The little round table project is almost done too. I just have to decide whether the base is getting another coat of stain or if I'll give up and paint it.
What you you paint the base of a small pedestal table with the top stained dark? (PS, back when this thing was supposed to go into the kitchen and I was really into the country look, I stained the top "golden oak" and painted the base and legs white. I changed my mind and stained the top dark.
Dark like this:
I've tried using a water based "chocolate" stain over the white painted base, but it looks terrible. What I need to do is stain it--but that requires sanding and it is now too cold for that! So, paint it shall have to be.
Black seems "cheap," white too countryish, brown too much like a "near miss" and any other colour too attention getting. It's going into the living room in front of the window with the dark chocolate brown drapes.
Here's a rough idea of what the thing should look like all assembled:
I'm all out of creative ideas for this. Help?
I'm not clever about color, as you well know. But I love that dark stain on the table top. Would a deep wine red be something that would work, or am I being stoopy about color again?
ReplyDelete(Hopefully the other people will chime in on this one -- that table top deserves the very best! And your work deserves to be shown off and appreciated!)
My first thought was white, but I agree it might look too country. I couldn't find any photos in your flickr set of the chocolate curtains. The walls are now cream/white, is that correct? What other colours do you have around?
ReplyDeleteI can think of a few colours which would look stunning with your stained top (sage green, wine red, etc), but can't quite picture where the table will be and what will be near it. Maybe you could look at some Arts & Crafts patterns for some inspiration - they were very good at mixing wood and colour.
That's a great idea Zooza. I love arts and crafts...so I'll do what I can with my friend google. Is there any particular site you'd recommend?
ReplyDeleteNo, this table is going into the living room which I've pretty much ignored this time around. You'd find pictures of it in the Before and after set of the Cure from Fall 06. But you won't find the brown drapes! I've put them up only for winter. I want to re-do this room and "lighten" it up now too!
Green was my first thought and red my second, so I have added exactly zero value on top of SCB's and Zoosa's comments. I do agree you want to avoid a "near miss" color, though.
ReplyDeleteWell, the three of you are narrowing down my choices rather rapidly, at any rate!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to go look at some Arts and Crafts pieces. I'll see what I can find.
Arts and Crafts isn't yeilding much. But a search for "Shaker" is turning up some lovely pieces. I'm still open to suggestions.
ReplyDeletePlum? I've just realised I have one combination that works right here in my kitchen. A plummy purple would go well with both the chocolate and the wood.
ReplyDeleteBlogger went all kerblooie just as I was trying to leave a comment, so I'm going to try again.
ReplyDeleteI just came from seeing Zooza's incredible kitchen pics on Flickr, and was going to suggest plum, but I see Zooza got here first.
Deep plummy red wine??
That plum is beautiful. Did you see all those comments I left Zooza? Flickr wanted me to prove I wasn't a spam bot.
ReplyDeleteI can't do anything about it until Tuesday. I don't have the car again until then--and the paint store isn't open until the evening.
"isn't open in the evenings." is what I should have said.
ReplyDeleteYes, I saw all your comments on Zooza's pics -- I must have left nearly as many (but apparently didn't cross the "potential spam-bot" threshold.
ReplyDeleteThe work she has done is phenomenal.
The work you have done is ultra impressive, too.
The two of you are my Cure heroes.
Thank you. But it wasn't that much really. Just re-painting a room and everything in it. Zooza moved a radiator, for heaven's sake, tore down walls, laid florr tiles, built cabinets, now, that's impressive!
ReplyDeleteHello! I've enjoyed this website, so many varied projects to view. I had a question concerning the tabletop stained darker. Was the darker finish applied directly over the old finish? I was hoping to re-finish some cabinetry in oak to a darker color without any sanding. I appreciate any advice given! Thank You!! Phil
ReplyDeleteHi Phil--Thanks for the kind words--I quess there are a lot of projects, here. Hadn't thought about that!
ReplyDeleteTo answer you question, yes, I applied it directly over the old finish. I'd try it, if I were you--after all, if it doesn't work out, you'll just be sanding it anyway!
Good luck.
Hi Alana, thank you so much for your kindness in responding so quickly! I do appreciate it. I forgot to ask you what brand of finish did you use? I'm considering a 'CABOT' brand of exterior finish; as I can't find a dark brown/black color in an interior finish that I need for the project. Let me also ask you, do you know of any really dark finishes i.e. expresso brown that I could use? I'm sorry if I'm being a pest about this, but you are my only ray of hope!
ReplyDeleteThanks again!! All the best, Phil
Sorry, Phil, I don't know anything about Cabot finish--nor about the wisdom of using an exterior finish. As for colour--you can mix stains to acheive the colours you want--you can also, sometimes, mix in darker pigments. There's probably lots of information about this out there on the web!
ReplyDeleteI used Minwax brand.
I have had problems applying a water based stain over a piece finished in oil--but that's about all I can tell you. Good luck with your project.
Thanks Alana!! I appreciate your input! Phil
ReplyDelete