What you see are surface scratches in the top coat of lacquer. They are caused by almost anything that is slid around the top. Hi-gloss sheens are the most susceptible to seeing these marks. It doesn't matter how often the table is used, all it takes is one meal. Of course the more you use the table the more it will occur. Two remedies- get a table pad to protect the top during use, or when they are frustrating enough to your eye, have the table buffed by a pro repair person.

Gardner - I adore the four bed wall! I'll have to print that one and keep it for reference. Sandy - My father grew up in Greenville, FL. We lived 6 hours south of there but went up about once each year or every other year when I was a child. My grandfather designed and built the farmhouse himself. I sat down with my dad a few years ago and we sketched out the floorplan. There were no frills, mostly just a series of bedrooms connected to a kitchen. No dedicated living space and no indoor plumbing. Most of the socializing was done on the front porch. There was an outhouse out back and a well with a bucket that we had to draw water from. One year we went up and the had installed an old iron handpump beside the kitchen sink so they could draw water directly into the kitchen. A year or two later and they had upgraded to real running water and indoor bathroom. We would visit during the summer and they had no air conditioning. At the time, we didn't have A/C at our home either but it always seemed much hotter there. I still have cousins that live there but I wouldn't know them if I ran into them. I would have to visit now, as an adult, to form an opinion. One last bit of trivia about the old days, I remember there was a spot just down the road from their farmhouse where there was large lettering painted at an angle on the asphalt that said "QUINCY" and a big arrow underneath. They said this was painted on the road in the days before modern navigational beacons and was meant to guide airplanes. Later today I will be driving past a newer, very small home I spotted a few months back. It's in a rural area aobut an hour from my house and I don't pass that way often. I have prepared a short letter inviting contact and will be pinning that to their front gate. Let's hope we can meet them and draw them into our circle. Scott

Sorry, I don't know how that post was repeated 4 times! Overall, I am I guess relieved that it didn't come out looking bad, per se, but I will not ever be using that guy again. He claims that the tops will get smooth over time and the glossiness will fade. From a glance, it's not bad, but it isn't anywhere close to a really fine job, either. I am really distressed at how RED the top of the vanity looks when I turn on the lamps. It almost looks like it has a maroon or oxblood tone, which I did not want AT ALL! Of course I'll probably learn to ignore it over time, but it has me wondering how much it would cost to have a piece of carrara marble cut to put over the top (which would get rid of the rough surface issue at the same time). I could probably find a remnant at a stone yard that wouldn't be too much because it's not a real big top. I did not see this maroon tone at all in his shop and I don't really see it from the front--its only when I turn on a lamp. I've tried different kinds of bulbs and it doesn't help. You can see faint brush strokes and bubbles in the tops. At first glance I guess it looks fine, but it really bothers me that I went to all this trouble and cost for a less than acceptable result. Of course he went on about how "a finish is gonna do what it's gonna do" and it's almost impossible to control how smooth the top is. Interestingly, the dresser top is much smoother than the vanity. Would it have come out better if he would have sprayed the finish on? He admitted lacquer would be smoother, but he doesn't like to use it because it is not as durable. He said I could throw my pieces in a swimming pool and they would survive due to the varnish. Well I really don't plan on ever doing that so I would have preferred something that is better in the environment the furniture will actually be in--a climate controlled home. My luck with tradespeople and so called "professionals" continues to fail. I live in a suburb of New Orleans of close to 100,000 residents. I would think in a town of this size I could find pros, but I guess I'm gonna have to go to the city next time to find somebody really good. I hope these pieces grow on me. As of right now, I'm almost wondering if they should have remained blonde......

I remember reading that...but it's still just as funny.... I am completely surprised that I didn't find a post from me on there...My DH has done a few things during our 42 years that I tell on him every now and then. patti