Welcome to the blog today, Friends, I’m so happy you stopped by. Hope you had a wonderful New Year and are looking forward to 2024 and all the wonderful times ahead. Today I want to share with you a project that came together over the holidays. We all have lots of projects in the works but some of the most important happen between Fathers and Daughters. Today’s Blog is about a recent project that centers around an antique Egyptian door.
Our daughter was getting ready to move into a new apartment and was looking for a table that would fit the new space. The Loft apartment was a bit like a New Orleans “Shotgun” plan where you walk from one room to the other in a straight line. She wanted a table that would seat 4 – 6 people, double as a work area or buffet table and not take up too much width. She thought a tall but narrow door might meet the requirements. So we headed to a vintage market/salvage store to see what they might have and…she found an antique Egyptian door that she loved.
The door was a weathered stone pine with some rusted hardware and hinges that gave it additional character. You can see the door in the picture above. It measured 7′ 8″ by about 15″, long and narrow just as she envisioned. The door had never been painted and was in its natural honey pine tones with some weathering that had taken place over the years.
Her Dad said that, of course, he could turn this door into a table for her that would be exactly what she wanted for her space and would fit in with the antique industrial “vibe” she wanted.
He had a few challenges to overcome: the actual door couldn’t be compromised; the door had a variety of levels including the rusted latch that had to be turned into a level surface for dining; 4-6 people had to be able to sit at the table; legs had to be attached to the table to raise it to the correct height.
So, Dad made a frame that he could set the door in that allowed for the height of the latch. the legs could be screwed into the frame and not compromise the door. In the picture above you can see the frame with a routed edge. The door fits nicely into the frame and is protected. The frame was made from poplar that would take a light stain.
The edge shows how the pieces were screwed together. Wooden plugs were placed over the screws which added a nice wooden finish but also some old world interest. An additional piece was added to the base to give added support when the legs were added. The legs give an industrial look to the table but keep it nice and sleek.
There are cutouts on either side of the table to make it easy to take the door out of the frame without compromising the door or the frame.
Here you can see how the door fits snugly into the frame and allows for the raised height of the door latch.
A 1/4 inch piece of glass was ordered for the top of the table and rested on the groove created in the frame to support the glass. When the glass arrived it wasn’t perfectly rectangular as specified so the routed edge had to be adjusted to fit the glass. In the picture above you can also see the wooden plugs that fit in over the screws.
When all the fitting was completed the frame was stained to match the door and other antique stone pine pieces that are in the apartment. It took a couple of coats and then some drying time.
The frame was antiqued to better match the age of the door without compromising the support needed for the door and glass. The chairs were added and fit nicely under the table without creating a wider presence. The table fits beautifully in the space and…most importantly…our daughter loved it.
The project took awhile to complete as we had a few interruptions but it looks really good in the space. Our daughter hosted Thanksgiving dinner in her new apartment and the table worked great. She also uses it for a buffet space and an additional prep space, if she needs it.
Everyone was happy with the results…including the dog. Emily has a unique piece of furniture, made by her Dad, that she can use for a long time to come. Thanks for stopping by and sharing this project with me. It was a great way to start the new year.
That looks so cool! We once made end tables from old windows we found and framed like this.
Thanks, Joanne, I bet your tables turned out really well. These are great projects to do to create some wonderful pieces for your home. Thanks for sharing and have a great week.
Lynne
How perfect! Your talented husband did a great job. Having lived in a shotgun apartment years ago, I appreciate the need for a table of this size.
Thanks, Joy, it was definitely a “labor of love”. The “shotgun” style presents it’s own set of design problems but I love how this table looks in the space. thanks for sharing and wishing you a very Happy New Year.
Lynne
A beautiful project to cherish for years to come. Did you use tempered glass for the top if she’s using it for prep?
Thanks, Robin, I’m not sure about the glass but she puts a board across the table that is supported by both sides of the frame when she does prep work. She has a pretty big kitchen so mostly uses her counter space when she preps food but you can never have to much prep space. Thanks for stopping by and wishing you a very Happy New Year.
Lynne
Your husband did an amazing job with the table! I wasn’t quite sure how you were going to handle the different wood details, but when I saw the glass it all made sense! And, they made memories along with a table!
Have a wonderful week, Lynne! I hope you’ll join us for the Traffic Jam!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Thanks, Marsha, looking forward to the next Traffic Jam. My Husband really enjoyed making the table and seeing it in our daughter’s space. she helped with parts of it. It was great that they could build this together. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful New Year.
Lynne
Thay turned out great, and looks great in her space!
That turned out great, and looks great in her space!
thanks, Rita, it was a project they both enjoyed with a great result. I just took the pictures. LOL. Thanks for stopping by and a Very Happy New Year to you.
Lynne
Such a fun upcycle piece . And it really suits your daughters needs perfectly. I love it.. Thanks for sharing at Funtastic Friday.
My pleasure. It was a great project. Love sharing on Fantastic Friday. Have a great week.
Lynne
Oh, this is absolutely amazing. I’m so impressed. Visiting from Senior Salon Pit Stop.
Thanks, Jennifer, it was definitely a “Labor of Love”. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.
Lynne
My brother-in-law made me a headboard using five kitchen cabinet doors. Looks like an old wooden door. I love it.
Creating something from objects that are not intended to be used in that way is particularly satisfying. I bet the headboard is really great. thanks for sharing and have a great week.
Lynne
This is super cool! Thank you for sharing on Tell It To Me Tuesday, I hope to see you again this week.
Thanks, it was a great project. thanks for stopping by and have a great week.
Lynne
Thanks so much for the feature. It’s very exciting. Look forward to posting on your site again soon.
Lynne
This is absolutely amazing. What a treasure for your daughter and the memory of making it with her dad. It fits her current space perfectly, but I’m thinking the piece will follow her wherever she goes. It’s utterly priceless. Thank you for sharing at the Home Imagined link party. Happy New Year. XO- MaryJo
Thanks, MaryJo, our daughter will keep it forever, I think with fond memories of working with her Dad. It’s always a pleasure to post on your site. Have a great week.
Lynne
Hi Lynne- I just wanted to pop in and let you know you will be featured at the Home Imagined link party tomorrow. Hope to see you there. XO- MaryJo
Thanks so much for the feature. Always a pleasure to visit your site. Have a great week.
Lynne
Wowww!! What an amazing project! Having worked on wood projects myself, I can see the amount of work and care that’s gone into this one. Love the idea as well. It came out really well too 🙂
Thanks so much for the feature. Our daughter uses the table every day and it looks great. Have a wonderful week.
Lynne