it's come a long way,baby

Okay... so the phrase is actually "You've come a long way, baby" AND for you younger folks, it was a cigarette ad aimed at women way back in the day... not very PC these days but I still like it... and when talking about some of the rooms here at Red Gate Farm, very appropriate!

You may notice something new, well new to me that is.  I've been looking at this table since the holidays and I finally bought it a couple of weeks ago.  Our old table was pushing 30 years, had been painted more than once, was showing it's age (not in a good way) and was a bit too large for the space.  It was a round oak pedestal table circa 1985 and the leaf was a bit large so we had left it with the leaf in since we moved here... and it was long past time for a change.

This table is a bit more rectangular than square and comes with two smaller leaves, store-able ones at only 9 inches each.

The table had already been refinished with an oil finish.  It's solid wood where my old pedestal table was veneer.  Isn't the wood grain pretty?

I don't know what the name of this style of base/table legs is but I do like it... and I'm happy I didn't have to refinish all those curvy parts including the apron!

I kept my old mismatched chairs, because that's me, a bit eclectic... although with this kind of base I limited it to just 4 at the table and the other 2 are stored in the basement until needed... along with those smaller leaves.

Here you can get a better look at the base... obviously with the leaves in place 2 chairs would fit on each side for a total of six at the table.  And in a pinch I think this table would hold more folks as the ends aren't the rounded shape they were before.

This sized table is a much better fit and left a bit more room around the table too, appreciated by my furry family.

And if you're wondering how far the dining room has come?  Well I did a post a number of years back but thought I'd share some pictures again...

This photo was taken before we moved in during our home inspection... not our furniture.

Taken shortly after we moved in, with our furniture (notice my painted table and yes it was green) and the carpet removed to show the original painted fir floors... both painted intentionally and unintentionally with splatters.  We lived here for about 10 months before I painted the floors the first time... we got used to the splatter look in that time, although I'm sure others were wondering about our "design choice"... sure hid the dirt and dog hair!

More recently with the darker floor color but after the built in was built by my husband.  You can see my first dining room table... it was actually a cream color in this photo but still looks kind of green.

And now brighter and not just from the sun... lighter floors (repainted a year and a half ago), milk glass displayed in built in and now my "new" table!  Next up?  Drapes?  Or a vintage light fixture?

How about you?  Spring bringing changes inside as well as outside?