My Personal Handyman

Remember how I was going to refinish my cabinets?
Well I did it but that started to steam roll into a huge project.
Like the cabinets weren't enough!

Then the color on the wall no longer worked with creamy colored cabinets as it did with light maple colored cabinets.
The chore of picking out something to match was an undertaking of great pain for me.
I don't mind painting, I hate to pick out the color of the paint.  

Everything that we put on the walls didn't work. 
I have more crappy samples than you can believe.
But finally we decided on a color. I was worried it was going to be too dark.
But I guess because we have a wall of windows it wasn't too dark.  It worked.
But I still have the foyer to do. 
When everything is open and one big big room it makes for a lot of painting.
It also makes for everything having to match and work. Aargh! Don't enjoy that.

Then I thought we needed a new area rug, few pillows, and before you know it I am doing everything on the 1st floor.  But because I don't have much money I have to do things "creatively" shall we say. 

I was drooling over my Pottery Barn catalog and muttering something about I wish I could afford these.  That made Rick ask to see what I was coveting. 
We both saw some similar at Restoration Hardware that we loved this past summer.
But as you know Restoration Hardware is so much more expensive than Pottery Barn so we forgot about them immediately until I saw these. 

I showed Rick the Pottery Barn catalog and he said, "Oh please, it is only pine, not even good wood that's a crazy expensive price don't you think?  You know I could make those if you want.  Seriously Margaret I'd use nicer wood too that's for damn sure"

I laughed and said, "Well I want the console table too"  
He knew I didn't believe he could do this.  
He said it again, "Margaret I can make these both for less than the cost of just the coffee table."
REALLY? 
"No problem, really!"

"Rick if I hate them I don't want you to be upset if I don't want to put them out."  
He said, "I'll make you a deal. If you hate them you don't have to use them. I would love to attempt this though."

Before I know it he is coming home with 100+ year old wormy chestnut from an old barn. 
He brings me out to his work shop (our garage) and is so damn excited about this wood. 
Isn't it pretty?  Feel this, smell this, touch this, and off he goes!  
Okay I don't get that excited but I knew it was nicer than pine. 
Not a fan of the knots in pine or it's softness.
He goes off on what he plans to do as my eyes glaze over. 
At that moment he is like me in a shoe store or a chocolate store. 
I get it....sort of.

On Saturday as I am painting he asks me to come to the garage. He shows me the wood after it was glued and sanded. I asked about the color. He said the color will come out after he used tung oil or teak oil.  I wasn't sure but at this point I must trust him. The table legs looked exactly like the ones in the store and catalog so I was thinking.....so far so good.

Sunday he brought the coffee table in the house as I was coming down the ladder. 
I was pleased.  Hell, I loved it. 
Now I know this is rustic for some but this was what I wanted and damn, he did it again.
I show him a photo and he makes it for me.

Here is the link for the pottery barn table. 
C'mon don't be lazy - please go look so you can see to compare theirs vs. Rick's.

Here is my coffee table.  The console table is not finished just yet.

Needless to say I am happy.
Happy wife, happy life. :-)