Toddler Chair Makeover and Matching Table Build- FREE

Madisyn's Great Grandma Gulit picked up some really nice toddler sized chairs at a garage sale for her last summer.  Only problem was--- there were no seats.  Grandma knew that wasn't a problem for us.
Madisyn is reaching the phase where she isn't eating well, and being confined by the high chair doesn't seem to be helping- so Mommy and Daddy decided it was time for her to have her own table and chairs to eat/color/read/whatever her heart desires at!

I absolutely LOVE the look of farm style tables- and since I inherited a SOLD OAK table and chair set that is gorgeous, but not farm style AT ALL, I'll live vicariously through my daughter.
We started by priming the chairs with KILZ- which is ALWAYS worth the extra step.  We actually used two coats, because we knew we wanted the chairs and table base to be white, and it's always hard to get good coverage with white.
We also very quickly, and easily built the base for the table using Ana White's Clara Table Plans and primed that as well.

 It was a goal of ours with this project to not purchase ANYTHING to make it. So, in our search through our scraps and reclaimed wood pile, we were having a hard time finding wood (we wanted to use) as the table top and matching seats for the chairs.  Kyle had the brilliant idea of ripping down 2x4's.  I'm so glad we did, because I LOVE the way the wood grain looks, and I don't think we would have achieved the same dramatic, rustic look with pine boards.  We did have to adjust the table plans a bit to fit the size of the table top we decided we wanted once we laid out the ripped 2x4's.

                                The 2x4's                                                                                                   Ripped to 1/2" thick       

My Handsome Husband (Kyle) Sanding Away

To attach the table top to the base, we used a 1/2 inch drill bit and created a pocket hole for a screw to put in the top of the four 2x2" table legs.  

For a nice finish, we created plugs for the holes with 1/2 inch dowel, glued them in and stained over the top of it all with MINWAX Early American Wood Finish.  

The chair seats were carefully put together with the scraps left of the ripped 2x4 for the table top.  We used a jig saw to cut out half circles to go around the round chair back poles.  The White, High Gloss Latex paint we used for the bases turned out beautiful, and it will be easy to clean up all sorts of spilled food.

Madisyn was THRILLED (can you tell by that awesome CHEESE face?!) when we brought it in to show her, she had to get "up" and sit in a chair as soon as she saw them.  The perfect place to read her favorite mini princess book.

The next morning, it was the PERFECT place for breakfast!

Madisyn approves, and Mommy is jealous of her Farm Style Table- Not too bad for FREE?!
We'd love to hear what you think!

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House of Rose