For now

While on the hunt for a new coffee table over the weekend, I made the mistake of going into West Elm, where I KNEW I would likely find something I loved, and then not be able to afford it. Well, I was right, and I fell head over heels for a new table that I've decided is the table for us, but at $500 is a little out of reach.

Behold, the new "Rustic Storage Coffee Table" - which combines the style I'm going for plus concealed storage (awesome) AND a lift-top for snacking while watching TV (more awesome). It's also the perfect size for our tiny little living room - bigger than an end table but still not huge and won't take up the entire floor in front of the couch. 

Isn't it gorgeous? 

So, while I wait for the day this baby goes on sale (I assure you I am checking no less than 3 times a day, and it's brand new so I know I've got awhile), I decided to do the smart thing and find a cheap stand-in on craigslist that I can have a little fun with. Luckily, I scored an awesome little table for $20 last night from a couple in the city, and it is also a great size for our space, so I'm happy. It definitely does need a little love though, so I'm currently trying to decide exactly what it is I want to do with it.

My original plan was to paint the base white and stain the top nice and dark a la Centsational Girl...

...but I'm not sure if that would be a good idea since there are some dark marks on the top of the table I got that may or may not sand off. If they don't sand off, I'll have to figure out a color to paint the entire table, and I'm not sure I want it to be white. I've noticed lately that there is an abundance of blue throughout our house, so any shade of that is out of the question. And, I already have a bunch of other fun colors on various craigslist finds throughout the house - such as my yellow dining room cabinet, navy kitchen cart and kelly green console table in the entryway. Clearly, there is no lack of color in my home :). 

We have about 30 people coming to our house for breakfast bright and early Saturday morning, so this project will definitely be a quick one. I'll be sure to post photos of the final product!