Two-Tier Black Coffee Table

Today was one of those days when I wore myself out painting. Even though I can barely move, it was so worth the sense of accomplishment in getting so many projects completed and new ones started.

I was also able to photograph the completed pieces and will have a few days of reveals for you.

Let’s start with the solid wood, stained coffee table…

Here’s what the table looked like after it was sanded down. The true before included water stains on the the tabletop and on the legs from it being out in the rain. Looking at this image, it reminds me of a finish you’d see in Restoration Hardware. I was so tempted to just bleach-wash the wood and seal it with a clear coat; but the cigarette burns on the table top prevented me from leaving the natural finish.

I love turned legs and knew that even with a black stain these would stand out beautifully.

Up until now, I’ve used mostly paint on wood surfaces. With this one, I wanted to maintain some of the wood grain. By using a stain I could do that. A stain also goes below the wood surface, making the finish more durable. A slight knick would still show black rather than paint chipping away and leaving a lighter primer showing through.