A few weeks ago I showed you a sneak peek of a table that I promised to share more about later. The table kind of sent me into an emotional tailspin (it was really just the straw that broke the camel’s back on some other stressors) and I wanted to see how things shook out before I went into detail about it.
This table may have caused me to drink.
Some of you might say “an emotional tailspin over a table??” Well, let me just tell you that I can get kind of worked up over such things. I like to attribute it to passion, not total insanity, but I suppose I’ll let you be the judge of that. This will certainly be one of my more wordy posts, but I think it’s good to show that nothing I share on here comes that easy. This is definitely an extreme case, but my home is something I am constantly thinking about, finding inspiration for, and working on. Although I love it, I still face challenges, doubts and lots of road bumps along the way.
One Saturday night I was catching up on blog reading it’s sad that I started writing a blog because I love reading other blogs, and now I barely have time to read other blogs and Emily Henderson had just posted a new Trolling Craigslist. If you don’t read her, you should: if not for her design, for her personality and writing style. Anyway, it caused me to take a minute to pop on craigslist, and as I was casually trolling I came across something that immediately made me anxious.
A 9′ solid marble table with marble bases for $350 or “whatever you’re willing to pay.” Yes, that’s what it said. My head started spinning. We already have a beautiful dining table – I had no need for this thing. But at that price I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. I mentally ran through all of the people I knew who would potentially want it, and none of them had the need or room for such a thing. Then something came to mind: could this be used outside? I did some quick googling, and it seemed feasible. At that price I knew it was worth a shot.
The table had been listed for 3 days, and I thought there was no chance it was still for sale, but just in case, I text the number listed at 10:30 at night, because apparently all form of manners goes out the window when you want something this bad. The guy said it was still available and was willing to meet me whenever I could. He pastored a church that had just remolded and the table was not a fit for them.
The space was a former dressmaker’s shop, and they used this table. Beauty and history!
I couldn’t sleep much that night with anticipation. You never really know that something is what a picture on craigslist says it is until you see it in person. That marble could have been laminate for all I could tell. I headed down the next day to take a look in person, and was giddy when I felt the touch of the cool, solid stone. This was the real deal! I did my best to contain my excitement as I offered a price this wasn’t something in the budget, so I offered what I could scrounge up…not much. He accepted and warned me that we’d need at least four guys to move the thing.
Of course I wanted Micah to gather up some friends and pick it up ASAP, but he told me some of his fellow Crossfitters could help get the table on Thursday night after their workout. I spent the week still a bit on edge, hoping that the move would go smoothly. I had rehearsal that night and asked Micah to give me the play-by-play via phone. When I got the text that they had picked the table up I was totally relieved. But later that night when I reached out to Micah about getting it in place at our house, he text me back…”babe, I’m so sorry…” Sorry??? Sorry about what???
Sorry about this. Did you know that you’re not supposed to carry marble flat? Well, Micah didn’t. I didn’t. No one helping did. They had moved the slab three times just fine and on the fourth time to put it in its final resting place the thing just collapsed in on itself.
To say I was disappointed would be an understatement, but how could I be upset with someone who was just trying to help? All of these guys had given up their evening to lift over a thousand pounds of stone so we could have a rather ridiculous but incredible outdoor table. The next day, while I was over the whole thing Micah started making calls to see if it was fixable. Most guys didn’t want to touch it or wanted an arm and a leg for the labor, so Micah took it upon himself to fix the table. My husband builds McDonalds for a living, so marble isn’t a stone he’s used to working with, but he got the name of a supplier for stone fabrication and headed there to get everything he needed advice, guidance and supplies.
First, Micah and his dad fit the pieces back together and glued them to the plywood base. Then Micah epoxied all of the cracks and sanded the table down using about five different grades of paper. Finally he polished and sealed.
I’m pretty blown away by how it turned out and proud of Micah for learning a new skill.
It isn’t perfect, but the cracks really just look like more veining.
The table fits perfectly on this side of the concrete deck, and it gets lots of shade in the evenings – ideal for dinner al fresco. Now, to find some chairs…
I love the clean feel of these. Has anyone seen something similar in an outdoor option?
Elizabeth says
My jaw actually dropped when I saw the picture of the broken table! But then I remembered the name of the post so I kept reading and was relieved (and impressed!) when I saw it had been fixed. What a beautiful table!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Mine too. 🙂 Thanks, Elizabeth!
Gloria Feeley says
That was a bit of a roller coaster. I would have been equally heart broken. What a unique piece to have though! So glad it all came back together! I have to say I absolutely LOVE Emily's blog, but I check your new posts before I do hers!
themakerista@gmail.com says
That's nice, Gloria! Emily is definitely a favorite!
Laurie from Laurie Jones Home says
This is so cool and I'm so glad to know someone like me that loves that cool feeling of marble! There's nothing like it!! I'm so glad you were able to salvage it and I can't wait to see how you style it outside!!
Kat says
Oh man, just reading that stressed me out! It looks amazing now, though! Your husband did good.
Arielle says
So glad this worked out! The table is striking, and I think bold black and white will look so good outside!
Brittany Cramer says
WOW! what an emotional roller coaster! I gasped at the photo of the table in pieces, woof. So happy to hear it was fixable! your husband is a rock star.
Pam Buss says
Gwen, i love your blog and am a newer reader! what a roller coaster with the table, but i have a question; are you worried about the elements ruining the marble? Hopefully you will be able to find a cover for it!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks for reading, Pam! The research I've done has said as long as we seal it regularly and cover it in the winter we should be fine. For the price I figured it was worth a shot. Thanks again, Pam!
Sherri says
That's some story and some husband you have to work so hard on repairing it. I know you already have a dining room table, but I would be so tempted to use it in there instead after seeing the picture from Domaine Home. It would be the dining room of the century.
themakerista@gmail.com says
You're right, Sherri! But I don't know that the cracks are now dining room worthy, and I doubt I could get anyone to move it again. 🙂
Shavonda Gardner says
Omg! Literally stopoed breathing for a minute there. Im with you though Gwen. Im always thinking about my home and I internalize so much with it. I wouldve freaked out too friend. Honestly this goooorgeous table would siiiiiiing in your dining room.
mybathroomvanity says
More and more I have read in magazines about studies claiming that the more colorful something is, generally, the better it is for you. Thank you for making this blog so fun.
For My Love Of says
Oh my! My heart dropped when I saw the photo. That was really sweet of him to fix it. Such an incredible piece and story!
Patricia says
Oh my, how horrible it must have been to see it in pieces! Happy to read it worked out in the end, I hope you'll have many awesome dinner parties at this beautiful table 🙂
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks, Patricia!
Yelda says
I also gasped when I saw the picture of the table in pieces, and am absolutely amazed that your husband was able to successfully take it from broken pieces to a whole table again! Also, the My Domaine inspo image is everything and if it didn't have the cracks, I would also be on team "put-it-in-your-dining-room!" It's a beautiful table.
sarah m. dorsey says
Wow!! 9'!! That's amazing! So sorry it broke 🙁 I hate it when stuff happens like that. I'm glad it worked out in the end!!
lonelybaker says
Amazing job by Micah! I like that you now have a story to tell every time people gush over the table. And they will! Nicely done!
lonelybaker says
Amazing job by Micah! I like that you now have a story to tell every time people gush over the table. And they will! Nicely done!
almcafee says
Have you ever seen the piece The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass) by Marcel Duchamp? he created a huge piece sandwiched between glass. The story we were told in art history class (my memory is fuzzy, so take it with a grain of salt) was that he took ten painstaking years to create this piece. Once it was complete, it shattered while being moved into the museum. Duchamp decided he admired the cracks: an element of chance that enhanced what he had done intentionally, following the flow of energy in the work's composition. Reminded me of your table! It's now truly your complete piece 🙂
themakerista@gmail.com says
On, I love this! I'm going to need to look it up, thanks for sharing and reading!
Angela Bill says
Hey what a brilliant post I have come across and believe me I have been searching out for this similar kind of post for past a week and hardly came across this. Thank you very much and will look for more postings from you. happy wheels
Molly Springer says
The idea of an outdoor marble dining table is fabulous and ridiculous at the same time and that is why I am with you 100% on this post. I am visualizing a Parisian setting. I love the idea a dainty black and white chair to offset the dark and hardness/manliness of the marble. I react passionately about design often too, why wouldn’t you if it is something you feel strongly about. The fact that it was in a church makes me keep imagining The Last Supper at this table right in your backyard, kind of funny. Closest silhouette to that chair I have seen is this one: http://www.dwr.com/outdoor-dining/bellini-chair/2135.html?lang=en_US#lang=en_US&start=30 , good luck with your hunt for a perfect dining chair!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Yes, I’ve always pictured something more feminine for the chairs. Thanks for your thoughts, I hadn’t thought of the last supper, ha!
launcher apk says
The idea of an outdoor marble dining table is fabulous and ridiculous at the same time
themakerista@gmail.com says
Ha, isn’t it?!