Friday, September 13, 2013

BBQ Table Meets Coffee Table


Let me tell you a funny story
that didn't start well
but 
that does end well
in a beautiful piece of furniture.


that's what we all love to hear, isn't it.

Last week I bought a very outdated coffee table. 


That lace doily makes me laugh...
I thought I'd just remove the glass and paint the table underneath.

It turns out that the table was just a frame with a very thin bit of ply underneath that glass and I didn't feel I wanted sell it all flimsy like that.

That very same afternoon I was asked by our good friend and neighbour to do a photo shoot for his new website
(check out his facebook page here as well - what do you think of my photos?)

At first The Chief Hanker asked me to take photos of the hankies from above on a white piece of cardboard
To get the right angle I decided to stand on our barbeque table
forgetting how old and rickety it was...

and that I possibly might need to loose a little bit of weight


Whoops
(and this is after we'd cleaned up the mess)

Luckily I escaped unscathed
not so lucky was the bbq table.

Just the week before I told Phil I hated our BBQ table. When he came home and saw it broken, shattered all over the ground, he asked if I'd planned the whole thing. I said "no but I'm not entirely unhappy about it." He asked if I already had another one picked out.  No, I replied, but it won't take me long as I know where to find good furniture.
Then Jonty piped up and told Phil that I danced around laughing when the table broke. 
Not helpful to my cause, my son.

I proposed that the hankies would look better photographed against the fence 



and

that the BBQ table should be introduced to the coffee table.


It was a beautiful union!



A match made in heaven I think.

I cut the boards to size


and sanded them back, and white washed them with a soft grey paint - would that be grey-washed them?
Then waxed them and fixed them into place.


I then antiqued the details with dark wax.





I think this is a very charming rustic French table now. It is a pretty soft grey and the boards give it a uniqueness that I love.




Don't you just love it when a plan comes together

and guess what!

I now can go shopping for a new barbeque table!

I am beyond happy about that! LOL.

The coffee table is for sale. 
Please email me for pricing and dimensions.

Fiona xx


PS the beautiful little clay plate on the table is from Marley & Lockyer. You can buy them here. (although I think she may be sold out at the moment but Ness is always making beautiful pieces so keep an eye on her page)

14 comments:

  1. oh it turned out beautifully Fiona. Wish I lived closer. Glad you are okay.
    Have a lovely weekend, Adele

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  2. Love furniture that has a great story! Well done!

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  3. I really love what you do with your furniture. And these photos are so pretty. How do you find the inspiration?

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  4. Wow! Look at you! Who would have thought to combine them? It goes so well in your living room. So what did you do with the doilies? ;)

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  5. Fiona,
    This table is so beautiful. I love how you find these pieces with such gorgeous detail and then masterfully paint the carved areas in a contrasting color. You recently did another accent table with similar detail that I still swoon over...
    Robin

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  6. What a lovely transformation! Clever girl, you! 😊 LOVE IT!💕

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  7. Lovely job - planned that so well!! Ha ha.

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  8. Yay for the bbq table!
    I love it Fiona. You always do an amazing job, but this is brilliant...and thank you so much for the mention too!
    Ness xx

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  9. Well Fiona that is the most perfect marriage between 2 styles - LOVE LOVE LOVE - what a gorgeous table!!!
    XOXO

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  10. The table looks great Fiona, I did lol at the doily shot, how funny! Happy BBQ table shopping, yay! I love the hankies too, what cool prints!
    xx Karen

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  11. such an amazing difference! i adore this table!

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Thanks for taking the time to comment! Sorry if you have trouble commenting, you can always email me at lilyfieldlife@bigpond.com