don’t have any plans to paint the table turquoise or anything too obvious. It’s actually really nice to have some dark hits of mocha in the room (thanks to the big leaning wall mirror and some oil-rubbed bronze frames around the rest of the room, which you can see here).
My favorite thing about the whole piece is that ornate wooden top. So I went picture happy and snapped another close up for all the wood-loving folks at home. It almost looks like a big Moroccan puzzle.
One idea that I had was to paint just the inside edge of each table leg white, so it would highlight the shape ever so slightly.
See how in this picture the legs sort of turn into one big blob because they’re all the same color and you can’t make out that cool keyhole shape as well from afar?
Now imagine just the lip on the inside of each leg being a clean white color? Might be a fun mix of old and new.
What do you guys think? Is it crazy to touch this guy at all? Would you paint the whole thing? Or just refinish it to clean things up a bit more?
Psst- We picked this week’s giveaway winner – click here to see if it’s you.
I wouldn’t do a thing. It is a stunner. I wish I had two just like it. Ha!
What a great find! I love the color as is, especially since it matches the legs of its neighbor chair.
what a great find! i agree a lighter color on the inside edge of the legs might really make the shape stand out — but it looks great already. thanks for the tips on sprucing up old wood – i will definitely have to employ them on my next find :)
as always, y’all rock!
I personally love it as is! But you guys always seem to amaze me so I am sure whatever you do will be so great!
Oh my gosh – what a fantastic table! I like the idea of only painting the inside part of the legs – but maybe, instead of white, introducing a bright red to the piece. I think with the dark wood, that could look really incredible!
That’s fun too!
xo,
s
That would be cool! Maybe try it out with a few different colors of painter’s tape and see what works?
I love that idea!
I love your idea to make the legs POP just a bit with painting the inside a different color. Maybe not stark white, but maybe using some of your wall color, or if that’s too dark of a gray maybe add some white into the mix to lighten it up a bit…. Good Luck. Either way it is a steal of a piece. AND I wouldn’t worry about the imperfections in the top, it gives it character.
That’s a fun idea too!
xo,
s
this.
great find! Where is that great photo above the chair from? I couldn’t find it in your “where’s it from” section…
It’s from allposters.com or art.com. I forget! Haha. I got a print and mounted it to canvas. There’s a post about it on our projects page of that helps:)
xo,
s
What about a fresh finish for the outside and a light(er?) painted surface underneath? Cool table either way you go – leave as is and it’s instant “patina”.
Another fun idea!
xo,
s
Such a great find!!! Maybe try your photoshop skills to see how it would look with a little color on the inside legs? That ornate top is gorgeous – love it!
I love the idea….beautiful table…I’m jealous
I see what you mean about its being blob-like in the photos. It’s kind of really pretty the way it is, though.
Wow – gorgeous find!! As soon as I saw it in your room I thought the same thing about your rug! Plus, sometimes you have the morrocan pouf in your bathroom nook (I think?), haha!
What if you stained that lip a lighter color – to try to match the lighter colored wood of the patterned top? Then if it’s TOO subtle you could still paint over it..
That’s a sweet idea!
xo,
s
Yeah, that’s what I was thinking! :)
You could look at Moroccan objects of art for inspiration. Cool find!
Instead of white as an accent color (which might be too contrasty) what about a taupe-ish color? OR, what about a glossy navy blue that might be more shiny, but not BAM! white line?
Pretty!
xo,
s
I would definitely paint the whole thing ;) but you can start with the edges for a more defined look like you said. Hey, you can’t go wrong here :)
I love that idea about painting it slightly. What about a gold color maybe? You have such creative ideas!
Another fun idea!
xo
s
I was going to suggest gold as well – like this cute little ikea hack, where she added gold just to the corbels to give it a little more oomph.
http://www.lacquerandlinen.com/ikea-table-hack/
So cute! Love all the ideas everyone!
xo,
s
Yeah! Gold leaf! That would look authentic and awesome.
If you must paint this beauty, it’s gotta be gold!!! It’d be much more Moroccan than white. I just love your find. You have such an eye for great furniture!
Yeah dudes, gold! Martha Stewart has the most gorgeous gold paint in a tiny jars at home depot.
I was going to suggest gold too. I have some gold Martha Stewart paint that I bought on a whim, just waiting to find the right project!
I like gold too! Leave the rest of the wood as-is (it’s be-a-u-ti-ful!) and maybe even do gold leaf (though I have no idea how that works…)! It’d really bring out the Moroccan vibe!
It’s a gold rush!
Beautiful piece Sherry!
I think the white on the inside sounds really interesting – why don’t you try taping some white strips of paper to the inside, or use some white masking tape to see if you like it?
If you do, be sure to post a pic!
Love that idea!
xo,
s
I was going to suggest the exact same thing. I think you should try doing one side with plain ole beigey making tape and one edge with blue painters tape just to see if you want a hit of colour.
I love it as is! I am so jealous of it! I.want.one too!!!
Great find!
I think it looks great as is. Love that it’s got the keyhole look going on to match the rug without being too matchy!
I would not touch it! I would stain if you wanted to but I’m not a fan of painted and natural wood. It’s a beauty without it.
I totally don’t mind painting an ordinary wood piece but this is so unique. I’d leave it as is too. A little wood in an otherwise super coloured room adds more texture, I think. Great find!
What if you gold-leafed those edges?
PS- I love that you’re not going to paint it – I think it would lose some if its mystique that way!
That’s a fun suggestion too. Love all the ideas everyone!
xo,
s
I was going to suggest gold on the inside of the legs too! The shine might be fun while at the same time the color a bit more subtle against the wood than white. Awesome find!
I second the gold leaf.
Gold leaf sounds awesome! And very keeping with the morroccan vibe.
Love the updated/spruced up table but my detail oriented brain thinks the chair in the bedroom is new or new to the room????
That guy has been there about half a year I’m just bad at sharing that corner. It was super on clearance from Joss & Main. I think $180!
xo,
s
Don’t touch it! I think it’s beautiful as is.
I think the white lip would make it that piece that makes you stop and go “wow’ when flipping through a catalog or walking through someone else’s house. I definitely vote team white.
I love it! What a great table! It’s the best of both worlds with the beehive geo shaped top and the curvy Moroccan legs! I can’t wait to see what you decide to do to it!
Ooooh, I love that! I agree with the others, what a great find. We just recently moved to the Washington DC area and I can’t wait to hit up some of the thrift stores.
I love him- especially the top!! I like your idea of just painting the inside of the legs to make them pop. Do that and oil him up and he’s ready to go. Err…you know what I mean. The only other thing I might suggest is to do something to the top since you’d said it was beat up in some spots…also, thanks for the wood care tips!! :)
Great table. Beautiful as is. I’ve also seen these tables with the inside painted a high gloss color like red or yellow — I mean the whole inside, not just the lip/edges of the legs. That looked really cool, too.
Another fun idea! Thanks for all the tips!
xo,
s
That’s a great table! I’m not 100% sold on painting it, but to see how it would look, you can always just tape some white paper on the inside to get a feel for it.
That’s a great idea!
xo,
s
That table is great! Have you thought about a silver(or gold) leaf for the leg accent instead of white?
That could be fun too!
xo,
s
just what I was thinking! gold would be perfect :-)
I love it! Like, so much that I want to steal it (but I’d leave you my not nearly as awesome side table as a replacement/sorry for stealing your table gift ^_^).
I think as is the table is gorgeous but painting just the inner edges could be the icing on the cake. In theory, I’d photoshop it first and see how I liked it. In reality, I’d get excited, paint it, hate it, then get stuck trying to remove it. -__-
Now headed to make diabolical plans to steal aforementioned table. *insert evil laughter here*
as I was reading this, I was totally thinking how cool it would look if you paint the inside edge of the legs. Imagine how excited I was when I saw that’s what you were thinking. I say go for it! It might also be cool if you outlined the pattern on the top, but still kept it mostly natural.
How about gold on the inside lip of the leg. I think painting it would make it really pop and gold might compete less with the cool shape and classic look of the wood- might even look like it was original to the piece…
So many fun ideas! Thanks for sharing everyone!
xo
s
I love your idea! I think it’ll really highlight the design! Then again I’m not exactly a wood purist so take that with a grain of salt :)
Such a pretty table! I’m pretty sure I’d need to see a Photoshop mock up, or maybe a trial with some masking tape on the inside edges of the table, to see if it’s really the right choice. Either way though, gorgeous thrift store find!
Not sure, but would like a photo of the Moby globe on this piece.
Love the table! It’s beautiful! Personally, I wouldn’t touch the legs! They’re awesome as is. Maybe you could tile the top of the table like the one you link to in your post. But I’m sure whatever you do will be great! All of your things are. Thanks for sharing!
I love it, but I feel like it would look a lot more “Sherry and John” if you added a bit of modernity with white on the insides of the legs.
I like it as-is. However, one thought is that I think it might look cool with the inside lip of each leg painted the same gray as your bedroom walls. White seems pretty “harsh” to me; but the gray with the wood (at least in my head) seems like it might be pretty phat! ;)
That’s fun too!
xo
s
Great find! I was thinking maybe you could put some white duct tape or something similar on the inside of the legs to give that idea a trial run too :)
Oops,looks like a couple of people beat me to that suggestion, haha :)
You guys are smart. I love that idea.
xo,
s
Love the mix of items you guys are buying recently! I feel like this house is a great mosh of styles. I think a solid paint on the interior leg edges might be too harsh, but what about sanding those areas down and doing a tinted stain? I could see a really subtle/woody teal or grey or navy.
Can’t wait to see what you guys come up with!
That’s another fun idea!
xo
s
Love the table! Gold leaf paint (or any metalic) on the keyhole edges might be cool! You could even paint a few of the details on top to make them stand out, or the outside edges which look a little banged up. A colored wood stain could be great too (maybe green or navy). So many fun ideas. (c:
LOVE that table! Maybe we need to make a trip to RVA to go thrifting!
love it as is! just needs a little luster – the top is way too gorgeous to paint (and i am usually a strong advocate for painting almost anything)
good score!
IT’S GORGEOUS! I am loving those legs!!!!
What a great find.
Absolutely gorgeous. I love the legs on that table. So pretty. I keep seeing cute tables like that in TJMaxx and I want to take them ALL home.
I kind of like the painting the inside edge of the leg white, that’d look cool. Or even making the entire inside white and leaving the rest wood might look awesome. Kinda like the funky side-table version of Clara’s dresser.
I like it as-is. I think your idea to paid the inner edge is great too! It would make the piece super unique and that’s always awesome. Maybe try to photoshop those pictures above to get a good feel for how it would look painted?
What an aweosme find! I’m definitely drawn to leaving as-is.
Darn, I was hoping I was the winner. :) Love the table, wish I could find something like that here in AZ but our thrift stores rarely have good finds. I agree with adding a nice detail to it. I would love to see how it looks with a metal finish on the inside of the legs. I think it would give a nod to the architectural detail usually found in moroccan decor. Maybe a silver/gold/brass leaf (if they even make it in brass)
That would be fun too!
xo,
s
That table has me intrigued! It’s BEAUTIFUL! I’m a wood-lover myself, but I agree that the definition of the legs gets lost. What if you painted the whole underside of the table (instead of just the inside edge) a rich red color or used gold leaf like Krissy mentioned above? And you know what I think? The little lantern you used in your last Budget Blooms post would look KILLER on that table! It’s kind of Moroccan-esque, don’t you think?
Good luck!
We thought about the whole inside thing too! Definitely another possibility!
xo,
s
Awesome table!! Looks great next to the rug. How ’bout just taking some masking tape (the old fashioned tan kind) and putting on the inside table leg for a trial run. Cheap/easy/removable. What about painting the tape before you put it on? You could even try a tape of color if you had some. Might even be easier than Photoshop. Great find!
You guys are smart. Love that idea.
xo,
s