Elbow grease...time...and possible lead paint

Tom and I went to a flea market in Salem, CT earlier this month. We were disappointed with the limited number of vendors that had attended the event. Maybe the weather was an issue that day. I think there might have been a chance of rain but it turned out to be a great day and I even posted about it. I had promised to post my special find from that day and am now just getting around to do that. Nothing that a little elbow grease and time won’t fix. We bought vintage shutters. At the time I didn’t know what I would do with them but knew I had to have them. We have a cream table near our front door when you first come into the house. It’s in the dining room. We have to keep the real estate brochures on it and it was looking awfully lonely. I had re-potted an orchid and put it on the table to make it a little more appealing but I still felt that I needed something more. Since Tom’s not willing to hang any pictures (because if the place sells that means we have to paint/patch those holes) the wall is pretty bare behind it and the cream table screams HELP against it. I thought the vintage shutters would look great on the table with the orchid in front of them.

I was a little apprehensive though that they might be covered in lead paint so to be safe I took them outside, put a mask on my face and began to clean them. Some of the paint chipped off but I was okay with that. It just gave it more an of aged look. Then after they were clean I got my poly spray and gave them a generous three coats. I think the neighbors must have wondered what the crazy lady was doing with a mask and spray paint but I didn’t care. After letting them dry for 24 hours I brought them inside and set them on the table.

I’m still on the fence but what do you think? Should I put a burlap table cloth on the table? Hmmm. 

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