Thank you to Behr for providing paint to use for this project. All ideas and opinions, as always, are our own.
Reunited and it feels so good.
I’m talking about me and my paintbrush.
This month, our challenge from Behr was to tackle a New Year’s Resolution and bring life to something with paint. Well, this is a project that I have wanted to tackle for YEARS. So, I guess it fits the bill. No one ever said which year the resolution should be from.
I finally gave our dining room table the makeover it desperately deserved. Many of us (okay, fine, you … many of you) are hitting the gym hard to give yourself a body makeover for your resolutions. This curvy lady got a few coats of gorgeous grey paint – the color is dolphin fin.ย ย
And all of the sudden, this lady has got LEGS. You should have heard the cat calls when I posted a sneak-peek on Instagram. (I’m newlywoodwards there, too.)
In case you weren’t around the blog in 2009 (and unless you are my mom, you were not), we painted this table and chairs black. The set was originally a very grainy stained wood and was hand-me-down from my parents. Here’s a recent photograph.
I loved the paint and it’s actually held up pretty well for four plus years of daily use. (We eat at the table almost every day.)ย But the top was starting to show wear and I was wanting to lighten it up. With the seal walls in the dining room, it was feeling really dark. I knew the set would be great in white because my friend Emily at Imperfect rocks a similar table in white.
In the end, I didn’t want it to be as white as the wainscoting. So, I chose a very light grey. Behr Dolphin Fin. I think it’s the perfect contrast to the black chairs. I originally planned to paint them, too. But, now I love them in black. (And my friend Cassie at Primitive and Proper inspired me to try chairs in a different color. It’s a look I love.)
I haven’t decided on the fate of the hutch.
As for the painting, it was pretty self-explanatory. I sanded everything really well so the paint would “stick.” Then, I did a couple of coats of paint with a brush. I used my favorite Behr Ultra Premium Plus paint with primer built in. It covered really well for a light color, but I did add an extra coat to the top for durability. I plan to wax it after discussing it with Cassie the paint guru.
(Also, I painted the leaves, too. I just decided to keep it round for now.)
Because the color is light, I expect it to need touch ups. (I touch up my trim on a regular basis, too.) My favorite way to make this something I may actually do is to have paint right in the room.
So I add a bit of paint to a mason jar and label it. Then, I can simply grab a brush and go to it. This jar lives in the hutch for safekeeping.
So that’s my little makeover for January. If only all resolutions showed such quick results.
So, it’s time to weigh in –
Do you prefer the grey or black?
Did you like this post?
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Christina @ The Frugal Homemaker says
Looks great, Kim! I have a pedestal table that needs to be painted and stained too. maybe a good February project. ๐
Kim Woodward says
I’m holding you to it!
Thanks for the comment!
carrie @ brick city love says
I remember you painting it black in 2009! Looks good light.
Kim Woodward says
Thank you! Five years flies by. ๐
Kenz @ Interiors By Kenz says
PRETTY PRETTY PRETTY!!! And those feet are fierce to the max. I love it so good.
Jackie says
Truly love both! I must say that I am going to go out and get myself that gorgeous Dolphin Fin gray paint for my great room walls though! Have been trying to come up with a gray that works with white walls in just a certain way and your puts did it for me!!! I do know that my dining room chairs will be a glorious glossy black soon!
Jackie Lee
Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication says
The light color looks great on that table! At first I was confused because I’m used to seeing the table with the leaf in the middle. Love that you can see the legs way better now!
Katja @ Shift Ctrl Art says
I like it both ways. It’s very pretty and fresh in the gray. I love the claws on that table!
Julia@Cuckoo4Design says
I’m obsessed with claw feet. Turned out gorgeous!
Kim Woodward says
Thank you! I can’t believe how much more I love the table in a refereshed color. I felt the same way when it went black and I think it’s just something that needs a little update every once in awhile.
Sarah says
Love it! Maybe paint the inside of the hutch the same Dolphin Fin? Mine is painted white with a faint blue inside and I love it! Helps things stand out a bit more.
Kim Woodward says
That’s a great idea! I think a lighter color on the back would look really nice.
Jaime Costiglio says
Loving the grey (and I prefer grey too versus gray :)). As for the hutch I don’t mind it black, maybe a pattern on the interior back only, something lighter, wood tone? Check this shims on the back: http://www.thistlewoodfarms.com/rustic-wood-bookcase
Kim Woodward says
Thanks, Jaime! I love the plank backing inspiration. Thanks for sharing the link. I probably will wait to do anything to the hutch for now. The truth is, it will probably go to storage in the spring and who knows what I’ll want once we build and move. Probably better to wait anyhow.
Although … seems like the planks could be a quicker project. ๐
Erin says
Love that color! I definitely prefer the gray. ๐ Cassie is my go-to paint expert, too.
Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says
Practically our entire house is painted Dolphin Fin. I love it!!
Kim Woodward says
Good to know! I’m planning to paint the walls int he barn this color. It’s a great light color with a little kick. And since the space is so tiny, I want it to be bright as possible.
Amber @ Wills Casa says
The table looks so good lighter! I love Behr Ultra Premium Plus! It’s so nice to skip the priming step!
Kim Woodward says
I agree. I’ll never go back. I’ve painted our entire house with the stuff.
Kayla aka Kilo Bravo says
zOMG those feet. Where have they been hiding this whole time? They totally elevate the room to have a sense of quirkiness and make it feel even more relaxed and inviting! I LOVE those feet. Perfect paint color to bring them out to play!!!
Kim Woodward says
The feet just needed a little highlighting to get noticed! Love them!
Cindy @theflippingcouple says
I love it!! I mean, I really liked the black before but I’m loving the gray. And the lighter color definitely makes the craw feet pop. Amazing.
Are we being honest about the buffet? Because if we are, painting it sounds like a lot of work. So I’d probably leave it. Ha! But at some point it would be fun to paint it just for a whole new look in the room.
Kim Woodward says
YEah. Let’s be honest. I”m not painting it now. Maybe someday? (Maybe not?)
Gretchen@BoxyColonial says
it looks great! I really want to paint my dining room table, too…it’s stained wood on top with a black base, and there’s just too much stained wood in that room. I have been ordered by my mother (who gave it to me) that I can’t paint my buffet because the wood is too nice :).
Kim Woodward says
ha! I love family members who veto painting. my father actually told me that if I ever raised a paintbrush to the grandfather clock, he’d disown me. ๐
Rachel says
It looks awesome!
Trina @ Let's Just Build a House says
i love those legs and those feet!! beautiful. What kind of wax will you use? dark or clear?
Also: how often do you really touch up your trim? We already see some spots here and there and I’m so cranky about it because we are out of the paint we used. blerggg.
Kim Woodward says
Clear wax is the plan. Mostly because I already have some int he basement.
I probably touch up trim twice a year. But I don’t do it all at once. I just kind of work on it when I do a big clean and am working on the trim. Every time I do it, I think I should do it more. It’s so quick and easy.
Alli says
I really like it! It’s really fitting with the rest of the colors in the room. I think you can get away with leaving the hutch black. It will look beautiful if you paint it, but I think it anchors the room!
Kim Woodward says
I think I agree!
michelle@decorandthedog says
Oooo, it’s very pretty. Good tip on the paint storage!
Kim Woodward says
Shoot. Mason jar storage of paint makes me extra trendy, no?
cassie says
i love the light color- it draws attention to those gorgeous feet! and thank you for the shout out, but i don’t deserve any title! ๐
Kim Woodward says
Yes. Yes you do. Jedi paint master