A Table With the Coolest Legs

We don’t watch a lot of television. Especially when we’re working on the house, we really don’t watch much at all.

The internet says the average American watches 3 hours and 2 minutes of television each day, which I assume is watching 3 episodes of “Law and Order SVU” and then getting two minutes into something else and turning off the TV.

College basketball season is when we watch the most – both of us love it.

But – what does this have to do with a table? I’ll tell you.

We really only watch TV during meals. I scrolled to find an article for you on WHY THIS IS SO BAD FOR YOU but there are too many articles and quite frankly, I got bored. You aren’t supposed to do it. So, let’s build a table to make it easier!

We used to watch sitting at a coffee table, but then I decided we were whole adults and maybe that was terrible. So, since the Library has been done, we’ve used two small tables behind the couch to east at. I wanted to built a custom table that really fit the space, and would make it feel like a common table, and not two tv trays.

Enter these legs.

We found these at the Springfield Antique Market, and they were super cool, and I thought I could make something out of them. The table it is!

We used leftover wood from other projects.

Because the pace in the Library os so narrow, the table was going to bave to be really narrow as well. Doug was nervous at first because the legs “didn’t fit,” but they only didn’t fit is you put them on symmetrically. By putting them on symmetrically, 1) they fit, 2) they allowed one side of the table to have a little more leg room, and 3) they look super cool and interesting!

Doug designed it as a normal table / shelf (we seem to have a normal pattern here with building!) and then put a small bottom on each end to allow the legs to fit on nicely, and make the height good for eating. This also created a very small “secret nook” under each side of the table, which I now stash with napkins. As you do.

I stained the underside first before we put it together, because that was going to be easier.

Hate the color. Way too dark.

It’s a little better with a shellac on it, but still. Way too dark. Good thing it’s only the bottom!

Once the whole inside was finished in a completely incorrect color, we moved to assembly. ALL THE BISCUITS. The painter’s tape marks them all.

This table is going to be hella strong.

We lined up the sides and the bottoms and the top!

Supervisor in the room. Look sharp!

Once it was glued and together, we clamped it up!

Once it was ready, I moved to finish the outside, and tried not to make this too dark.

MUCH better.

We decided to attach the legs with bolts. This is where I was very glad I have skinny wrists – because getting into the napkin nooks to do this was a challenge!