Antique Wood Console Table with Hairpin Legs

Sold at a neighborhood art show. Dimensions: Length 48 inches; Width 20 inches; Height 27 inches; Shelf below is 30 inches long, 11 inches wide, and 7 inches high;. Weight 39 pounds. To me it’s the ideal height to hold a television; when you sit on a chair or couch, the screen will be right at eye level, which makes for very comfortable viewing. (I’ll never understand why people mount screens high up on a wall, like over a fireplace; it’s like watching a movie from the front row of a theater, sure to bring about a sore neck.) I added the shelf below to hold TV-related components, like a cable box or DVR. It could also, of course, serve other purposes, and the shelf can easily be removed. I really like the contrast of the classic mid-century metal legs with the much older, restored wood top. How would it look in your living room, den, office, or bedroom? $225.

The Story

I found an old wooden dining table, by the Kiel Furniture Co., sticking out of a trash can in my Glover Park neighborhood of D.C. I did not get the original pedestal legs, but I had in mind a transformation rather than a restoration. In any case, restoration might have been impossible. The two sides could be pulled apart, but the mechanical parts that would allow the leaf—folded in half underneath—to take its proper place on the top were not working properly. Also, the leaf must not have been used for decades, given that it was in very good condition compared to the main top, which was pretty worn out. So, I removed all those excess parts from the underside, which reduced the weight of the piece substantially. I used a belt sander and then hand-sanding to smooth and clean up the original rough, getting down to the original, raw wood. Because of the extent of staining and discoloration—the fact it was mistreated and neglected for so long—I couldn’t make it look totally “clear,” but to me the top surface of the piece has a rustic authenticity, reflective of its long past life. You might call it a bit splotchy or inconsistent; I’d say it has character. I don’t know what kind of wood it is (my best guess would be cherry), but to bring out its natural tones and protect the wood, I applied two coats of Watco Danish Oil, followed by at least two coats of Minwax water-based clear satin Polycrylic. To hold the two sides together in a nice, consistently flat top surface, I glued and screwed a nearly ¾-inch-thick piece of pine lumber to the full underside, as well as two pieces behind the rails on the two short ends. To accommodate DVD players and cable/satellite boxes, I built a shelf out of 1 x 12 pine lumber to hang down below the top. I used a router to round of the edges and painted it black, to better complement the legs. It’s attached with eight corner brackets, but if you don’t want the shelf, it could easily be removed. The legs are made of steel tubes. I salvaged them from a table I found in an alley in my neighborhood. Each one is held into place with four screws for strength and stability.

Related Items: Console or Side Table Made from Three Wooden Bar Stools, Upcycled End or Side Table with Reclaimed Wood, End or Side Table Made from Two Bar Stools and Reclaimed Wood.