A Leg UpLiving home editor Lorna Aragon saw big potential in this estate-sale table’s
underpinnings. The grand turnings mimic English Jacobean furniture
from the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and the brass-and-glass claw
feet up the ornate ante. “It looked like something Martha might have at
Skylands,” says Lorna. “It just needed a little modernizing.” So she disap-
peared the dowdy original cherry finish with a coat of glossy black lacquer
for a crisp, high-end result (bright white would have worked, too). Origi-
nally described as a “library table,” this piece and others like it can serve
as spacious desks or accent or dressing tables. Make one over, and it’ll look
at home in your entryway, bedroom, or reading nook, stacked with a few
worthy volumes.THE DETAILS: (^) | RESCUE & REVAMP |
Dremel 4-volt lithium-
ion variable-speed
cordless rotary tool, $50;
and Rust-Oleum
Specialty lacquer spray
paint, in Black, $4.25,
homedepot.com.
SCOUT IT
Look for a sturdy
piece with lines you
like. This one’s
curvy turned legs are
a standout feature.SMOOTH IT
Sand the table, using
a rotary tool to handle
the legs, then wipe
it down with a tack
cloth. Spray on a
coat of primer; sand
and wipe again.2
MAKE IT
SHINE
Apply a coat of black
lacquer spray paint.
Let dry, then lightly
sand and wipe it
down. Follow with a
second coat.