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This is my kitchen table. It was given to my husband by his parents when he bought his first bachelor’s pad (now our family home), and it is a good one that performs all of its table-related duties. I am grateful for it, especially considering it is the only one we have. But sometimes I wish it was more … special.Besides a tablecloth, what are some ways I could gussy up this table and make it more uniquely ours? I figured the Homies would have some good ideas.
Thanks! –Jessica
We’ve seen some awesome table makeovers on Offbeat Home that might inspire you:
Rainbowify your ugly old table with gift wrap
Queen Anne table renovation: from broke-down white thrift find to goth fab
Lord of the Rings cable reel table
Punk rock walls surround this makeshift dining room
Before and after: Craigslist buffet-turned-TV-console
De-beigeifying our rental kitchen with no-damage DIY and lots of color
Now let’s lay it out on the table, Homies. How would YOU gussy up this kitchen table?
Those white tile squares have so much possibility! Maybe painted designs on each tile using enamel paint? You could get a stencil if you’re not confident with your hand-painting skills. Maybe get a bunch of dry-erase markers and keep it on the table to draw and doodle, leave notes, write out menus and place settings? Maybe go checkerboard with it- paint every other tile with chalkboard paint, that way you could draw on the table using chalk and dry-erase markers. I am loving this drawing-on-the-table idea, can you tell!? :p
I would probably paint the wood part of a table a bright-ass color (turquoise would be great with the white tiles!).
Decorating the tiles was also my first thought. I imagined something like this: http://alittlebitofeverthing-jm.blogspot.com/2013/04/diy-colored-tile-coasters.html
Painting every other tile is making me think of turning it into a giant checkerboard! Then you can use it as a game board after dinner!
I like the idea of popping out the tiles and putting photos down. Modpodge them down? Put three pieces of glass over them?
Can you change grout in tiles without laying new tile? Just thinking that a bright colored grout could be really cool too. Keep the tiles white, update the wood maybe a darker color, and turn the grout a bright color like turquoise.
If you have access to a Dremel, or Dremel-type tool, you can just grind out the first bit of the grout, and lay in new grout. Just make sure to seal the grout.
If you have children or furry children, you could put little handprints/pawprints in each tile.
If you like games, you could paint the tiles in Tetris block configurations. That would be neat.
I would probably choose a few bright, poppy colors and do a random pattern of colors. Probably lime green, yellow, and red.
Just make sure you tackle painting the tile the right way for the best results. Just going over them with a coat of paint probably won’t last long or look super nice. This seems to be a good method. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-diy-paint-ceramic-tile-68877
This table looks like something amazing waiting to happen. Please share your end results and process with us! 😀
The tiles seem like a good place to start for me. You could either choose to paint them and then seal over them – check into ceramic deglazers prior to painting and then a sealant that is super durable for every day use.
Or, if the tiles can be removed, you could purchase decorative ones in the same size that you like better and that would make it more you. I would also consider either painting or staining the wood portion to be a different color to make the tiles pop better.
Paint those tiles! Seriously, painting tile is easy. Also it looks like the wood is starting to show wear, you could refinish that. a dark/walnut wood with a jewel tones tile would look stunning. If fun is more your style, or if you have children look into chalkboard paint or get some dry erase markers and turn it into a canvas/table.
Man, how cute would that be with the tiles alternating black and white so that it’s checkered, with the rest of the table painted red?
And the artist in me is itching to paint each individual tile with something different and awesome.
BUT I also have a dining set that was gifted and not quite as “special” as I’d like, but it’s way too big a DIY project for me to take on right now – painting it or whatever. So my solution was a table runner and a candelabra for the centerpiece. I change it for the seasons/holidays! Right now it’s a festive red & green table runner with a silver candelabra and red candles. For Halloween – a black table runner, orange candelabra, and black candles. I know it’s such a simple solution, but it really makes all the difference. Sometimes, ya just need an eye-catching centerpiece.
This is a little crazy, but I seriously want a table with plants growing out of it (sort of like this one: http://dornob.com/green-grain-reclaimed-table-with-lively-central-feature/#axzz2nqrLSZNA). The photo of your table kind of looks like there is a central leaf? You could pull that apart, attach two long narrow dirt holder thingies underneath it to bridge the gaps, and then plant some stuff…succulents might be a good choice because they need so little dirt and they’re easy to keep alive.
Pop the old tiles out using a hammer, sand everything down, paint the table a fun color, use something like E-6000 (heavy duty glue) to adhere new tile, grout it, and call it a day.
Even something as simple as painting the wood black would dramatically change up the table. I agree with the others that the tiles look hella fun! Maybe a giant graphic for each section. Like a giant black silhouette of a fork, a spoon, and a knife on the three sections. Or, as you invite people over, have them sign the table tiles with a permanent (for tile) marker. It could be a wonderful discussion piece as you gather around the table for holidays and special events!
I would also change the tiles!
1-Break them down with a hammer, pop the pieces with a flat srcewdriver.
2-Buy plates (colors you love!), break them too.
3-Regrout everthing doing a beautiful mosaïque using old tiles pieces and/or plate fragments.
4-Apply grout sealer (important because the table is likely to get dirty!)
Enjoy! xxx
Paint it black, and put blue flames stretching across on the table. And ducks! Paint a rubber ducky or 2 or 10 on it, b/c every home needs a ducky on the table. OR, you could remove the tiles, put blacklights underneath and cover it with glass for the tabletop! It’ll glow while you eat, and then it can double as a light source for an impromtu rave! You’ll be making new friends by the bucket load if you do that. =)
As someone who has a collection of over 80 rubber duckies, I heartily endorse this message.
Damn, these are some AMAZING suggestions.
I’m wondering if you popped out the tiles you could replace them with glass or frames and put photos in. I guess it depends on what you’re going for. There are endless possibilities. You could even just sand down the wood and stain it a darker color.
Talavera tiles! Maybe not the real thing because it looks pricey, but I reckon it will be fun to come up with your own
http://www.directfrommexico.com/talavera-pottery–tiles.html
Oh my God, I want these tiles!
That table would look AWESOME with those tiles.
We have a square table that looks a lot like this. Now I want to do something cool with it! I like a lot of the ideas above, but I will probably have to wait quite a long time to do them, between budget and product fumes! Can’t work outside when there are several inches of snow on the ground. *sigh*
Edited to add: I have 3 chairs that look like the ones in the picture, too. Maybe I’ll paint them when I get around to doing something with the table. 🙂
While cute, that little plant in the center looks kindof lonely. Perhaps you could make a larger succulent planter, something that’s better in-scale with the size of the table.
I’m thinking a long rectangular planter, something that’s at least 2 tiles long. Something like this image: http://www.anoctopussgarden.com/2012Tradeshowflowers/Chic_Urban_Succulent_Gardens_010.JPG
My neighbor gave us that little planter. It was never really meant to be a center piece, it just ended up there. 🙂
Well perhaps think about making a nice centerpiece that looks more to-scale with the table.
Tables in those awesome home magazine photos always have a wonderful centerpiece on them. I think that’s part of what can make a table look awesome, the stuff you put on it.
Personally I have a very generic oak table in my kitchen, but I can give it a lot of different looks with the accessories I put on it.
I know you said no tablecloths…but I like using sheets as tablecloths. Most tablecloths are just too boring for my taste so I go to a discount store like Ross and get a set of twin size sheets in a funky print. No sewing needed and way cheaper than buying the same amount of fabric! They can usually be found for under $12. Then you also have a bunch of extra fabric from the fitted sheet and could make something else out of it…maybe matching cushion covers for your chairs?
We did have a similar table when we were starting out and we busted out the old tiles and put in new ones in. It would be gorgeous if you painted the wood black and inserted some iridescent glass mosaic tiles! Or any kind of tile, really – eBay has tons.