I Bought A Dining Table!
Since the beginning of this year, I’ve been checking Facebook Marketplace at least once a week for dining tables available in my area. I’ve told y’all before that the Marketplace offerings in the Waco area are terrible. The stuff on Marketplace in my area seem to fall into one of two categories: (1) junk, or (2) items that people want way too much money for.
I’ve found several dining tables over the last few months that I thought could be contenders for our dining area (i.e., the breakfast room that is currently set up as a sitting room with a TV), but each of them had their issues.
For example, I was interested in this one. It’s made for a leaf, which is good, but it didn’t come with a leaf. That’s not a huge problem. I can always make a leaf to go in a table. But the person was asking $275 for a table that clearly needs to be refinished.
So that’s how my search for a dining table on Marketplace has been going since January. I almost gave up, but then yesterday morning I decided to check, and I actually found a table! After eight months of searching and waiting patiently, there it was!
It’s this Ashely 48″ round table that extends to 72″ with a leaf, and it sells new for $650.
I’ll be honest with you. I generally have an aversion to Ashely furniture. When Matt and I first bought our little condo, we bought an Ashley sofa. And within months, the arm on that sofa broke. The whole thing just wasn’t very well made, so I pretty much swore to myself that I’d never purchase another piece of Ashley upholstered furniture again. And then my personal ban on Ashley furniture extended to case goods as well, even though I never had any personal experience (and therefore, no problems) with Ashley case goods.
But when I saw this table listed for $50 on Marketplace yesterday, I contacted the seller immediately. I love the shape of the legs, and the size of the table was perfect. It looked like a very solid table, but it was listed as “fair condition”. I laughed at the description which said, “Well loved dining table with original artwork on it by my child.” 😀 Evidently, her child had decorated the top with markers and/or crayons, as well as some glitter, which remains embedded in the wood grain on the top. But I don’t care about any of that because, of course, I’m going to paint it.
When I got there to pick it up, they had taken it apart so that it would be easier to load. So I brought it home and immediately put it together. This is a really heavy, solid table, y’all! I’m not saying that it’s solid wood. The top is clearly a veneer over a cheaper substrate. But the legs are very sturdy. The table isn’t wobbly at all. I think this is quite a bargain for $50!
I didn’t have time to move the recliners out of the room, but once I do, the table will obviously be centered on the windows under the light. I’m not sure yet if I’ll keep the leaf in the table or if I’ll remove the leaf and use the round table for general use and then bring the leaf out only when needed.
It took all of my self-control not to get my sander out immediately and sand down this table top.
You can see where it’s been stained with what looks like crayons and/or markers.
And the top has a heavy grain to it. But again, I don’t care about any of that. The whole thing will get sanded and painted.
But now that I have a dining table, of course, my mind has been busy planning this room. I still don’t have a design plan in mind, but I do know that I want the TV out of this room. And since the shelves were built to go around the TV, I’ll probably be removing the shelves as well. And I also don’t think I want a buffet on that wall anymore.
Instead of the buffet on that wall, I want two matching buffet-style pieces to flank the door to the pantry. Since I’ve stripped this room to use those items in other rooms, I’m pretty much working with a blank slate in here.
And since this will be a dining room instead of a sitting room/TV room, I also want to find a really pretty chandelier to go over the table. Maybe I can repurpose this light in the storage room if it’s not too big.
So I’m pretty thrilled with my purchase! I’m so glad that my months-long search for a dining table is over, and I found one that will work at an incredible bargain price. Now I just need to get to planning the rest of the room. The next big challenge will be finding six matching dining chairs that I like at a reasonable price.
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Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
I see you are planning to sand off the art. If you are comfortable with it, share ways you’d remove the included art if you wanted to keep the finish. Do it and show unless it leaves something that makes repainting difficult. Somehow the finishes and materials around are always changing.
You sometimes have a different take on clean up that’s actually helpful. Not expecting the next clean-tok sensation, just practical this-is-how I do it.
So where will you and Matt watch TV meanwhile? Does Matt not use the recliner anymore?
He really doesn’t. Since he’s way more active now — getting out of the house, going to the gym, spending an hour-and-a-half on his Theracycle each day, etc. — he’s spending a lot more time in his wheelchair than he used to. So when he’s finished with all of that, he hasn’t wanted to sit in the recliner. He wants to sit in bed. I’m okay with it for now since he’s not spending ALL day in bed, and he’s sitting in bed and not lying down all day. But when we get the sunroom converted into a TV room, hopefully he will have had enough time in the gym by then to feel like he wants to sit up even longer in the new TV room. I’ll certainly be encouraging him to do that if I can do so without him feeling like I’m nagging him. 😀 But for now, he’s working really hard, so I don’t push the issue.
I am so glad you were able to find this round table and leaf. I also agree with you that using the table as round and only using the leaf when needed is the route to take. It will open up the space. Good for you.
A thought: you could search for four matching wooden chairs and use two upholstered chairs on the ends.
A set of four is easier to find, and a pair of upholstered isn’t difficult, either.
When the leaf is out, park the upholstered chairs elsewhere – perhaps flanking the pantry
Glad you found something you like, and for $50, it’s a steal. Facebook Marketplace is very hit or miss where I live as well. If you need further furniture, kitchenware, or decorative bits, one good place to add to your search is https://www.estatesales.net/. I got a Henredon banded mahogany dining table with 3 leaves for $550 at an estate sale.
What a great resource! Thank you!
I have this table! Mine is grey toned base with walnut colored top. I keep it round for daily life and put in leaf as necessary. I have been very happy with this set (with 4 chairs) even though I have same thoughts as you on Ashley. I searched a long time to find style, shape, size and color to work in my space.
If you remove the buffet and recliners as you said, it looks like you have plenty of room to leave the leaf in. The table will become the statement piece in the room. Our large dining room table is the gathering spot in our home for visitors.
Agreed! I’m thinking it will be perfectly scaled to the room with the leaf in. What a great find, congrats Kristi.
I love the table—can’t wait to see how you will paint it! I hope the deep blue/purple buffet finds a place in your home—it’s such a beautiful color!
I’ve been meaning to comment on your newish photo—it’s lovely! You look so serene! 🩷
Love the table! As a kid, ours was this shape with 1 leaf in, but as we grew up Mom loved keeping it a small round. Ahhh, the memories….
I think you have the start of a great plan! Getting rid of the buffet will open up so much visual and physical space, and the areas next to the pantry door are the perfect place to put some new storage. I like the table left as an oval- it fits the shape of the room perfectly 🙂
Now you have so much more motivation to finish up the storage room!
Oh, I love your new-to you table! I’m thinking round….but leaving the leaf in would be great too! Can’t wait to see what you do with it….and when you find chairs! Your patience has paid off very well! As with the rest of your home….your dining room will be gorgeous when finished. Can’t wait to see the ceiling fixture over the table as well!
I’ve always wanted a dining room….we have an eat-in kitchen….*sigh*….
LOVE IT!
And gotta admit all that cat photobombing is da bomb too!
Great find. You will make it special. Nice to see both cats hanging together amicably.
Kristi, I am very happy that you found the perfect table for such a great price. It would be great if you went through all the steps to refinish it. I bought a dresser on market place and thought refinishing would be a fun project. The top is now very streaky with stain and poly and the paint rubs off the rest of the dresser because I did not know about putting latex over an oil based paint! I want to shove the whole thing to the dumpster! All this to say, I would love a step by step tutorial suitable for a kindergartner! All in good time of course!
Great find on the table! I’ll miss seeing the buffet as I used the same color to paint a sweet vintage side table. Sadly, our new build doesn’t have a place for me to use it. However, I’ve enjoyed it for many many years. I’ve used so many of your decorating ideas.
On a side note…….kitty in the chair. Just for giggles…..check out “Dilute Torties Cats of Facebook.” The coolest cats ever and surprisingly share some crazy personalities. 😻
I think you are in a calming era (based on what you did in your foyer). Fewer little decor items filling spaces. With that buffet wall blank you might go with some large art, maybe a dyptich. Then the buffets flanking the pantry with some nice lamps. Let the space breath a bit with less in it. Plus, you want eyes on the pretty fountain you will put outside those windows.
Nice score!
That is phenomenal! I love, love, love a great bargain, and you found one! I can’t wait to see what you do in this space. I forgot those walls flanking the pantry door were so bare, and it was a shock to see a space in your house that is so bare and lacking in color. I am excited to see how you transform this space. 🙂
Very nice table! So exciting! If you change your mind about painting the top, Rockler’s Wood Working sells some amazing wood veneers. It is easier than you think. You will enjoy having a dining room again!
I remember your comments about storage on the back wall in the kitchen and under the counter in the dining room being 10″ deep instead of 12″. Your buffet has deeper storage and could hold things you use for entertaining. It also gives the room a nice ambience and focal point. I visualize a pretty arrangement and using it as a buffet server.
Using the table round for daily living, gives Matt more wiggle room to move around the table. I can hardly wait to see what you decide to do!
Congratulations on a great purchase! Have you tried Goo-Gone on the crayons? What color were you considering painting the table? It’s great to hear that Matt is more active, does he have any problems with the rug in the dining room with his wheelchair? Love the fur baby photobombs, lol. Tiger looks more comfortable in the house, and I see Cooper peeking over the table in the background. They want to be where Mama is!