.. . . . . . .Transformation: Thrifty and Nifty

If there is one thing that I am, it is frugal. I learned it from my Grandma Lisenbee and it has stuck. I am a saver, not a spender. And, I love to try new things.

Because of that, I end up doing many projects on my own, rather than paying to have them done, or buying things new. Right before I went into the hospital, I decided I was ready for a new kitchen table. The set we had was one given to us by our parents, shortly after we were married. I loved it. It served us well. However, I like change and I was ready for one.

In checking out the prices on new dark wood dining sets, I realized they were quite expensive, between $800 - $2000, way more than I could afford. In the hospital I even looked at sets online when my dad gave me his laptop to use for a while. So, in the fall, when I was very "homebound" but starting to get tired of looking at the same old surroundings, I started another transformation project.

Here is our kitchen before my "do it yourself" remodel. Our oak table had 12+ years of great use and I was ready for a new table, new fabric on my window treatments and a new look.

The window treatments I made when we first moved in to our home in late 2004. I was definitely ready to update this look. and get some new fabric.

I went about trying to find an affordable table, but to no avail. So, I started searching the classifieds instead of buying new. I found an old set, that included 6 chairs, for $200. The set looked great to refinish, but I knew it would take a bit of work. So, I sanded and sanded, stripped and prepped the blonde wood in preparation for the transformation.

This is a wing of the table I purchased from the classifieds. It had some dings, but overall was in great shape...it just needed some TLC. The wood was very light, perfect for adding some dark stain.

This project was very labor intensive and I still didn't have a ton of energy then, so it took me several weeks to complete. I did it a little at a time, eventually adding 4 coats of stain and 3 coats of polyurethane. It was far more difficult than I anticipated, but it was worth the wait and the effort.

In the end, I got new fabric for the window treatments and got a brand new dining table and chairs, and the whole project cost me about $400, but if you take into consideration the fact that I sold my old oak set, then the project cost was $0! A new look in exchange for some hard work and a few quarts of stain!

The deep color of the wood makes the whole room look rich and new! I love it! Have I mentioned how much I love TRANSFORMATION?? :)