Pls give design input - painted wood, mismatched wood, bench seating etc.

[Tita Gidge]

I have issues.

 

About lots of things, really, but in this case with symmetry.

 

I need things to be symmetrical. To flow. To go.

 

So I am moving my brother into a new house. The breakfast nook has a built-in. It's walnut. Pretty enough.

 

His table is a mahogany, and definitely more red than the cool, brown walnut.

 

It's not different enough to look intentional. It's driving me crazy.

 

Do I paint his built-in so he can keep the table as-is?

 

Do I leave his built-in and paint the table/chairs instead?

 

Do I throw a tablecloth over his current table, and switch out the 2 chairs on the built-in side for benches that won't show?

 

It's not an option to let it go LOL. I tried for one whole day yesterday, and ... yeah, no go. It's still crawling up my craw.

 

 

This table will get heavy use - not sure how painted tables hold up.

 

The built-in has shelves and will hold his cookbook library - so regular use, but not super heavy.

 

We have a zillion table clothes but I don't know how practical benches are for everyday living.

 

 

 

Who's BTDT and can help?

[kiwik]

Is the table built in? If not and it really annoys then sell the old table and get a new one. Paining nice wood is criminal and doing it well is hard anyway. We had some build in bench seats as kids and they work if you have the right table.

[gardenmom5]

I grew up with bench seating in our house, my grandmother's house, and my aunt's house with a very small nook. great for kids (and we just climbed out under the table if an adult didn't budge fast enough.

 

I would support a bare wood table, but the idea of painting mahogany is heresy to me. depedning upon the prep work of the table, and with what it is painted, it can last. otherwise, keep the walnut and paint the built-in.

 

what are the finishes on the wood like and what is their condition like? to me, that would be the first question I would ask before I chose which to pain. I refinished a kitchen table and used four coats of marine valspar on top. I can do anything to that table (except hot pans) and nothing happens. (well - dudeling decided to clean his latex paint brush on the underside. dh has now sanded it off, and I have to refinish that area again. not. happy.)

[Melissa in Australia]

the poll wouldn't let me vote as I didn't wish to vote in all sections.

I love wood I don't care if it doesn't match or other stuff like that.

painting walnut and mahogany is a crime that should be punished by locking up the perpetrator in a room made entirely of mismatched wood ( I am joking)

[Happy]

PIck the least precious and paint.

 

lol

 

I LOVE painted wood. I also live with a husband who does not. So we have discussions like this often.

 

I painted our breakfast table with a good quality exterior paint. It does okay. I really need to freshen the color and give it two or three coats of poly for durability.

 

I'm also a fan of tablecloths...it's a good way to buy time while a decision reveals itself.

[SpecialClassical]

Years ago while watching Extreme Home Makeover (one of the relatively few episodes I watched) I thoroughly agreed when a designer passionately declared, " You don't paint MAHOGANY!"

 

Please don't do it. Please. I am with you on symmetry and balance and flow. Really, I am. Go with a tablecloth and bench.

[bettyandbob]

How is the bench built in? Can it be removed, the wall patched and painted and use matching chairs. My sil had a built in bench in her house. It was a bench and had storage. She took the whole thing out and it looks great.

[happi duck]

What about a tablecloth and cloth covers for the chairs that don't match? (instead of tablecloth and not using the chairs)

[Tita Gidge]

the poll wouldn't let me vote as I didn't wish to vote in all sections.

I love wood I don't care if it doesn't match or other stuff like that.

painting walnut and mahogany is a crime that should be punished by locking up the perpetrator in a room made entirely of mismatched wood ( I am joking)

 

Re: the poll, I had the same problem on another poll/thread. Feeling silly that I didn't consider that when setting up my own, duh!

 

Sounds like Room 101. That's enough to cure me of any desire to paint my brother's table!

 

(I had no idea mahagony was such a favored wood. I don't much care for the red, and really thought it'd look nice painted. Now I know better LOL.)

 

The table is in excellent condition. It's very sturdy, no gouges or water marks or nicks. My brother oils and waxes it, so I suppose it'd need to be stripped before we painted it? I planned to hire a professional painter, I wasn't going to do it myself. I'm not patient enough. I prefer to supervise and delegate ;))

[Tita Gidge]

I think I'll take the suggestion to tablecloth the table for now, and see if a solution will reveal itself over the next few weeks.

 

And by solution I mean I'll go shopping and see which I can find first, for cheapest - either slipcovers for the chairs or a long bench to replace the chairs on one side of the table. (The bench isn't built-in, I'd be buying one so that whatever color it is .. it is low enough to not clash with the walnut built-in.)

 

The chairs aren't straight-backed, they top wood piece curves a bit. I haven't found any slipcovers that fit the chairs properly. I've only looked at typical stores (Target, department stores) so is there somewhere else I can look that might have more options? Maybe I'll look around online. I hate buying without seeing, feeling, sniffing (don't judge me!) first though ...

 

In the meanwhile I moved the mahogony chairs away from the walnut built-in hutch. They were taunting me. Haunting might be a better word. I put his leather ottoman there for now, which isn't exactly attractive but nobody can see it since it's under the table (and the kids are fighting over who gets to sit on it) LOL.

[Melissa in Australia]

:thumbup:

[lailasmum]

Is it actually mahogany though or just stained that colour? If they aren't precious I would probably stain one with a coloured varnish to match the other. Then the finish is durable.

[Parrothead]

Why on earth are you considering painting your brother's belongings? Do you live there? How often are you there? And who in there right mind paints mahogany? That' just crazy talk.

 

 

[Tita Gidge]

Is it actually mahogany though or just stained that colour? If they aren't precious I would probably stain one with a coloured varnish to match the other. Then the finish is durable.

 

Hmm, good question!

 

I'll have to ask him when he gets home.

[JudoMom]

Why on earth are you considering painting your brother's belongings? Do you live there? How often are you there? And who in there right mind paints mahogany? That' just crazy talk.

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: I was wondering the same thing.

 

I l'd paint the built in, btw. If my brother said it was okay :lol: .

[Tita Gidge]

Why on earth are you considering painting your brother's belongings?

 

Look. If I don't do these things for him, he will be living with stuff that drives me crazy!!

 

Obviously that's not an option.

 

For either of us.

 

Do you live there? How often are you there? And who in there right mind paints mahogany? That' just crazy talk.

 

I don't officially live there but I'm there every day. Clearly, it's paramount we resolve this issue.

 

He's the most laid back person I know. He humors me by allowing me to inject my breed of crazy into his life. He's a great brother, and I want his table and hutch to not drive me crazy. (oops, I mean I want him to be happy. Yeah, that's it.)

 

And you'll be happy to know I've found my right mind. The mahogony stays B)

[Parrothead]

 

 

Look. If I don't do these things for him, he will be living with stuff that drives me crazy!!

 

Obviously that's not an option.

 

For either of us.

 

 

 

I don't officially live there but I'm there every day. Clearly, it's paramount we resolve this issue.

 

He's the most laid back person I know. He humors me by allowing me to inject my breed of crazy into his life. He's a great brother, and I want his table and hutch to not drive me crazy. (oops, I mean I want him to be happy. Yeah, that's it.)

 

And you'll be happy to know I've found my right mind. The mahogony stays B)

 

Oh, thank goodness you found your right mind.

 

The only thing I can wonder now is what happens when he marries. Perhaps it won't be his wife's MIL driving her nuts. LOL.

 

 

[Alice]

Oh, thank goodness you found your right mind.

 

The only thing I can wonder now is what happens when he marries. Perhaps it won't be his wife's MIL driving her nuts. LOL.

 

I didn’t know my SIL posted on these forums. ;)

[Tita Gidge]

When my SIL was alive, she handled these things :)

 

If we're ever blessed with another SIL, I'm first in line to hand over the reins.

 

But minus any SILs, I get to be my overbearing big sister self.

 

And fortunately he doesn't mind LOL.

[Tita Gidge]

The mahogony has been spared :) I think.

 

I sold it on Craigslist today and then turned around and bought another wood table that better matched the walnut built-in.

 

I did check first with my brother!

 

I got it and dinner, too, once he saw that I had turned a profit B)

 

Thanks for the input, especially re: painting the table/mahogany. I had no idea it was such a treasured wood.

 

The couple who bought it were also horrified to hear I had been about to paint it. They thank you, too LOL.