Thursday, December 27, 2012

Deja Vu

This post feels a lot like the posts I wrote when we were renovating the laundry and the kitchen. It's been so long since then that I'd totally forgotten the potential agony and wanting to "rip my own hair out by the roots" feeling of a major project. I don't think I'll ever be able to find the strength to do our bathroom ...70's retro is coming back in ...right?

One of the projects that had been germinating in my mind for well over a year was a new outdoor setting. Our old one was a hand me down, and had definitely seen better days by the time we were finished with it.  I wanted something different and at about bar height to prevent the dogs from using it as a dance floor. And my idea was simple - wine barrels and planks of wood - it doesn't get any easier than that.

As usual, I imagined the whole process of doing this to be a lot easier than the reality.  I'm an idea and concept person. I don't bother myself with details when it comes to hammering and painting and gluing. That's Mr. P's job.  I just tell Mr. P what the idea is, what material he needs to use and then go merrily on my way looking for finishing touches to make it look pretty. 

This whole project has been fraught with minor hiccups which included waiting for the barrels to be delivered before we could think about buying seating because we weren't sure exactly how high the barrels would be. Then we had to find bar stools I actually liked that could be delivered 4 weeks out from Christmas. A couple of sales people actually laughed in my face when I mentioned that little detail because apparently organised people buy their seating for Christmas in August. 


Never mind that we asked twice if the bar stools came assembled and that the display model in the store had a sticker on it stating they came "fully assembled". When Mr. P picked them up this is how they came. Apparently this is "fully assembled" which is very interesting since it took Mr. P 6 hours to put them together after they arrived.
 


We had pre-selected some beautiful wood for the table top. But then I decided the table needed to be 60 centimetres longer than I had originally planned. Apparently the selection of wood available to you diminishes rapidly when you want three metre lengths instead of 2.4 metres. There was another delay while we found a supplier that had timber in the required lengths.  I completely abdicated at this point to play candy crush saga on my ipad because I was pretty much fed up with the whole thing.


It took Mr. P all day to stain one side of the planks for the table top. I don't know why. Maybe its because I'm a girl and I don't understand something crucial about the process. Mr. P has his own way of doing things and I generally don't interfere even when I see him doing things in a way that's going to take twice as long. Plus when the Queen abdicates to play Candy Crush Saga because she's fed up she really doesn't have any right to bitch and moan. 

And then my Father in law dropped over to look at Mr. P's handiwork and gave us the bad news that we were going to have to make a frame for the table top so it didn't sag in the middle. I don't have an engineering degree so that was news to me.  But he made the frame idea sound so easy that Little P probably could have knocked it together. Clearly I looked doubtful and more than a little pissed off because he took pity on us and made the frame the next day while we were both at work. 

It took Mr. P two weeks to stain and varnish the table top.  By that stage I was having kittens about it not being ready in time for Christmas. I had visions of us all squeezed inside Little P's new tent eating picnic style. But it finally got it's last coat a mere few days before Christmas because apparently there really is nothing like bringing an essential finish down to the wire to ensure your wife inherits a few more grey hairs. 

And here it is - a bit like Texas - the largest outdoor setting in the history of outdoor settings. Able to seat 12 people at once in comfort. I'm thinking we might need to buy megaphones so people at opposite ends of the table can talk to one another. 


Barrel legs 



But I really do love how this turned out. And no I'm not taking orders. Once was enough!



34 comments:

melissa said...

It looks amazing Shay - well worth the stress !!! A couple of tin cans and string should do the trick... ; )
Hope you had a lovely Christmas and Have a wonderful 2013!!! x

Marg said...

It was well worth the wait, it looks fabulous. On the upside you now have a perfect table for basting quilts.

Katy Cameron said...

It looks great, well done. Can you come back in a few days when I've recovered from the agony I'm in right now and tell me the same about my living room clear out please? o.O

Canadian Abroad said...

Amazing - and tell Mr P the stained finish makes it perfect. ;-)

Jennifer said...

Definitely worth the stress and grey hairs - it's gorgeous!

Helsie said...

You don't do anything by halves do you ? The finished setting is terrific. Bet it was great on the big day.

Sarah said...

Well it looks magnificent! Definitely not something you could buy for less than $8000! Mr P had done a wonderful job interpreting your design idea. Also, it's a great height for a cutting table .... Had you thought of that?

Karen said...

This looks amazing! What a fantastic change :)

Heather said...

Wow, that looks great. Love the bars stools!

Paulette said...

It's fantastic! Makes me want to sit at one end and have you slide a frosty mug of beer down from the other end. And imagine what you could cut, baste, or craft on that thing!

Dianne Neale said...

I thought it sounded a simple project at first, but you have some seriously solid furniture there. I stopped asking why things take so long ages ago!

Noela said...

Your table certainly has the WOW factor. We are the same, high expectations that the job will be done in a short time but never happens. Glad it was finished by Xmas. Hugs....

Kate said...

It looks awesome! Are you sure you're not taking orders? And I so want an outdoor setting for Christmas. I hate this whole "cold for Christmas" the Northern Hemisphere has.

Elizabeth said...

Gorgeous! Those chairs are amazing. I love the beautiful color of the stain you used on the wood and the table top is so beautifully made. Hats off to Mr. P! What a lovely outdoor seating area! I hope everyone enjoyed it!

xo -E

AnnieO said...

It is gorgeous--many props to Mr. P for his good work fulfilling your dreams--and to you for not injuring him in the long drawn out process :) Hope the Christmas feast was actually allowed to be eaten from this wonderland of wood!

Razzle Dazzle Quilter said...

Fantastic!!! I'm sure it was worth the stress!

Cheers

Linda

Rachaeldaisy said...

Shay, you're a barrel of laughs! your table is brilliant!!! Worth every bit of stress!! You'll have lots of fun time around that table!

Susan said...

Well worth all the dramas, it's fabulous. Clever team!

Leanne said...

That Mr P is worth bottling. What a great setting and of course a pat on the back to you for your imagination for coming up with the original idea.

Michelle Ridgway said...

Oh it is so gorgeous. Hats off to the design woman and the builders DH & FIL. Unfortunately I married a man for his looks alone with no knowledge of how hammery things work. Lol

Lorraine said...

Next quilting gtg at your place????

Jindi's Cottage said...

It was certainly worth the stress...(and really, fully assembled? fully assembled into what? flat packs! sheesh!)...it looks fabulous...

Rachel said...

It was worth it (I say from California, not having experienced it, LOL) It is beautiful!!

Tazzie said...

That looks fabulous Shay, what a wonderful idea!
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)

seabreezequilts said...

Looks fantastic Shay. Your reno's sound like mine except I'm always on tender hooks thinking about how a tradie can stuff up and I am going to here about it for the next 20 years. Luckily the roof and solar panels have been relatively pain free though it was touch and go when the skip guy dug up a fair bit of the driveway.

Sue SA said...

Looks awesome and definatly worth leaving Mr P alone to get the job done...he is obviously a keeper!
How was the all day menu and the snazzy napkin rings?
Hope Santa brought you something nice?

thea said...

I think it's amazing! and that you thought it up and Mr. P made it -- I hope you posted the finished product on pinterest for everyone to see. Also hoping that it gives you basting and cutting space.

Hope you Christmas dinner/day was terrific and that you have a fun New Year's planned.

Barb H said...

Absolutely beautiful! And well worth all the work,I hope.

Shocking Hocking said...

wow - fantastic finish - we had everyone trying to find a spot wherever and balancing loaded plates on their knees - love this idea.

Vesuviusmama said...

It's lovely, Shay! I wish the men in my life were handy like that, but no. Enjoy!

Dee said...

Love the table Shay

Baa-Me Kniits said...

How awesome is your table!!! I bet Christmas was fabulous around it and all the angst was worth while. It will make a great sewing table for laying out your quilts too :-) Happy New Year Shay, love and blessings for 2013

Cindy said...

What? Not taking orders? But I love it! :)

Cardygirl said...

Absolutely fabulous, loved the saga too!