# Can't resist trying to restore beat up old furniture. This piece has me wondering, any ideas?



## Ruth n Jersey (Jun 23, 2018)

My Son recently brought me home to beautiful dining room chairs. This presented a problem because I already have 6 chairs so I had to put all the chairs around the table and put the new ones against the wall.

This caused another dilemma. Now the area between the new chairs looked like it needed something.

Not wanting to spend a ton of money I was scrounging through the Salvation Army and came up with this little magazine rack. It is a mess but I love the challenge of trying to do something with it. 

I'm going to remove the magazine section underneath. I don't like the idea of a magazine rack in my dining room.  I'll replace it with dowels for strength. I'll sand and paint some of it and maybe stain the top. 

What I noticed after I got it home is that it has a little drawer. It will need a knob. That's why I didn't see it in the store. A little added bonus because I thought it was a bit to short,but when I pull out the drawer it adds length.

My question to you is this,"what do you think the hole is for?" Possibly for a flower pot?  At least that is what I'm planning on using it for. Any other suggestions?


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## Falcon (Jun 23, 2018)

Is the hole  in a drawer  in the table ?


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## Ruth n Jersey (Jun 23, 2018)

Falcon,yes the hole is in the drawer. Actually it is more like a straight piece of wood that pulls out. It has no sides like a real drawer would have.


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## Happyflowerlady (Jun 23, 2018)

Maybe to put an ashtray in so that it is out of sight until used. Back when that piece of furniture was made, almost every house had ash trays sitting around somewhere.


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## RadishRose (Jun 23, 2018)

I have a side table with a slide out "extension" too. Funny when I slide it out from time to time I gasp at how deep the rich mahogany is compared to the outer table, faded over the years.

Yours will look nice Ruth, with maybe pair of candlesticks?


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## Falcon (Jun 23, 2018)

Boy,   I give up.  Have no idea about what the  hole  is  for.  If/when  you find out,  please  enlighten  us.


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## Lara (Jun 23, 2018)

My uneducated guess is that a "handy" hubby with a penchant for tools, specifically a jigsaw, and a desire to please his wife's every whim, cut the whole out. And I think you're right, it was probably to set a plant in. Or a round basket to keep pens and paper or knitting supples etc

Btw, your arrangement now is perfect. Good idea and the chairs look stunning there.


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## RadishRose (Jun 23, 2018)

I bet the hole was for an ashtray, too.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Jun 23, 2018)

I never thought of an ash tray. I bet that's what it is for. I'm going to put a little artificial plant in it because there isn't much light for a real one and I'm sure I'd over water and my floor would be destroyed. RadishRose,candle sticks would be nice but not much room between the end chair for the dining room table and the new table.

 My son said the whole thing is going to fall apart when I remove the magazine part. He lets be struggle and then he takes over which is my plan all along. lol I'll give it a try though just to prove him wrong.


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## Toomuchstuff (Jun 23, 2018)

I'd be mosaicing that sucker in a heartbeat !


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## Falcon (Jun 23, 2018)

Now,  I think  that  you put a  "Wastebasket"   under the hole !    Ya  think ?


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## Lara (Jun 23, 2018)

If I were a knitter, I'd pile balls of different colored yarn down below and buy a round shallow straw basket to fit in the hole of the pull-out shelf and place knitting or sewing supplies in it. That would kind of be fitting for an antique and cute. 

Finding the right basket to fit the hole might be tricky to find but would be fun to shop for.


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## Aunt Bea (Jun 23, 2018)

I agree it looks like a little chair side smoking stand with the drawer for pipes, matches, etc... and a hole that probably held a copper ashtray.

At this point, it looks like a pig's ear sitting between those two amazing chairs but I have faith that you will transform it into a silk purse.

I can't wait to see the results of your efforts!!!


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## Wren (Jun 24, 2018)

A lovely find Ruth, could it have been a small writing table, the hole for an inkwell ? I would put a plant in the shelf or on the table, adding a little colour to that end of the room


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## hearlady (Jun 27, 2018)

It's cute. I would want to keep the bottom piece. It would be handy for just the right thing whatever that would be.


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## hearlady (Jun 27, 2018)

I could see some balls if yarn with knitting needles in them or something like that.


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## hearlady (Jun 27, 2018)

Or a nice kitty cat bed.


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## twinkles (Jun 28, 2018)

my ex took an old sewing machine table and we bought some ceramic tiles and put on the top of it ----it sure turned out pretty


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## moviequeen1 (Jun 28, 2018)

I was thinking you could put some nice looking cocktail napkins or coasters for your drinks Sue


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## hearlady (Jun 28, 2018)

Lara said:


> If I were a knitter, I'd pile balls of different colored yarn down below and buy a round shallow straw basket to fit in the hole of the pull-out shelf and place knitting or sewing supplies in it. That would kind of be fitting for an antique and cute.
> 
> Finding the right basket to fit the hole might be tricky to find but would be fun to shop for.


I didn't see this before I posted about putting balls of yarn in the bottom. It must be a North Carolina thing.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Jul 17, 2018)

I finished my table project. All of you had great ideas as to what I should do with the magazine rack. Not wanting anything more to  clean and considering that the bottom was falling apart I took it off completely. Problem solved.

I found a little clay pot that had a rim that fit perfectly in the hole in the top. I filled it with artificial greens.

The place mat was purchased on our Mother/daughter trip we recently took. Since I didn't see any live moose in Vermont I did the next best thing and bought the mat stamped with the moose.

Hopefully the table  will hang together and fill in that empty space between those chairs my Son bought me. It took a lot of glue and wood filler. Now I know why they wanted only $4.00 for it. lol

Do you think it looks ok?


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## RadishRose (Jul 17, 2018)

It looks wonderful Ruth! You're talented, for sure!


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## CindyLouWho (Jul 17, 2018)

I like it Ruth, very nice!


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## hearlady (Jul 17, 2018)

I love it!


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 17, 2018)

Looks great Ruth, nice job!


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