DIY Dining Set Makeover...The LONG AWAITED Reveal

When Ryan and I got married in 2005, we moved to Wisconsin with the dining set below that I had inherited from my Dad in 1999.  It was a light wood, high gloss table top and chair seats with white painted chair backs, legs, and table base.  We lived with it that way for about 2 years.

When we moved to a new apartment, I hated the dining set because it blended in with the white walls and light wood closet doors in the dining room of the rental unit.  Inspired by HGTV's many (many) makeover shows, we thought it would be relatively easy to strip the set and restain them all to match.

I also wanted 2 more chairs so that we could have more than one other couple over for dinner parties if we wanted to.  Unable to find exact matches, we found 2 similar chairs that could go at the head and end of the table since they were ever-so-slightly larger.  We purchased those in a wooden tone so that it would be easier to strip and restain than the painted chairs we already owned.

We successfully sanded down and restained 2 chairs and the table before the holidays arrived, when we were entertaining and needed to use all the chairs rather than have some out of commission, so we packed away the stain and varnish for a while...and then we went on vacation, moved to a 3rd apartment in Wisconsin, and got pregnant, thus ending all decorating endeavors except those related to making room and storage capacity for a baby and all his stuff!

So yes, we have lived with the dining set, as shown below in its mismatched glory, since Winter 2007!

With the inspiration of our big home purchase and cross-country move where we can redecorate with new furniture, we finally decided to redefine and finish this project.

Since our new dining room table (when we get it after the move) will be black, I dream of gorgeous upholstered dining chairs.  But those are yet-to-be-found and way out of the budget!  So our current chairs will have to do until we find and save for those "dream chairs."  I knew these chairs would look sleek and slightly less antique/country style in black, coordinate with the dark wood current table, and blend in with the black table we will purchase after the move.

And thus, TA DA!!  VOILA!!  And all that jazz....the "new" dining set! (still awaiting varnish, as the no-VOC varnish was on back-order and should ship to us later this week)