When it comes to bringing some new life into your kitchen, nothing makes a statement quite like a beautifully refinished kitchen table.
There are so many styles to choose from, whether you’re aiming for a rustic farmhouse vibe, a sleek modern look, or something uniquely your own, the kitchen table often becomes the centerpiece of the room.
Refinishing an old table is a sustainable choice and a chance to create a customized piece that perfectly suits your style and needs. Trustr me, it will spark up a conversation when your next visitors arrive!
I’ve gathered 11 inspiring kitchen table refinishing ideas to spark your creativity. You’ll find a mix of my own projects, those of fellow furniture enthusiasts, and some truly remarkable transformations from talented artists.
1. Fluted Base Table
Looking to turn a round base dining table into a modern masterpiece? Take a look at this table, which I completely refinished and installed half-around trim pieces around the base. These style tables sell for thousands of dollars new in stores, but this was a free table and about $300 worth of wood and $50 in stain and water-based poly. Watch the full process here on YouTube video here!
2. Mid Century Dining Table Refinished
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This Brasilia MCM dining table was a lucky find, pulled from the garbage before it could be lost forever. My friend Stephen at Dashner Design & Restoration worked his magic to completely restore it to its former glory. In the video, you’ll watch as he meticulously scrapes, sands, glues, and refinishes the table, transforming it into a stunning piece once again. If you’re looking for a detailed guide on how to breathe new life into an MCM table, this is a must-watch.
3. Teak Dining Table Refinished
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If you’re a teak lover, you’re in for a treat! Angie from Transcend Furniture Gallery took on the challenge of rescuing this teak dining table that was in desperate need of refinishing. Once an abused and neglected piece, this table has been given a second chance thanks to Angie’s expert touch. Curious about how she pulled off this stunning transformation? Check out the full process in her YouTube video here.
4. Laminate Table with Faux Wood Grain
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If you don’t have wood furniture, you can still make it look like wood! This laminate kitchen table was completely revived by refubishdish using retique liquid wood. The process is simple, clean, scuff sand, clean with alcohol, retique it primer, gel stain, small graining tool, more gel stain, and then seal it with a top coat! Scroll through the images above to see the before.
5. Grey Farmhouse Oak Table & Chairs
This kitchen table and chairs set was one of the first table sets I ever completed. For this project, I painted the base in a crisp white, which beautifully contrasts with the grey-stained tabletop. To make sure the chairs complement the table, I took them apart and applied the same paint and stain technique. The result is a cohesive farmhouse-style set that would make a lovely addition to any kitchen, bringing warmth and character to the space.
6. Classic Dining Table Refinishing
If you are looking for a straightforward refinishing project, this wood dining table by Ron Hazelton is a great project to follow step by step. He explains all the required steps in an easy-to-follow video. He paint strips, steel wool cleaning, sanding, stains, and applies a polyurethane finish.
7. Simple Streak Free Painted Table
Instead of a classic wood refinishing, you can try painting a piece to your preferred color of choice. Black Sheep House does an amazing job with this round dining table where she paints it with milk paint and then seals it with water-based polyurethane. Just watch the video to see the streak-free finish steps.
8. Bleached-Washed Dining Table
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If you are looking for a unique white/bleached vintage appearance, this idea is for you. Natalie Kolter, also known as vintageporch on Instagram, created a one of a kind kitchen table and chairs set by bleaching and applying Briwax Liming Wax. This is a super unique table that you can do to create a super cool kitchen table yourself! Read the full project on her detailed blog post here.
9. Black Bottom & Wood Top
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This french provincial dining set caught Katie Scott’s eye. If you don’t know Katie, she is an amazing furniture artist who has many videos on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. This table is such a unique piece and a great addition to our list of kitchen table ideas. Katie paints the base and the trim edge but leaves the top wood by paint-washing it with Fusion Mineral Paint and water. Watch the process on YouTube here.
10. Antique Glazed
This was one of the earlier projects I completed, but the technique is just as relevant today. If you’re looking for a way to add character to a painted base, antique glazing is a fantastic option. This method gives your piece an aged, timeless look that can be customized with modern or classic colors to suit your style. Curious about how it’s done? Be sure to watch the full video to see the entire process in action.
11. Broyhill Brasilia Dining Table
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Dashner Design & Restoration strikes again with another stunning kitchen table refinishing project, complete with matching chairs! If you’re on the hunt for a meticulous and challenging refinishing endeavor, this one is sure to inspire. Expert craftsman Stephen poured countless hours and hard work into bringing this set back to life, and the results are nothing short of spectacular. It’s truly one of the finest table refinishing and restoration projects you’ll come across. See it on YouTube here.
This one was part of the YouTube’s Biggest MCM Challenge that I was a part of, too!