Young House Love

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Finding A Restoration Hardware Table For Cheap

(You’ll get the meaning of that post title in a minute)

Exciting news, guys – we finally found something to take the spot of our too-small pedestal table in the eat-in part of our kitchen.

Eating Area

And we’re happy to report that it’s a lot more proportionate – and functional! – for the space. Now we can seat six or even eight people in a pinch, which has already proven to be useful with our big families (and my spread-out-all-the-tear-sheets propensities). Of course we’re still on the hunt for dining chairs so these are just for the meantime, but man, it’s such an upgrade to have room for adult sized plates again.

Restorationtable9

Just try not to stare too hard at pretty much anything except for the table. So ignore the faux-brick vinyl flooring, all that wood everywhere, and that graph-tastic wallpaper (I’ve already stripped about half of the room– so I owe you a post about that). Let’s just say that when we’re done with this kitchen, the table should make a lot more sense “in context.” In fact, here’s a similar table in a pretty BHG kitchen. Nice, right?

And you’ll never guess where this baby is originally from. I’ll give you a hint. It rhymes with Festoration Blardware.

Pedestal Table Rh

But we didn’t pay $1795 – $2495 for ours. It actually turned up at one of our favorite local shops called The Decorating Outlet (which is the outlet for Shades of Light). It’s where a lot of returned merchandise or used-once-for-a-catalog-shoot items end up – so it’s an awesome place to score a deal (we bought the pendants in our last house’s kitchen and our old bedroom rug that now lives in Clara’s room there). Turns out this 60″ table hails from Restoration Hardware (where it’s sold for $2095) and it was just used a few times in some catalog shots before it sat in a storage room for a while and eventually ended up at the outlet… priced at a cool $650 (a 70% markdown!).

The top is awesomely weathered and the whole thing is made of reclaimed wood (so no two are ever alike). As a mom I like that Clara and the bun can beat on this table until the cows come home and all of those dents will be filed under “character.” See, when I was growing up we had a shiny lacquered table and it was waaaay too precious (there was a certain especially intense spirographing incident where I scratched it and never lived to hear the end of it).

Restorationtable7

It’s nice to know that now I can spirigraph my little heart out without fear of marring some perfectly smooth surface. And really, isn’t that the definition of happiness?

Table Rustic Top

The fact that it’s such a well-made, solid piece makes us so happy (it’s crazy heavy! there’s nothing hollow or veneered about it). I’m hoping it will be one of those hand-down-to-your-kids pieces that outlives me and John. Who knows, maybe in 2113 our great great grandkids will be spirographing the days away on it. Sigh. Update: We’ve had a few questions about where our dining table from our previous house is, and the answer is that it’s in the dining room. The reason we didn’t contemplate bringing that into the eat-in kitchen area is because it’s around a foot wider (70?) and has larger chairs, so it works better in there and would be too cramped for the kitchen.

Restorationtable8

So that marks the second piece of furniture we’ve purchased since moving in around four months ago (which seems to be our pattern since we moved into our second house and bought our sectional and our dining table within a few months). Between our new West Elm dresser and this score of a table, so far we’ve spent $750 less than we did on those two initial purchases for our last house – but since our sunroom makeover is going to come in a bit higher than our patio project (which was the first big DIY undertaking that we tackled four months into that house) we’re most likely going to be on exactly the same track with the ol’ bank balance. Isn’t it funny how these things seem to have a pattern?

All mathy comparisons aside, we’re psyched to have two well-made furniture additions in our new house – especially since slowly acquiring more quality pieces was our goal here (we’ll always love thrift stores and Ikea along with building stuff, but we hope to have a nice mix of things in this forever home of ours). Now if only we could get the chairs for this table right on the first try. If our former dining room chair debacle is any indication, it might be a long road…

But at least our table is pretty. Even with our shinnnny fake brick floors. Just focus on this still life with lemon. Don’t look down.

Tabletop Detail2

Anyone else buying furniture? Or saving up for something solid and beat-up-able?

Comments

  1. Molly says

    Nice table :) We are looking for spools, I know those aren’t super solid, but I am dying to have two of them to use as end tables! We also need a dresser, one that will be around forever… and hopefully fit up the stairs…..

    Reply

  2. Dominique says

    While I love a great deal, my few pieces of “forever furniture” (some still great deals), are my favorite. I’m from the slow-decorating camp for the sake of both finances and finding true treasures. Love your new table!

    Reply

  3. Tara says

    PS – As to the floors, 1) I grew up with floors very similar to those and have memories of me and my brother sliding across them in our footie pj’s! 2) Have you seen Little Green Notebook’s temporary solution for her similar floors with the paint? Very impressive and might be something to consider until you bite the bullet and replace what you have. As always, thanks for your inspiration – your blog is def one of the highlights of my day!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes I loved her floor solution! Ours is one big sheet of vinyl, so I’m afraid it’s not paintable like her awesome individual tile/bricks. Love that blog though!

      xo
      s

    • Jackie says

      Apparently you can paint vinyl floors if you sand them, de-gloss them, and then follow with primer before painting. Would be interesting to see your trials on this.

  5. Brenda says

    Blardware and Spirograph? You definitely get an A on this post. :) That table is awesome! There’s nothing like a good, solid table.

    Reply

  6. Peggy McKee says

    I found an unfinished Woodcraft chest of drawers (maple) by the side of the road. A razor scraper, very fine sandpaper, and rough cloth damped with alcohol got rid of all blemishes–including some blue foam sticker stuff. I was surprised how easily things came off.

    However, food grease and colored liquids, e.g. wine, might be more stubborn. Keep us posted.

    Reply

  7. Gwen says

    LOVE the table! What a great find.

    It seems so similar, though, to your dining table. I’m curious to why you didn’t move the dining table into the kitcen, if this shape/scale works so well there, and then get something different for the dining room … rather than having two similar round tables.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      The dining table is around a foot wider (70″) and has larger chairs/seats more people, so it works better in our dining room and would be too cramped for the eat-in area in the kitchen :)

      xo
      s

  8. Jennifer says

    Wow that is a fantastic deal! I will have to remember to check out The Decorating Outlet the next time I am in Richmond.

    I have a solid wood pedestal table that was my parents and is at least 30 years old. Even though I have replaced it with another table in our dining room, I can’t get rid of it. I love the marks left on it from me and my sister playing and drawing at the table. I can still smell the Play-doh cookies now.

    Reply

  9. Anthea says

    Don’t tell my parents, but I think the score of a particularly intense late-night Nerts game is permanently pressed into the surface of their dining room table. I don’t think they’ve noticed yet, so shhhhhhhh!

    Reply

  10. LucyLu says

    The new table looks gorgeous! Wondering, with it being raw soft wood (no seal?) and all the nooks/grooves – how do you keep it clean? With kids, we had to get rid of chairs that had crannies for crumbs, sauces & liquids to hide; I can’t imagine trying do that for an unfinished pine table? And won’t it water-stain?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      So far even with family (we have had this since the big reveal of what’s in my belly to the fam) we have all used it with water and wine and crumbs and it has been great. You just dust crumbs off like any other surface (there aren’t deep grooves, just sort of a lightly weathered texture) and we haven’t had any drink rings or wine marks or anything (we don’t use coasters or anything). I’m sure it’ll get a stain from something over time (if berries sat on it and dripped through I might have to sand that area but I love that it’s solid wood so that should take care of any surface stuff for the long haul). Will keep you posted for sure!

      xo
      s

  11. Amber V. says

    I have a little jealous rage going on right now. I stop into the Decorating Outlet at least once a month but you guys are ALWAYS scooping me on the deals. I’ve picked up a few lamp shades and rugs for good deals, but nothing that comes close to your swanky table or huge rug (that I think now lives in your living room).

    So, what is your secret? How often do you visit? Do the saleswomen call you when something spectacular shows up? Please don’t just tell me that you happen across these things because this jealousy is not conducive to being as productive a I need to be today!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw Amber, I will share my secrets! My method is that whenever we’re anywhere near there I convince John to “just let me run in” – so I’m popping in there all the time. It only takes a minute and I leave empty handed about 99 times out of 100, but when I do find something awesome (and so cheap) it’s so worth it. I’ve also learned that I have to do two laps (one while looking up at all the lights, and one while looking down… because I totally would have missed this table – it was covered with accessories and had a bunch of chairs around it if I wasn’t pointing my little laser eyes around like crazy). We’ve also found the staff to be really helpful, so for example if I find one light I like but want two (for over an island) I’ve asked them to give me a call if one comes in. It hasn’t worked out yet (it’s hard for them to get the same things more than once sometimes, so the phone has yet to ring) but it’s nice to know they’re willing to call if something does come in that matches your description.

      xo
      s

    • Amber V says

      You’re the Yoda of decor shopping! So wise. That would explain why you get all of the major deals. You are in there WAY more than I am. I find that I like the discipline, or maybe just energy, to ever be really good at thrifting, bargain hunting or craigslist. You’ll always be one step ahead of me… but at least I have this blog to see what might have been =0)

  14. Michele says

    I love this: “It’s nice to know that now I can spirigraph my little heart out without fear of marring some perfectly smooth surface. And really, isn’t that the definition of happiness?” <—- You are SUCH a good momma!!!! <3

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      You have to stop! I always do one loop looking up (at all the lighting) and one loop looking down (I always miss the furnishings and accessories since I’m staring at the ceiling at first, haha).

      xo
      s

  16. Carmen says

    We recently purchased a very similar table for our new home from a local furniture store. We also struggled with finding chairs, but had to pull the trigger on something since we will be moving in a week. We purchased a set of inexpensive chairs from Target to fill in until we find permanent replacements:

    http://www.target.com/p/uptown-dining-chair-set-of-2-grey-white-chevron/-/A-14133885#prodSlot=medium_1_26

    I am sort of in love with them though, so who knows, they may stay for a while.

    Reply

    • Carmen says

      The upholstery scares me too! LOL! But I figure if we ruin them, I can probably slip cover them or invest in new chairs.

  18. Lesley says

    It’s like the Incredible Hulk of tables! It got bigger and during that growth it tore out of its white shirt…

    Reply

  20. Sandy L says

    We’ve gone through about a sofa a year (through hand me downs or room switches) I Would love a solid classic sofa. My husband reaally wants the RH Lancaster sofa! I’ll take anything from RH!!

    Reply

  22. Katie says

    Sherry,
    Where was your original pedestal table from? I’ve seen similar ones on Overstock and Wayfair, but I’m bopping around the Internet trying to find the best price.

    PS – that new table rocks!!!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We actually made that a long time ago with a round piece of wood from Lowe’s (36″) and a thrift store pedestal base that we painted. Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  24. Marlena says

    We moved in August to a new-to-us 106-year-old house and now that we have more space, I’m scouring the internet and Craigslist for deals. Our bed broke (and not in a get-your-head-outta-the gutter way), so we splurged on a bed I’ve been eying for a while. I found some matching coupons, and it’s being delivered on Friday! We’re getting the Hush Modern bed in ocean: http://www.bludot.com/hush-queen-bed.html.

    And I’ve been drooling over Bertoia chairs for eons, but that’s clearly not in the budget, so I found some great knock-offs on Overstock: http://www.overstock.com/search?keywords=metal+side+chair&SearchType=Header#Home-Garden/Garrick-Mesh-Side-Chair-with-Leatherette-Seat-Pad/2615328/product.html?refccid=HVCZSATVU4VIATCKO53RPNSIBA&searchidx=14. They arrived in two days and are happily creating a new conversation area in our living room. I love the hunt – and the compromise!

    Reply

  25. Stephanie says

    I’m over here having my own little pity party… wondering why I can never find amazing steal deals like you can… and then I remember I live in MICHIGAN! LOL!!! Great score!!! Can’t wait to see where the kitchen renovation takes you!

    Reply

  27. Christa Mae says

    Another great addition – I love the weathered look and can’t wait to see what direction you go for seating :)

    I’ve been getting the majority of my “real” furniture from a little vintage shop that specializes in mid-century furniture… my newest score is a 1950’s TV cabinet that has FANTASTIC mid-century hardware, as well as the housing for the old radio and speakers (the TV components were removed, leaving it nice and open on the inside) – and for only $50! While I’m obsessed with quality mid-century furniture, I really wish there was somewhere I could find different styles of furniture for a bargain to help facilitate the whole “eclectic” vibe I want my home to give off. How do you guys come across such great sources for furnishings?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      It takes us a while to find places (we’ve been here 7 years now, so we’ve asked friends and neighbors and even ask at fabric stores where the furniture that they upholster usually comes from). I also like to google things like “Richmond outlet” and “Richmond wholesale” and “Richmond thrift store” to see what comes up and we just drive around and explore sometimes! Over the years you can find some pretty great places!

      xo
      s

  28. Joanna says

    You guys are so lucky with these shops around your city, I mean we might have them in Denver and I just haven’t found them yet.
    Also I seriously thought I was the only one who had a Spirograph incident in my youth, except it involved a REALLY nice antique coffee table… OOPS.

    Reply

  30. stephanie says

    My husband and I saw a spiralgraph at our local wholesale club and had to use all of our strength not to buy it! Those were the coolest. I can’t wait for my daughter to be big enough to justify purchasing one :)

    Reply

  32. Tracey Bradshaw says

    We moved house 10 days ago to home with a totally different layout to our last – we have one from a huge open plan family room where we had 3 large sofas to a long narrow room where only one of our sofas and an ottoman are now living. The other 2 sofas don’t fit anywhere so it’s time to replace them with – couple of comfy armchairs. I know exactly what I don’t want (recliners, wing backs) but not really sure what I do want…. But I’m not rushing into anything.
    Your table is totally swoon worthy – we now have a slightly longer, narrower dining room too, so may also need to look for a longer, narrower dining table.
    I can’t complain though – what a great excuse for switching things up for a fresh new look :-)

    Reply

  33. Jillian says

    I LOVE it! What a great find! Are you thinking about switching out your dining table too for more diversity? Not that you need it, just wondering :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I think for now it’s working in the dining room for us and since it has those woven chairs and a darker stain it feels different enough from the reclaimed lighter one in the kitchen. I’d say they’re cousins but not twins. Haha!

      xo
      s

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I think we like the raw sort of chalky gray/blonde finish right now so we don’t have plans to stain it or anything, at least for now. And those back alley (free!) treasures are awesome!

      xo
      s

  35. Lena says

    The table looks great and I really like it with the modern chairs. Sort of modern meets rustic in a really cool way – that is if I ignore everything around it ;)

    Reply

  37. Sara says

    I had a circle cutter incident on my farmhouse dining room table, there are a few perfectly shaped circles where it didn’t occur to me that I should cut on top of cardboard rather than a table. I have some mod podge from a project my daughter did that snuck through the newspaper, but it all reminds me of the fun we’ve had on the table!

    Reply

  38. Shondra says

    We’re dying to purchase the Pottery Barn chesterfield sofa (2 of them) but at that price, we either need to save for a LONG time or find them on the cheap on Craigslist. Love the new table!

    Reply

  40. Plein Jane says

    Thanks for including the BHG shot — it’s a lot easier to see how that gorgeous table will look with more light around it. Have you thought about doing a banquette? I love the idea, and even have room for one in my kitchen, but the spouse isn’t on board yet. :^) I’m thinking once you make the windows into French doors that open onto the deck, you’ll want to move the table from the center of the room to accommodate foot traffic. A banquette against the wall would be great!

    And how are you feeling about the resurrected Domino? (Not the one packed with old content that’s been around for a year or so, but the new quarterly that comes out starting today with an online merchandising component.) I do get tired of everything being merchandised to death, but am curious about the new issues.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, I’m curious/excited about Domino! I have every single original issue and hold it in such high regard that on one hand I worry it’ll never meet my expectations (like a book-to-movie conversion) but I’m totally giving it the benefit of the doubt! As for the kitchen, we’re planning to turn the windows into french doors as you said, but the wall between the kitchen and living room is going to be opened up with built-ins on either side (like the centered opening between our second house’s dining room and office with those built-ins we loved) so there’s just not room for a banquette, but we hope once it’s all open there will still be lots of room for foot traffic around the table on all sides (into the living room, out onto the deck, etc). Will keep you posted!

      xo
      s

    • Plein Jane says

      Ah, yes — I forgot about that plan! Can you tell that we can’t wait to see what comes next?

  41. Erin@Managing the Manor says

    Your table is gorgeous!! Growing up, we had a large pedestal table in our kitchen. Our family of 5 ate most of our meals there, and I always loved sitting around it, being able to see everyone. I always said I wanted one just like it in my house, but when we designed ours I didn’t think about it because we already had a table. Our breakfast nook isn’t conducive to a pedestal, and I kick myself now for not making the nook deeper!

    Reply

  42. oriah says

    I just got a good deal on a kitchen table too. My eat-in kitchen is little and i have no official “dining room.” I’ve had a solid wood ikea table that i sanded, painted, and restained the top so that it looks more custom and less “off the rack” ikea. It’s only 41″ across which is a good size for my small kitchen. I’ve been looking for a small (46″ or less) round table that has leaves for a few years now and have had no luck until last week. Finally, i scored a round solid wood pottery barn table with TWO leaves that extend the table to 72 glorious inches for $100 off craigslist. I’m not fond of the dark stain on the table and plan to give it a similar treatment that the ikea table received and adore it for many years to come.

    Reply

  43. Melissa @ HOUSEography says

    Looks awesome in your kitchen… maybe setting the vibe for your down the road remodel? I kind of like the contrast with the crisp modern (wipeable) chairs. Maybe those particular chairs are not the winner but perhaps something equally modern would do the trick.

    Reply

  44. Brooke says

    Love the table! We just got a new one too, purchased with money I got from my late grandmother’s estate. She’d be happy to know I used it for a gathering place for family and friends at holidays and other occasions. It replaced my dinky apartment-sized gathering height table. I didn’t get a picture from the angle that shows how it fits into our full eat-in kitchen, but this is it in the dining area. http://tinypic.com/r/2ic2wb6/5

    Reply

  46. Megan says

    That table is eerily similar to mine which did not come from any form of Festoration Blardware but I still love it. Ours is stained/shinier but I have a feeling that won’t last long and it will turn into a more weathered piece whether I want it to or not. Fine by me. Currently trying to find/make some kind of table/storage piece to stash my records and various decorative items in. A credenza? Even typing that makes me feel fancy.

    Reply

  49. Cori says

    Really, really gorgeous. And it will look even better with a new kitchen; I can’t wait to see what you do in there! I know you plan to take your time before diving into renovating the kitchen, but are you thinking of keeping generally the same layout, since you’ll have this spectacular table to sit in front of the beautiful future french doors?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, generally we think things will remain sort of the same (the french doors out to the deck will be centered behind the table, which will stay on this side of the room, etc).

      xo
      s

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