When we moved into our new house in February, our old tiny kitchen table (like 10+ years old) just wasn’t going to cut it in our new dining room. We chatted with a friend who was helping us finish the move about the “dream table we’d have someday” for the new space. At the time, we didn’t even think about the fact that our friend is a talented woodworker. After that conversation, she showed up literally a week later with a GORGEOUS handmade table, exactly what we had described. WHAT??

She even made the stain with a hint of the color of our hardwood floors, but still match our chairs to tie everything in. Seriously, one of the best gifts we’ve ever received. The only issue, and a wonderful problem to have, was now that we had a beautiful table, I was a little scared to put anything on it! I mean, tables are for serving and eating food at, but I didn’t want to ding it, or have heat/moisture/cold leave any marks, so we spent a few weeks almost ignoring it and eating elsewhere. Silly, really. We needed simple table protectors so we could start really enjoying our new piece.

These two carved wooden squares didn’t “match” but they’re the
same size and shape, so paint is the great equalizer!

As you can see from the brackets on the underside, these are supposed to
be wall hangings. So we have them up on the wall over our table
in the kitchen when they’re not in use for meals.

A trip to the dollar store, and we have the key to table safety.

I just picked the size the best fit the corners, and did both squares. This way, when the squares are on the walls (and off and on and….) the wall isn’t getting dinged.

And then, of course, it’s the perfect buffer to keep the table scratch free
while protecting it from the hot/cold/wet elements of enjoying the
functionality of actually using our table to eat at.

On the UPCYCLE end of things - our old kitchen table
needed a new purpose in life, and we found just the thing:

My husband chopped the legs off to make it toddler height,
and it is now the activities center of our daughter’s fun playroom.

Do you play up, DIY and upcycle your thrifted housewares?
TAG US on FB or Instagram! @thrifttown

Happy Thrifting! — Kari

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Kari Shipman is thrifty, crafty, resourceful and is a passionate momma and business owner. She has been our featured blogger since we started the blog in 2010, and has a serious passion for helping women in need. Kari owns her own Fashion Consulting Business, Juniper James and lives out her passions in Northern California with her wonderful husband Charles, and their feisty little girl Olive.