Here is a quick afternoon makeover that turned our inexpensive Better Homes & Gardens Dining Set into a rustic farmhouse table.  It was a simple project that takes more patience than skill.  I started by carefully coating the tabletop & bench seats in Citristrip Paint & Varnish Stripping Gel, avoiding the black parts of the dining set.  (Follow the directions on the container, it is VERY simple to use.)  I like this gel because I can safely use it in the house.  I used a taping knife to scrape the gel/varnish.  I let the Citristrip sit for 30 mins before scraping (I probably could have waited longer…) & I then repeated the process one more time.

After I let the table dry, I applied my favorite Minwax Dark Walnut Stain with a clean rag.  I applied two coats of the stain, letting the table dry between coats.

Once the stain dried, I lightly sanded where I wanted to see a little more “wear & tear” (mostly edges).

My next step is to apply the Minwax Paste Finishing Wax (Natural), just to give the table a protective coat.  This is a very heavily used table and we have gone two weeks without a protective coat (just the stain) without any issues.  The wax will just add a little more luster to the finish & make the table a little easier to wipe down after meals with two toddlers.

I AM LOVING our “new” table!  It’s so much more fun to decorate now that the color is more neutral & more rustic.