Help With Drop Leaf Table,want to Paint or Lighten!

Bernice H
by Bernice H
When leaves are down it is perfect for the two of us,but to be honest we sit and eat in front of the tv! I know.....boo hiss on us. Also ...there are 2 more leaves,so several more can sit at table...but there goes the "dining room" . 😬
When one leaf is extended we can sit 4.. 2 leaves 6 or so. But not a fan of the dark-plus it is very scratched and worn. Lots of family history I would love to know About. It has 4 small chairs..people must have been much smaller in the good old days. So I have bigger chairs..bigger people-not genteel! I just want to stain or paint..preferably in an aqua or natural wood tone. Light and airy. Any suggestions? 😳😎. I just want to edit..I would love to know the history..because there are scratches and dings...but also there are some math problems scratched in the table! Really cool!
  27 answers
  • Lyla Lyla on Aug 02, 2017

    Lovely table. Supposing you have a two-toned look - dark legs and light wood upper. And perhaps the central part of the table that doesn't fold down can be covered with decorative tiles of a colour scheme that goes with the 2-toned look. Added bonus of tiles is not having to bother with trivets.

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      Thanks..I like the idea of 2 toned...detail on 3 legs is extensive,maybe I will leave them alone. 😜

  • Joanie Joanie on Aug 02, 2017

    My Dear M.I.Law had one and like you said, it was her and Dad. When someone would stop for a cup of coffee and lunch she would pull up the table side. It was gorgeous in her little area. She refinished it and added tongue oil. Beautiful table!!! Worn and scratched is Trendy!!! Beat it up, the older lookin' takes ya back in time. I myself am in to stain and grain.

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      so ...she just sanded then stained? Any protective coating ? I really don't mind the scratches at all. There are even some numbers written where someone did some math! doesn't bother me at all. It's like...hey...this is an old piece of furniture...like me,it has a right to show its age and be proud to still be useful!

  • Kst27379274 Kst27379274 on Aug 02, 2017

    Love the nostalgic look! I would paint it a pretty light color...white, soft blue, aqua or green. Of course you'll need to start with sanding it a bit and a good primer since it's so dark and it will need 2 coats of paint. When finished, I would add a pretty lace doily and a bowl of fresh fruit or seasonal flowers as a centerpiece. To the chairs, add some chair cushions for comfort, maybe a soft floral pattern. For company dinners, hit the thrift stores and find dishes of different patterns, but that have the same color scheme. Finish with pretty cloth napkins. The glass picture in the background would be nice on the wall above the table.

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      That sounds like where I was going...but there is a lot of detail ,now that I am looking at the legs. I think I would leave them alone! Yikes! Thanks....

  • Leslie Leslie on Aug 02, 2017

    You may have a Duncan Pfeiff dining table. Please research before you start stripping and or painting.


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  • Sandi Blair Sandi Blair on Aug 02, 2017

    Chalk paint it. Adding stencils would look great, too

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      Yes I have seen tables on here with gorgeous pictures on the top! I don't think I would ever use it in that case! Just show it off! @sandi Blair. 🤓

  • Al Al on Aug 02, 2017

    Please don't paint this lovely old table. Any value would be lost!! Try one of the furniture "restorers" first on a place that doesn't show. If this doesn't work, your table is worth the time, effort, and money to refinish it or have it done.

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      Thank you Al..value isn't my concern...usefulness and size Are. They appear in our rehab store in Vancouver frequently! For less than 100$.

  • Grace Grace on Aug 02, 2017

    I have one that will sit 12! My top is also rather slightly beaten. I've done some research and I also want to lighten up, but I learned that working on the top might be too much labor. I plan to paint all 3 rows of the legs, but I am going to cover the top with 2 layers of table cloths: the bottom layer with gray linen and the top layer with white cloth table. When I have dinner, I plan to take the top one off. Yes, I have chairs too and I am going to paint then white and change the seat fabric to something shabby and lighter. I hope to compare our noted once we are done! :D

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      good ideas grace...what about the leaves that hang down,what will you do with the underside? They show......🤔🙃

  • 2dogal 2dogal on Aug 02, 2017

    Yes! Please check the table manufacturer. That's a beautiful table. Anything you do to it will lower the value. The suggestion of restoring or just lightning the top if you can't save it due to scratches is a great way of keeping the table but modernizing it without painting. Painting is just another "in" thing that'll go out of style in a few years and people will be stripping off the paint to get to the real, old wood.

    You could always put a table cloth over it if you wanted a "lighter, brighter" look in that area.

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      Thank you sal...I appreciate your input. Value isn't a concern to me. Size and function are .....but I like the history on the table top. There are even math numbers scratched on it.

      i don't know if the younger generation will be stripping anything down,unless they are a rare breed. And I won't be around to see that! 🤗😜

  • Kit Kit on Aug 02, 2017

    If you decide not to paint the table you can always paint the chairs to help lighten things up.

    Here is the thing about painting your own furniture...people talk about losing value... But if you never intend to sell it then it doesn't matter. If none of your children will want it ( and most don't today) then it is going to end up at a thrift store anyway. So do what you want.


    A white table with aqua chairs would look wonderful and if you tire of that color combination you can always repaint the chairs.


    Make yourself happy. Check out Pinterest for painted furniture ideas and you will find a blue that will put a smile on your face.

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      Thank you debofinn....that is how I feel too. I found this in a rehab store with 2 leaves and 4 chairs for 85 dollars. There were some others similar to this also. No,unless children grew up with sentimental feelings they dont seem to want "old"furniture just because it is old. Neither did I. But finding smallish tables for small spaces that open big enough for the occasional event was a chore. I don't intend to make a buck on it,I just like its style and size! Keeping it until I don't need it any longer! Thank you! 🤗

  • Michelle McCaughtry Michelle McCaughtry on Aug 02, 2017

    Chalk paint! Either make your own or purchase any of the brands sold now. I like the calcium carbonite powder chalk paint recipe - then you can pick any latex paint color you like and make it into chalk paint. With that dark of a wood tone you might have to use a primer first tho....

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      Thank you Michelle...good suggestion! I have not worked with chalk paint....

      but have heard a lot about it! 🤓

  • Millie Millie on Aug 02, 2017

    If you do decide to paint/stain this table I encourage you to check out unicorn Spit as a way to really beautify it. It doesn't have to be bright colors, it can be very elegant according to your taste.

    http://www.hometalk.com/diy/paint/furniture/s-15-magical-furniture-flips-using-nothing-but-unicorn-spit-stain-19062023?page_num=14

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      Thank you Millie..yes I have seen some gorgeous projects on here with unicorn spit! 🤓

  • Edie Edie on Aug 02, 2017

    I agree with those that say ...do what makes you happy. May want a combo of paint and stain because paint might chip where the folding wood meets. How about a stenciled pattern to lighten? Or pickle the wood top and paint/glaze the legs in a soft color?

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      Thank you Edie...I appreciate that. Got this at rehab for 85 dollars...there were others there too. I don't know who is buying them for value. I just wanted a smallish table that could open for several people. 2 leaves and 4 chairs,and small for our small house.🙂

  • Fio15130994 Fio15130994 on Aug 02, 2017

    Use rustoleum furniture paint. Beautiful to work with and beautiful result. Best of it is no sanding or preparing required. After painting my varnished wooden fire place teal with it im going to paint my table as well. Honestly looks amazing

  • Shirley Heikkinen Shirley Heikkinen on Aug 02, 2017

    This would be beautiful on your table.

    http://www.hometalk.com/diy/-30496679

  • Karin Karin on Aug 02, 2017

    I agree with the people saying you could devalue your table with and paint or other applications, but it is your table so do what you will, but if you could sell it and get something else that might be best for you to do

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      thank you Karin,it was really hard to find a small table for a small house. Kids nowadays seem to buy bigger homes with islands and informal eating areas. Our rehab store had several of these-lots of big tables too. Which is super for us who want small tables. We live in a senior community,every week,there is someone or two or more...yard sale their house stuff. For a pittance.

  • Faith Rosborough Faith Rosborough on Aug 02, 2017

    Do whatever you like to your table. It is yours to enjoy and use...make it your own.

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      Thank you faith...my Thinking also. After I am gone,I don't care what happens to it. 😜

  • Ann Kralik Ann Kralik on Aug 02, 2017

    My husband's mom past away and we were lucky to receive her table and 4 chairs and matching china cabinet. Lucky for us she purchased a purchased a full set of table pads for the table and used them religiously. The last thing I can think of would be to paint it. The only two things, I want to do is add lighting to the top of the china cabinet to show off my crystal and change the material on the chair seats.


  • Candy Candy on Aug 02, 2017

    I had a table that came from Lamberts in St Louis, MO. It had been used but it was beautiful Mahogany. That was around 1968 when I got it. Look under it see if it was from Lamberts and if it was it may be worth your time to find out the value of it. C.D.

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      Well I will have to get hubs to crawl under😬...just saying tho...our rehab store had several of these ...everytime we go..a couple more. For less than 100$,mine with 2 leaves and 4 chairs..85! For me it is not the value,it is size and convertibility!

  • Fio15130994 Fio15130994 on Aug 03, 2017

    Painted also all the cabinets white which were also teak

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 03, 2017

      oh wow..so pretty ,beachy,soft..soothing,light,airy. Nicely done!🤗

  • Barbara Vytlas Sterkel Barbara Vytlas Sterkel on Aug 03, 2017

    I have a table almost like yours. We got it 40 years ago from my husbands grandmother. The center is not as wide as yours. I just love the table. It has legs that pull out from under to hold the leafs up. What I'm doing is stripping it down. And the top has a vaneer that has water damage. So I am sanding that down. I'm not going to stain the table but I will varnish it or even polyurethane the bottom part. I'm going to leave it natural with a new oak vaneer. I'm going to use it as a buffet table in my dining room. I have oak floors so it will go good there. Hope your project come out as well as mine is.


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    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 04, 2017

      Be sure to show us when done!

  • Ann Kralik Ann Kralik on Aug 03, 2017

    Would placing a small hole in the back to place LED lights in the china cabinet hurt the value of it?

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    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 04, 2017

      ann I 'reanswered'your post...sorry..hope you get my new answer...didn't catch the cabinet with table.

  • Grace Grace on Aug 03, 2017

    Hah, forgot that yours drop. Mine doesn't. Good question.  I don't plan to paint underside. If you don't mind spending time redoing the top, perhaps you ought to refinish the top. I am a bit worn out from working too much last couple of years so I plan to recuperate and recharge...thus take the easy way: table cloths! Good luck to the both of us!

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    • Grace Grace on Aug 05, 2017

      Yes, it's okay to second guess. Wow, that was a lot going on over there. I hope the right finish will come in the right time... for you. I need to do some major cleaning before I can get to my table. Good luck!❤️

  • Fio15130994 Fio15130994 on Aug 04, 2017

    Thank you. Am pleased with it. Was going to put white on top and distress it but was so lovely the way it was. My house is very colourful any way!!

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Aug 04, 2017

      Ha! So is mine..teal...Aqua,lime green some red...have you noticed the stores already have Halloween stuff ...Michaels has so much orange....grrrrmy least favorite color then hot yellow...it is over 100 here now for a few days. 🌞Who needs hot autumn colors? Yup I think I will wait on table and use a table cloth for time being! Be sure to tune back in when you change your mind! 🤓

  • Fio15130994 Fio15130994 on Aug 05, 2017

    Lol im pinks purples and aqua. So.s my garden. I have 3 fences 1 pink 1 aqua and 1 purple. Really brightens up the garden

  • Goat5691 Goat5691 on Aug 05, 2017

    Strip it all down which is a dirty job but somebody has to do it. Then with a quality oil finish to bring the beautiful grain out.

  • Michelle McCaughtry Michelle McCaughtry on Aug 07, 2017

    I love using chalk paint!

  • Barb Barb on Aug 08, 2017

    I would darken the top and being you really don't eat at the table use it for show and add fabric chairs and angle them and add a large flower arrangement.