Another look for less...

The tables Kelly's craving

My living room with my salvaged coffee table

I just saw a table (top) that Kelly at Little French Nest is craving and thought this post might inspire her. Check out her post (and her amazing blog). And here is my follow up comment, which you all might find useful. And don't you just LOVE that mirror in her photo! Let's try to make one... some super-caffeinated day-after-never-gonna-happen.

Kelly, these tables are beautiful! They're very similar to the (outrageously expensive) ones from Vaughan that I've been cyber-stalking for years! (below) Then one lucky day I found a perfect square, glass-top, iron coffee table in a friend's garage. It wasn't the Vaughan, but it had nice lines, a glass top...sort of like finding Mr. Good Enough. The base was dark, rusted iron (she'd used it outdoors). I wired brushed it 'til it should have bled then set to recreating the Vaughan finish. (Sort of like taking Mr. Good Enough to Bradley Cooper's hairdresser.) After I tried many failed gold leaf techniques (don't even bother on something that spindly), I was finally resigned to layering it in various gold leaf paints. I still plan to add some dark undertones with a dry brush technique and then possibly one last try at a little gold leaf. Though the knot design isn't exactly what I'd wanted, it's kept me, my living room and my pocketbook pretty happy. Just saying, you might try it with something if you find one with good proportions and lines--or have one made in plain iron.

the Vaughan table

  sorry for the dark, unprofessional photo

I'd love to know where the ones in your picture are from. TDF! Here are those pricey beauties from Vaughan in all their catalog glory. Those Louis legs still have me swooning.