Pedestal Table Makeover: From Trash-to-Treasure Series

Oh mamas, have I got a transformation for you? I am obsessed with taking outdated items and giving them new life for our home. I love it for so many reasons which you can find more about in my post Thrifting: How to Thrift and What to Look For, but my favorite part is always the before and after pics.

The joy and satisfaction that comes from taking something that was thrown in the trash and making it new is palpable to me. I am excited to kick off a new series about our trash-to-treasure transformations with this pedestal table makeover.

First of all, I love ALL things vintage. The blemishes, wear and tear, and patina on every vintage piece are what make it special. When it comes to vintage items sometimes I am inclined to leave them exactly as I found them. There is something about the imperfection that makes it perfect!

However, there are other times when something catches my eye and I can see the beauty behind its outdated age. When this happens I find myself dreaming of what it can become.

I’ve done trash-to-treasure makeovers a lot over the years. In almost every room in my home, you will find a rescued item that I’ve chosen to love and bring new life to. The history and soul that each piece holds bring me joy and make me happy!

I receive joy and happiness from the feeling of rescuing, revitalizing, and recycling. These pieces come from someone’s garbage, the end of a driveway, a thrift store, Facebook Marketplace, flea markets, etc. They include items such as dishes, books, serving pieces, frames, home decor and so much more.

This brings me to my pedestal table. If I had to guess I would say this pedestal table was originally purchased in the 1990s or early 2000s. It is a very well-made table and I am sure was a very high-end, expensive piece of furniture at the time.

Unfortunately, styles have changed and wear and tear has taken over, and this very well-made table has become outdated by today’s standards.

Let the pedestal table makeover begin!

How We Acquired The Pedestal Table

Let’s talk about how we acquired this table for the pedestal table makeover. First of all, it was absolutely free. My hubby was on his morning walk this past summer and our neighbors directly behind us had this table at the end of their driveway for garbage day 😱. My husband, knowing me so well, sent me a picture and said do you want this?

This is not the first time we have picked a piece of furniture out of the garbage. I was like, of course!! It was early in the morning, I wasn’t even dressed. I threw on some shorts, walked 50 feet to my neighbor’s driveway and we carried this very heavy table to our garage.

Here’s the thing, I had absolutely no need for this table, but I knew it could be absolutely beautiful and I had to rescue it from going in the garbage. I thought if I don’t find a space for it in our home I could give it to one of my kids or put it in our finished basement.

Our newly acquired table sat in our garage for a couple of months gathering dust and taking up car space. We found ourselves with a free weekend at the end of summer and decided it was time to tackle this pedestal table makeover.

Pedestal Table Makeover: Stripping & Sanding

At first, we attempted to sand the table with an orbital sander. We quickly realized there was too much topcoat to do that. It was turning very gummy and just not working. So, first things first, we had to strip it and see what was underneath all the stain and varnish.

I did a little section and, wow, wow, wow, the wood that we found underneath was absolutely gorgeous. I knew the outside edge of the table with all its intricacies was not going to be a cakewalk, but it was a challenge I was up for and I had a feeling it would be worth it.

I stripped all the varnish off with Klean Strip Premium Stripper Epoxy Polyurethane Varnish and Paint Remover for Wood Metal and Masonry. I always use an inexpensive or old paintbrush for this because I usually end up throwing it away.

After stripping the varnish, hubby came in with the sander and the top was done in no time. We did the first pass with 100 grit sandpaper. After the bulk of it was off, I used 220 fine grit sandpaper, to give the top a smooth finish.

We moved onto the sides which were a little more difficult. After using the stripper and a metal brush to remove a lot of the topcoat and stain, we had to sand by hand to get into all the little crevices.

I’ll be honest and tell you my original intention was to strip the base (pedestal) of the table. However, after doing the sides of the table the thought of doing the intricate base was overwhelming.

After contemplating what we do for a couple of weeks, and the fact that the warm weather was coming to an end, I decided to paint the base white with Rust-Oleum Ultra Matte Interior Chalked Paint in Linen White. BEST. DECISION. EVER.

My paintbrush of choice for applying chalk paint is Purdy Clearcut Series Dale Angular Trim Paint Brush, 1-1/2 inch

I couldn’t love it more. In the midst of making our final decision, we carried it inside and put it in a corner of our family room as we contemplated its final look.

It didn’t take long for us to realize it was in its permanent place in our home. This pedestal table makeover turned into a perfect game table for when our children and grandchildren were home for Christmas.

Pedestal Table Makeover: Staining and Topcoat

Stain color was next and, to be honest, stain color always stresses me out. I experimented with a few stains. I knew the look and color I was going for in my mind but fleshing that out is not always easy. I picked up several cans of stain at a local hardware store to try.

Fortunately, the first one I tried was perfect. It is called Minwax Wood Finish in the color Driftwood. It is a light brown with a touch of gray and was exactly what I pictured in my mind. Stains can be tough. They can’t be too yellow or too dark or maybe they won’t work with the type of wood that the piece is made of, but this was absolutely perf for our pedestal table makeover!!!

getting started on the Pedestal Table Makeover

I then finished it off with several coats of Minwax Polycrylic in Clear Matte. For stain and polyurethane application I use a sponge brush. I find it works best.

I think in total I used four coats of matte poly. I wanted us to be able to put drinks on it, play games on it, and not stress about it getting damaged. It is important to me that our home is very livable and not a museum.

Polyurethane has been a lifesaver. The matte finish is a relatively new finish and I am so in love with how it looks. The matte finish gives it a more casual look that fits our lifestyle and home.

Pedestal Table Makeover: Its Purpose

Remember in the beginning when I said I had no idea what that table was going to be used for? I never imagined it would be such a blessing. We have a large farmhouse table in our dining room and enjoy family dinners there. Our island seats five or six comfortably but is not a great spot for young kids. We enjoy breakfast and coffee there as we gather in the mornings.

These little gathering places in our home our precious to me. The moments we have gathered around our large dining table for dinner where everyone is there are beautiful to me. The memories made in the mornings sipping coffee having conversations, and just hanging out are also beautiful ones I treasure.

The memories made this Christmas gathered around our new/rescued round pedestal table makeover make me smile. As we dreamed about our life with adult children and grandchildren, it is times like these when we all gather for a week when we see these dreams come to fruition.

Christmas came and went and I cannot imagine not having this table to enjoy with our family. Our grandchildren ate at it. We played games and ate casual lunches there and it was a big part of our family time together.

In the earlier years of my children’s lives, I dreamed about having all my kids around my table every Sunday. For our family, God has had a different plan. Instead, our children are spread out and not close to home for that to be a reality. Honestly, I mourn that loss sometimes. But then I remember and choose to focus on the fact that my children are living the lives God has for them.

So we focus on being together for holidays and for vacations. I am so very thankful that during these times they want to gather and want to be together in our home. Life is fluid and things are always changing but I will grab every minute I can with my precious family and create new memories.

Pedestal Table Makeover: Conclusion

It may seem like an odd way to end a trash-to-treasure post, but hear me out. We took a table from the garbage and gave it new life for next to nothing in cost. This pedestal table makeover brought us an unexpected but needed place to gather in our home and find its purpose.

That sweet mamas, is what Kim Grant Home Blog is all about. I want to share ways to enhance your life at home with your family. It is also important to me that I help you find ways to make impactful changes at home on a budget.

If budget decorating is a necessity for you and your family then be sure to go to 7 Budget-Friendly Steps To Love Your Home More. There are simple ways to make your home a place your family loves to be, now, and for years to come.

This past fall, my husband garbage-picked a beautiful antique dresser with an attached mirror out of a neighbor’s garbage. It has been too cold to work outside so it sits in our basement in all its original beauty. It does need a little love and I’m not sure exactly what that looks like but I look forward to adding it to this series when it is complete.

I have so many more trash-to-treasure projects I’ve done to share with you in this series. I pray this inspires you and encourages you to create a warm, cozy, loving home on a budget for your family. Home truly is where beautiful memories are made and feelings of family, home, and love are etched in our children’s minds forever.