Once I determined to make the most use of the space we had in the townhouse great room, I’d use the window alcove for the dining table. That meant I needed to find a bench that was 11′ long. A vintage church pew makeover was soon to follow…
Guess what, I found out there aren’t very many 11′ long benches for sale!
It took some searching but I finally found one that looked very promising.
Some things about it were perfect and the things that weren’t so perfect I figured I could fix… but I still had to drive about 4 hours to get it… and have a long trailer to haul it in. I’m so blessed that my husband loves to go on day trips with me getting furniture treasures I find!
Here’s what was great about the bench… It was the perfect length! That was the biggest hurdle.
Well, that and the style was a wonderful vintage style I love.
It was sturdy too. That was very important.
The part that wasn’t so good was the finish was pretty horrible. The paint was really chipping off. Though a chippy finish can look quaint on a cupboard, it would be a bit annoying if every time someone sat on the pew the paint chipped off onto their pants.
So my project was to clean it up and put a new finish on it.
Sanding
I sanded and scraped and removed all the loose, flaking paint.
Using a foam pad with a cushion is perfect for sanding rounded edges. I can change out the cushioned pad for curves and back to the hard base for the flat parts with just a simple velcro attachment.
I absolutely love my Surfprep sander! THIS is the exact one I have.
When I purchased my Surfprep I had them help me find the correct vacuum cleaner attachment, they have different sizes to match your Shop-Vac exactly. And so now when I sand I always have the vacuum on with it. That way there is virtually no dust when I’m sanding inside. It really is amazing.
I’ve burned through a couple other cheapo sanders and they were so frustrating to work with. I’ve had this Surfprep for a few years now and it’s been a workhorse!
I’ve worked hard to get this discount coupon for you to get 10% off your purchases at Surfprep. When you go to checkout at Surfprep, use this coupon: SIMPLEDECORATINGTIPS
Painting
After all the loose paint was off, and the piece was wiped free of any dust it was time to paint it.
Even though I no longer have my retail shop where I sold Fusion Mineral Paint, I still happily use it. It’s so durable and no odors.
I’m actually cheating with this photo… I forgot to get a pic of me painting the pew, but I used THIS Fusion Mineral Paint in Coal Black.
At this point in the making of the townhoue dining area, I didn’t know what’d I’d find for chairs. Either way, I figured since the table legs were black, making the pew black as well would for sure work to pull an eclectic dining room seating plan together.
My plan was to put one coat of paint on, and then put the second coat on after the pew was moved to the townhouse. (unless there is a tannin bleeding through issue, Fusion doesn’t require primer)
After a single coat, I decided it looked good as is and I still haven’t applied a second coat!
Detail that Worked Out
Do you notice how one end of the pew has this really pretty detail and the other end was plain?
That turned out perfect for our space too, the end with the carving is more open and visible from the kitchen, but the other end without any detail is hidden anyway because of furniture blocking it.
I have the bench placed a few inches away from the wall so the shutter vanes can pivot open and close properly. The back of the bench does come up above the window sill a little but actually barely blocks any of the window light coming in.
I absolutely love my Surfprep sander! THIS is the exact one I have.
***Use the code SIMPLEDECORATINGTIPS to receive 10% off your entire purchase there!!***
Coming up…
Next post I’ll show you the dining chairs I found, what I had to do to them and give you tips on shopping second hand.
Then the big reveal of all the pieces together with tips on making eclectic dining room seating look like a plan.
Thank you for stopping by, I appreciate you reading along.
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Elizabeth says
That turned out beautifully!!! To be able to envision and make something beautiful out of what someone else would neglect, is truly art. ❤️
Liz says
Thank you.