Unbelievable Transformation

Recently a friend salvaged this beautiful, old farm table and passed it along to me to work my magic.

I had a few ideas for this table. It came to me on wheels and so I thought perhaps with a new top and a little more height it could be a fabulous kitchen island. But the cost of a quality stone or butcher block top slowed me down on that idea.

Also, the wheels were in pretty bad shape, so they would have had to be replaced anyhow. Trust me, they had a hundred years of rust on them that made it extra fun to pull them out. I learned a little oil...
...drizzled into the opening where the wheel enters the leg will loosen a few years of the rust. After doing that (and a little elbow grease to boot) I was able to pry them free.

A few people suggested this would make a lovely vanity and instantly I could see it in my mind. I envisioned a black distressed finish. I needed to find a mirror and vanity stool and was lucky enough to find ones with similar stylings so it looks cohesive.

The panel on the back of the table was lower than the level of the table top, which led me to believe there was another element to this table at one time. I ended up finding a decorative back board from a dresser. The laminate was cracked and coming off in places, so I needed to teach myself how to remove it. There are plenty of tutorials online, but basically you need to steam it with an iron to loosen the glue and then scrape it off. Easier said than done!

But it finally all came off and then I cut it to fit the back on either side of the mirror. I attached all of the elements together with masonite on the back and then created supports to attach the back piece to the table. Uffdah.  It was worth it, though!

Vanity in an almost finished state.

Another feature I just adore is the handle. I wish I had a close up because it is beautiful. I found it on a drawer front for sale at a rummage sale and it was so rusted the handle didn't even want to swing anymore. It spent about a week in a vinegar bath with little breaks for scrubbing with a toothbrush and baking soda. But it looks absolutely amazing now. And I finished with a clear coat to protect it from future rust. Seriously amazing. You can check out the finished product at Savvy Home Consignments where she is for sale! This piece is SOLD.

Picture from Savvy Home Consignments.