Shabby Chic Dining Room

So the Craigslist ad worked and I had to say goodbye my inherited 70’s black lacquer table that I reupholstered and brought back to life three years ago. I get a little emotional about furniture and it was hard to give up, but I knew I wanted something different, something glam, something that oozed shabby chic and I think I achieved that with my new crisp chalk painted antique table!

The story behind the new table…

I’m lucky enough to have a great group of friends from my years of competing horses. We have such a strong bond that was fostered by our love and devotion to our horses. Even though most of us are out of the sport, we still get together for parties, wine nights, and do practically everything together. I cherish the moments with these wonderful women because I know they will always be there to support and love me. Thanks ladies!

Anyways, one of those wine nights, Mrs. VP (AKA- my barn mother) mentioned she was trying to sell her dining table on Craigslist. I immediately popped up from the couch and exclaimed “I want it”. I ran over an inspected the table. With all the joyful experiences the table witnessed over the years it had minor dents and scratches, which made it a perfect candidate for the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

Thanks to a friend, the table was safely delivered to our townhouse and I was ready to paint.

DIY time…

Chalk Paint is not sold everywhere. Use this link to find a location close to you. I pick Old White with the clear wax. http://www.anniesloan.com/acatalog/North_American_Stockists.html. I found mine at a great store in Falls Church, VA called Stylish Patina. Chalk Paint is a little pricy, but it goes A VERY LONG WAY! I did the whole dining set with just 1 can!!! It’s also so worth it not having to sand or prime! Follow labeled directions for painting and waxing your piece. I didn’t use the Annie Sloan paint brush (way too expensive). If you have a Harbor Freight near you or something similar just buy their medium grade brushes. They work perfectly and for half the price. We bought 10 brushes for $15.

Before painting, remove your seat cushions and wipe down the entire furniture surface.

For the chairs I had a really hard time finding a budget friendly fabric I liked. Willie thought of a great idea to go to HomeGoods and use curtain fabric. We bought two 40” x 84” curtain panels for $19.99 compared to the $80 I would have spent at a fabric store was such a great budget saving option! Getting the old fabric off is the hard part, but then very easy process to measure, cut, and staple the new fabric on.

Last touch to my new dining room was getting rid of the hideous ceiling fan and replacing it with a chandelier and ceiling medallion. Props to my amazing husband who surprises me every day with his handyman abilities!

And voilà…my beautiful new dining room. I hope you all love it as much as I do!! I’m so ecstatic to share new family memories at this table. I can only hope it brings as much togetherness as it did for the VP Family.

My awesome table at Christmas with a stunning floral display from a very talented friend.