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Coffee Table Book on Coffee Tables

OUR 2nd HOUSE

Darn it if I don’t love that Kramer. 

He is seriously hilarious.  Equally hilarious is the entire cast of Seinfeld…maybe that is why the show was named the Greatest Television Program of All Time…by that little publication called, oh, the TV GUIDE. 

Here read this.  Hello Newman.  I come from a long line of quitters.  Yada yada yada.  You’re killing independent George.  I am Art Vandelay, I am an Importer/Exporter.  Hoochie mama!  These pretzels are making me thirsty!  I’m unemployed and I live at my parents.  I am freaking out! I am freaking out!  No soup for you!  Mansiere.  That’s right…a brassiere for a man.  There had to be a second spitter!  It’s a show about nothing.  He’s a mimbo.  It’s a festivus for the rest of us.  They’re real and they’re spectacular! 

I could go all day.  But then you wouldn’t get to see my coffee table makeover.  And that is real…and also spectacular.  Okay okay…not spectacular but decent enough to show to the few of you who visit me regularly. 

You may remember the state of affairs in the living room…

Yup – and right in the center of it all was a second-hand coffee table that had a little too much brown paint on it for my liking.

I know it doesn’t look that bad in the photos…but believe me, it was BAD.  like more obsene than some Christina outfits on the voice.  And that my friends can take your eye out.  I even make Will wear protective eyeware just to be safe.

I just thought that this table could be fun…funner than boring ole brown anyway.  And I really wanted to add some pattern.  Kinda use this thing as a canvas…or another version of fabric….just much harder fabric. 

So I took it outside and started my crazy plan.

I first coated it with this…it’s Zinsser’s Shellac Based primer.  It’s awesome.  It dries so stinkin’ fast that I usually don’t have to wait before putting on my next coat of paint.  Either that is an indication of how long it takes me to paint…or that is one fast-dryin-shellac!

Right after I was done, I hit up my stash of spraypaint to see if I had anything that was full enough to cover the entire table top.  Score…I had a can of Krylon in Pewter Gray.  So a quick coat on the top, followed by some leftover white paint on the base and legs…I had the perfect canvas for my pattern. 

Enter nighttime here.  And my camera doesn’t have a flash…

hence…no inbetweenie photos.

But you get the idea. 

I basically took an O stamp (all I had were letters) and formed little strings of 8’s up and down the coffee table.  I used the same leftover white paint on the stamp as on the legs and then after it dried a little, I took some sandpaper and dragged it across to make it look worn. 

Why 8’s?  Well, do you remember Will’s birthday?  Eight. 

And I liked the way it doesn’t exactly read like number eight unless you are looking for it…otherwise it just looks like circles or pattern…or strings of pearls (if you are going for a nautical based theme). 

I also like the way it helps lighten up the room just a smidge more. 

and it helps tie in the couch a little.  I could be making this stuff up, ya know.  I could have no clue what I am talking about.  I could be literally shooting pellets of lies from my fingertips in your general virtual direction.  I am.  It’s true.  Sometimes…like in the case of the brownish-coffee-table, I just wing it all…and hope it looks okay later. Basically that’s what I did.

This is for those overhead view people…

And you know that looking at these photos got me thinking.  Thinking about that trim.  Cream, ugh.

So I photoshopped.

Lots better. 

And of course the trim got me thinking about the toothpaste-colored walls. 

So I photoshopped again.

and again…

and again…

and again…

and again…

And then I got tired and stopped.  But the point is…isn’t it amazing how basically you start with an old painted coffee table and then you end up visualizing an entirely different room? 

Crazy.  Almost as Crazy as that Cosmo Kramer.  And that my friends is how you take a post full circle 🙂

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Comments

  1. PLEASE don’t forget my favorite Seinfeld line and the topic of conversation at my house earlier tonight:

    He took. It out.
    He took what out?
    IT. He took IT out.

    🙂 love the new coffee table. And that striped rug!

  2. Loooooooooooooooove the table top! It looks utterly magical! The )’s/8’s really add something special to it.

    Though I probably would’ve left the legs brown. Just to anchor it to the floor a bit more… hahaha get it? Anchor? Nautical theme?? : )
    Though it probably looks even better in real life, in the photo the legs sorta disappear into the whites of your awesome rug. Though that could just be my crusty old monitor.

    I love it though. I’d buy your coffee table in a heartbeat. You don’t see really whimsical tables like that anywhere!

  3. You make me laugh every post, you are insanely witty! Love the coffee table makeover and the look of the white trim with the lighter gray or the blue. Oh and I’m madly in love with your rug.

  5. Um, did I miss something? When did the chairs get a coat of red paint? Do I get some sort of detective award? I think the coffee table top is super cute, but I have to agree with ACVargis above that the legs blend into the rug.

  6. I vote greige for living room walls. It really ties it all together. A darker color really brings such warmth to that big room!! Great coffee table!!

  7. Love the tan or gray option with the white trim… would look great with the “gr8te” coffee table!

    Oh and don’t even think about redoing that table in fire engine red OR lime-apple green OR bright yellow gloss… yada yada yada 😛

  9. I think the table looks great!

    I think the greige with the white trim looks amazing- I gasped a little when I saw that picture.

  10. That table turned out pretty darn cool!

    I vote for tan! I love the greige, but I think the tan looks better with everything in the room.

  11. Definitely love the white trim with the greige. How cool is that room in general, though? Love the stone fireplace!

  12. Love it! I am in love with your rug. A little too much. 🙂
    I love the look you’re going for but I have to admit, I miss the kelly green!
    It is so funny how one thing in a room gets the whole thing moving along. I swear, if I buy a new throw pillow, I’m painting the whole room to match and buying accessories! 🙂

  14. My favourite Elaine quote of all time;
    “Is it possible I’m not as attractive as I think I am?”
    Classic…XXxx.

  16. Love love love the table!!!! – also i think the greige, and tan look very nice colours on the walls….

    You never post much about your ‘reading room?’ the room off the living space, i wanna see more, MORE i tell ya!

    I have a lovely nautical print in my lounge that i took at a old harbour in the UK, its of a anchor chain its all rusty and old and its laying on some super shiny pebbles. I can send you a email print if you’d like?

    xxx

  17. Can you dish on where you got the rug? We’re going for a crisp, fresh theme in our basement and my main colors are navy blue and white, but with accents of yellow. This rug would be perfect.
    Thanks!

  19. I love the table! I have been thinking of painting my coffee table and stenciling the top. You have given me the inspiration to try it! I love reading your blog! It is the first one I go to each morning! You truly make me laugh! You and your family are so stinkin cute!

  20. As soon as I saw the title of your post I was hoping for a Seinfeld tie-in! HUGE Seinfeld fan here! Your coffee table looks amazing! And I vote for the tan or gray walls with the white trim! I love the lean towards nautical…makes me want to say…”Is anyone here a marine biologist?!!
    -Shelley

  21. I got it at the Pottery Barn outlet…but it is actually a Williams-Sonoma Home rug. If you go into the categories and look at the Living Room under Dream House, you’ll find the post that has all the details!
    xo – kb

  22. Gosh I know how you feel about the cream trim. That is how my house is as well (to make it worse the walls AND the ceiling are painted with the same shade of dark tan). Anyway, we want to paint the trim, but all of our light switches, air vent covers etc match it. So it would be a long and expensive project. Do yours match the cream or are they white?

  24. Add another vote in the greige column. With all that chunky white trim (or, someday, white trim) in the room, I think you need a darker color on the walls to balance things out. Otherwise, it could start looking a little too institutional. Of course, with all the crazy that goes on there… *ducks*

  25. Loving how the room is coming together. I think the tan or brown walls are my favorite.

    Also, I’m still in love with the matching chairs on the far side. Be still my heart.

  26. It looks so pretty! Love that coffee table everything on it looks so perfectly arranged. Accessories are so hard for me to get right for some reason but you are so good at it! Lovin’ those rope balls. Er…. orbs.

    I really like the gray walls. Goes great with the fireplace, the room design and would be neutral enough so you wouldn’t have to repaint when you change the decor down the road. Can’t imagine you’d want to paint those super-high, beautiful walls more than once! 🙂

  27. What a great table! Love the stenciling you did on top. My favorite paint color is the first option, the beige. Since your room is so big, I think you can get away with a darker color 🙂 Love seeing these updates!

  28. I love the coffee table and your “wingin’ it” approach. It totally paid off. Plus, that’s the approach I take all the time. Yes, sometimes as a result of my lack of patience!!

    Also, I love the tan option for the living room… that’s my vote! Or, the greige… I like that one too.

  29. Love how you’re photoshopping your living room with both light and dark…you realize you’re making your own “bizarro world” living room? Just the same but different? I am in the debate over cream vs. White trim (currently 1974 natural wood) and seeing your pictures won me over for white! I also thought the brown paint color was navy blue (and got a bit excited) until I read the caption… That might be interesting to see! I like the darker colors (greige) and your space is big enough to handle it. Great job on the coffee table, I like it!

  31. Ah! I love how the coffee table turned out! It looks like something you would pay big bucks for!! And I love the greige color on the walls. I think with the high ceilings and the amount of windows you have, there’s plenty of light for a bold color. It ties in perfectly with the fireplace (in fact, I think it makes it stand out more).

  34. I love that rug! I vote for tan or gray walls. Are you setting it up so you can switch out the accessories in that room depending on the time of year?

  36. I love the coffee table! I would never have thought to stamp a pattern on top of the surface. For the wall color my vote goes to tan or greige. They both look great with your furnishings.

  37. I love the coffee table…it makes a HUGE difference! And since you didn’t ask for my opinion I will give you one as a free gift. 🙂 My top choices for wall color is greige and tan 🙂

  39. Fantastic! That room feels like vacation.

    My favorite is: “You’re a RABID anti-dentite!” I get to use it every couple of months when my husband has to go to the dentist.

  40. I love your creativity in decorating. Table looks great! The overhead view literally makes me scared, as though I am about to come crashing down into your living room headfirst. How did you manage to take that picture without freaking out? 🙂

  45. This is the first time I’ve commented, but I love your blog. I love the coffee table! It’s great when off-the-cuff ideas work out so well. And the trim would look great white. I’m in the midst of painting all my trim white – in fact, I’m taking a break to look at BowerPower while a coat dries! It’s a big job – but soooo worth it.

  46. Looks great! The photoshopped white trim looks great, and I think I would go with the tan or grey on the walls.

    Question: How do you like your TV up that high? It looks so high to me, especially with your couch being fairly close!

  47. OMG Katie Bower. That table looks absolutely amazing! It really looks awesome against your sofa scheme you have going on!! I wish I only had the vision to come up with something so awesome! And I totally love your photoshopped greige and tan options! That’s quite a paint undertaking to be had!

  48. I vote for blue walls! Wait, are we voting? So here you have this crazy big mansion-looking home with things like a tennis court and a reading room, and there’s your second-hand coffee table in the middle of the room, and you’re actually a normal person with a normal family (normal like not insanely rich) plus totally hilarious…. I LOVE it! That’s why I read this blog!

  49. Katie Bower,
    I love your sense of style, your writing, and your sense of humor. You made my moring! Thanks for helping me start the day with a smile, and some good idesas My family is emerging from lice (yeah, you read that right) lice hell. And, as I sit here drinking my coffee and reading Bower Power and YHL, I feel almost back to normal.

  50. Wow, I love the painted table! Your living room has come so far, it’s looking great. As for the walls I vote for the greige with white trim, but they all look amazing with that fireplace and woodwork

  52. Love the greige option.

    I’m halfway through the Flickr tour of your home. And you got this for less than 300k? Amazing…! (Just came over here from YHL.)

  53. I have a random question… I’m trying to learn photoshop. I want to photoshop my wall with different colors, and so far what I’ve tried either comes out the wrong color (color replacement tool) or looking paintbrush bad (fill layer). How did you do that?!

  54. the coffee table came out great… only in the overhead view did i think it almost looks like it’s too small for the space? i don’t know, but i really do love the pattern. also i think the tan walls w/ the white trim are great w/ the other colors you have going on … that one really sung to me as i scrolled down! i’m serious, it SUNG!

  56. I vote for the greige. It looks awesome next to the white trim and furniture- great contrast. It’s starting to look quite sail-boaty/american flag-like in there and the ‘greige’ really “anchors” it… pun intended, I guess!

  57. I thought the exact thing about the greige playing nicely with the fireplace! The texture of the fireplace really stood out when I looked at that option.

    Man, your house is beautiful, and the possibilities are endless. Can’t wait to see what you work on next!

  59. Love the greige! Brown is a close second for me. And I really wish I had your Photoshop skills. If I had half a clue how to change wall colors and make trucks disappear from photos (as in one of your posts from earlier this week), I feel like my life would be different. Haha maybe that’s a little dramatic, but whatever…I’m putting “learn to Photoshop like Katie Bower” on my list of things to do someday. 🙂

  60. I like the brown on the walls! I think the room is large enough and bright enough to handle the darker color, and of course the trim would POP!
    If you wanted a secondary vote— I like the Greige too. 🙂 Have fun!

  61. For what it’s worth, I’m loving the tan wall color option. 🙂 And I know what it’s like to have a small DIY project = huge room change! I once changed out a rug, which forced me to repaint the room and buy all new throw pillows. And thanks for the Seinfeld quotes! I’m a huge fan. “I’m out… and I’m loving every minute of it!”

  63. I also vote for a photoshop tutorial!
    And don’t leave us all hanging in suspense… what color are you thinking?!

  64. Love the table! I’m in the process of redoing an end table I found at Goodwill & you’re very inspiring cause I have no idea what I’m doing. Question– Do you think you can spray paint over veneer? Your method looks much faster than mine.

  65. It does look much nicer, and I was surprised… I was thinking you were going to go bright red with the table (which, in my mind at least) would also look fabulous! But perhaps not as versatile as what you have done. I like the greige wall color option, too!

  66. Oopsie, my grammar got wacky… supposed to have written “table, which (in my mind at least) would also look…” 🙂

  67. LOVE what you did. Go for the Blue. Pretty please. The Grey is great too. BUT the blue ties it all together so fantastically!!! LOVE the way it looks together and this is totally not really my style.

  68. Wow! The table makeover really pulls the room together. Love the idea of doing a pattern with a special meaning. I figured I would also put my “vote” in for the color change: either the Griege or Blue color. So when do we start painting?! 🙂

  69. Love what you did with it and the room is really coming together! Amazing how much that rug really anchors the space. And I really like your last photoshopped room color – very bright and airy! Oh…and it is impossible to find a life situation that you can’t relate Seinfeld to isn’t it? I actually got to use “he took…it.out.” the other day. Awesome.

  70. Katie, the table looks awesome! And I love the photoshopped pictures of the room! my favorite is the really dark blue. it makes the painted trim and your couch just pop. love it!

  71. I am loving the greige and brown options! And the new rug is absolutely fabulous!

  72. That rug is a pop of AWESOME! I didn’t realize I could love a coffee table, but I am so jealous of your stenciling – it looks so cool! I love the pattern you created. I’m ready to get all painty on my furniture now. 🙂

  73. Love, love, LOVE Seinfeld- my favorite show of all time! My husband and I are constantly quoting it!

    The coffee table came out awesome- I love that it looks unique and special, and that you put a design in that has sentimental meaning to you.

    And I’m going to have to vote for the blue walls- it may just be the color on my moniter, but it looks almost blue-gray to me, which I think ties in perfectly with the semi-nautical look!

    Can I ask you a question- What version of Photoshop do you use? I have a million pictures that I’d love to spruce up, along with a few projects I’d like to undertake but would like to get a little visual on first. Thanks so much! 🙂

  75. Hey, never mind my Photoshop question- I got my answer from looking at your “photography” section! Your pictures never cease to impress me- you do such beautiful work! 🙂

  76. Laughing out loud at your post! Too funny! And I think the coffee table is awesome. Great job spending $0 🙂 Also I like the greige and the tan photo- shopped rooms. Either of those gets my vote. Any plans for painting any time soon??

  77. It’s all about the primer Ashley!
    Get the right primer (something that sticks to glossy surfaces) and you’ll be good to go 🙂
    xo – kb

  78. What would happen if you left the trim it’s current color and just painted the walls???
    Could you show us some photoshop pics of that??? Purdy Please??? I’m curious as all get up.

    Thanks!!

  79. Wow, I love it! The pattern on the top looks great. And um, I am in LOVE with that rug! It makes such a big statement! 🙂

  80. Have to say that I was worried as I read the post, but the result is gorgeous. Way to go!

  81. I spy some red chairs in the kitchen!!!! when do we get to see more of that? 🙂

  82. katie, “greige” ? i LOVE LOVE LOVE it. that’s probably some fancy design-speak color that the HGTV and Nate Berkus types have been using for years, but its new to me and i LUUURVE it. :o) right now i want everything in my life to be that color with white trim. :o) love.

    also, i’m with @abercrombie wife, as soon as I saw the drop cloth the coffee table was on, with all those white circles and red spraypaint evidence, i thought “hmmmm, somebody has “new” red chairs or end tables…” – can’t wait to get the scoop on those!

  83. KILLER table!!!! Also? You could say the 8s are infinity-symbols. You know, just like how your love of family or home is everlasti-

    …. nope. Too mushy. Let’s revise: How the love of all things pork is every-lasting.

    There. Much better. Now I need carnitas.

  84. Also, I need to paint all the doors & trim in my house (not sure if it’s off-white or just old… yum.) I’ll start mine when you start yours. Deal? Deal.

    Just don’t start yours soon, k?

  85. I am really liking the brown option for wall color. I think it makes the white furniture really stand out and complements the navy and red nicely. Plus, there are many windows in that room that let in plenty of light so I don’t think it would look to dark/closed in. Just my two cents.

    You’re so smart to always Photoshop options. I need to learn to be Photoshop savvy so can do the same when I own a home.

  88. One more color combo for you. In our previous house, the owners before us had painted all of the trim cream (just like yours) but they had painted the walls white (perhaps slightly off white, so it didn’t appear too stark). We actually ended up really liking it and keeping it that way the whole 7 years we lived there. Next time you’re photoshopping, try leaving the trim cream and making the walls white-ish. Even if it’s a more temporary fix, it’s easier than painting everything. Just an idea!

    Oh, and every time we want something to drink at our house, we say, “These pretzels are making me thirsty!” Classic. 🙂

  93. LOVE the coffee table! I enjoy how you make it personal with the “8” and no one really knows it’s an eight unless you tell them.

    I really like the tan or gray (I like the blue too, but I think the tan and gray go a little better with the stone at least in the picture) with the white trim and furniture you have in the room. I felt like the darker colors were trying to steal the show away from the furniture. The white trim makes the toothpaste walls look less toothpastey.

  94. Ah! Another reason to love ya! Seinfeld is practically a religion in my family.
    A great moment: “that bird flew right into your head…i ain’t never seen that before” bahaha elaine and her giant freak head.

  96. My cousin was lucky enough to get the part of ‘Luis’ Kramer’s cuban cigar contact that leads to George and the cigars that burnt down his future in-laws house!!!

  97. I like the most that pale greyish blue for the living room walls. It goes well with the fireplace stones, it pops up the crisp white trim and it makes the room light and serene. Beige on the walls clashes with the slateish color of the fireplace. Anyway, who knows what you end up with! The darker walls look great too – the room is spaceous and light enough for them.

  98. That table is awesome! Im also voted for the gray or greige wall color. But thats just me

  99. Hi Katie!
    As an avid follower of your blog I just wanted to say that I love your posts and to mention that I’ve just started my own blog. Please check it out if interested – visualmeringue.blogspot.com
    Thanks!
    Elaine.

  101. LOVE the dark wall!

    I literally said, “ooohhh!” out loud at work in my cubicle, prompting the girl who works next to me to come over and say, “What, what??”. Then I showed her and she said, “Ohhhh!” too.

    Point being – go with it!

  102. Katie, I’m so interested in Photoshop. But I’m not a HUGE photographer at this point, and i’ve heard Photoshop is hard to use. I just love the idea of testing out decorating ideas (like you paint colors in the living room) before diving right in. Do you think it’s work the investment for a non profesional photographer?

  103. In my personal opinion, photoshop is great…but so is Elements (which is a whole lot cheaper!)…so perhaps, look for a version of that instead of making the jump! It can basically do everything the regular PS can do as long as you are willing to learn!
    xo – kb

  105. So what you are telling me Jessica is that by knowing you, I basically know a Seinfeld star!? So basically I am friends with Seinfeld?
    Awesome. You just made my day 🙂
    xo – kb

  108. Love the table, very cute. Sometimes when you have no clue what your doing it comes out better. And I love that you are just using whatever you have, I think it makes you use your creative mind so much more! I like the cream trim, but I did like it when you turned it white, it goes with your couch more I guess. And I liked the first paint color you chose, it was a dark grey. That room is beautiful and you get so much light in there, you really could go bold with your paint color. Great job, keep up the great work. PS- I LOVE seinfeld, I’m like elaine, I’m always yelling “shut up!” and pushing people. lol

  109. Katie!
    I love the coffee table top! I’m a graphic designer so I love all things TYPE. I have some old woodblock type..I might just have to attempt something similar?

    Also, I vote on either the ‘greige’ or love how dark the ‘brown’ version of the room is, it makes it look soo cozy. Even a deep green tone might look nice.

    Can’t wait to see more house updates! I’ve been dying to see whats to come for Will’s room.

  110. I love it! Big improvement. I really want to repaint my TV stand. It’s funny because I’ve always had a lot of black furniture and somewhere suddenly my mind has decided that I much prefer the look of lighter furniture and especially white or light blue! This does not excite my husband one bit… but considering we have a small house, it really has helped open it up more!

  112. Love the table makeover!

    This may be a weird question, but I am curious about your TV. It’s right up on the stone. We are moving to a house where there is a stone fireplace, andthere are no outlets above it. We want to be able to put it up, similar to yours, but weren’t sure if it’s possible to put the mount on the stone securely. Also, we don’t want to cords hanging down the side, so, is there a way to get the cords hidden, or does this require some heavy duty work? Random, I know!

    Thanks for your help though! 🙂

  114. I love the room! The rug is crazy bold but you pull it off perfectly. I agree that the greige color is awesome. I’ll be praying for you when you decide to tackle all that trim!

    How do you like your white coach? Hubs and I are in love with the Kivik from IKEA and plan to get it in white. Just wondering how it holds up with a man and a kid. 😉 I’m sure you’re asked ALL the time so if you could redirect me somewhere I would be super appreciative!

  115. We love our white couch and highly recommend slipcovered bleachable couches to everyone that is willing to listen. I don’t know about every white slipcovered couch but ours is so easy to clean and we have gotten everything from blood to juice to marker out of it. So yeah…it holds up 🙂
    xo – kb

  116. The coffee table looks GREAT!!! You’ve inspired me to paint our 1980’s wooden coffee table that I’ve hated since the first time I saw it at my (boyfriend at the time now husband’s) apartment. Also, that is one HUGE living room! It looks a little sparse with those tiny chairs surrounding the comfy-looking sofa. Do you have any plans to switch up the furniture/add bigger stuff in the future? Just curious. Can’t wait to see what you do next.

  117. We are just using what we have on hand (the plan is to spend little to NOTHING whenever doing a room!). We have so much stuff, sometimes just a little creativity overcomes the need to buy new 🙂
    xo – kb

  118. GORGEOUS!! Love the subtle “8”‘s. And if you look at it sideways it looks like the infinity symbol……as in this room is awesomeness times infinity.

    For what it’s worth, I’m a fan of the greige. The brown looks sort of charcoal grey on my screen & I’m really loving that too. What I’m trying to say is: my living room sucks. =[

  119. I really like the contrast of the brown with your trim – perhaps you could try a navy blue on your walls? Your room is large enough to handle the dark color and you have such pretty trimwork, it would really set it off.

    I always love your rooms, so I’m sure whatever you do will look great!

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