It’s funny how special something becomes when you put a lot of work into it, isn’t it? This dining table and chairs is no exception. Each part has a story and a reason.
The wood for the table top is reclaimed mahogany from a historic building in Salt Lake City a few years ago. My husband was working on the building, and the boards were torn out and destined for the trash. They’d been painted, but he knew what they were, and brought them home. He planed them the day we brought our first baby home from the hospital. And then they sat for a while while life got crazy.
Several years later, I found a set of chairs at Goodwill for $12 each, and I was so excited I felt like I’d robbed a bank. And while they weren’t the color we wanted (the were two-toned),
I loved the simple style and knew they’d look fabulous with the table we knew would be coming.
We determined that we had to start the table before we moved to California (because we’d sold our other table and chairs) and even though we were trying to finish a kitchen renovation and pack up our house to move Chad got to work painting and lacquering the chairs
and building this table top.
The mahogany is beautiful. He filled the nail holes with a black putty so they stand out and tell a story. I love the rich stain and the quality finish. He worked so hard on it, and it’s gorgeous. He brought it home the day before we moved.
Once settled in our new house, some storage cubes became our table legs until Chad could create the base. He wanted to make it out of steel, and it was so exciting to see him cut, weld, and sand to create something so beautiful out of a steel beam.
It was fun to see him include the girls in the process too.
The final paint went on beautifully. And once we put the top on the base, I almost cried it was so beautiful. When I see it, it brings back memories of our first tiny baby (who is now 3), the hours of work, the stresses of moving, Chad’s amazing skill, and how everything comes together to create a story.
This isn’t just a dining table and chairs. It’s a creation three years in the making, and I love it.
I'd love to hear your thoughts–leave me a comment!