Wodka, Just a word of caution in purchasing chairs for your antique table. We purchased an antique table some 20 odd years ago when we built our house (also had to wait for the house to be completed before pickup). Our friends who are avid antique collectors warned us that truly antique tables generally are shorter than our modern tables and to be careful of chair height when we purchased them. We found antique chairs to go with the table and they also set lower than modern chairs. Our table and chairs are from the 1850's. The table had one leg shorter than the others so we had to put a coaster under it. Then we decided to put coasters under all legs (requiring an extra one under the short leg) to give a little extra height. This was perfect. We would not be able to add chair pads as you would not be able to sit comfortably with your legs under the table. If your table does not have an apron as mine does, you may not be as impacted. Just be aware when you purchase your chairs and enjoy your table! Here is a link that might be useful:

Okay - the general consensus seems to be the stains should remain! I'll probably clean it up a bit with wax and 0000 steel wool, just to get any grime off, but I won't worry so much about using a special product on the stains. (The bright green ink stain, however, may have to go as I didn't feel it has as much history to it as the darker stains ;-).) moonshadow - I never find much of anything on my local CL either, so I look in the LA and San Diego areas where all the good stuff is! Even then, it took me a year of searching under "antique pine" to find this. My DH wants me to actually have the space completed before I start filling it up, but I told him these things don't come up too often in my area.

We have Lexington dark oak victorian style bedroom furniture, so I definitely feel your pain trying to choose a complentary paint color. Our bedroom was painted a version of off white for quite a few years, took a back seat to other rooms mainly because I really couldn't find a paint color I liked that would look good with the dark oak. When I used the SW Blonde in my LR/DR, I painted a a bit in our MBR to try it with our furniture. Loved how worked with our furniture, so problem solved as to what color for our master. The Blonde seems to be a completely different color in our MBR than in our LR/DR, mainly due to different lighting. If you don't want to go with the gold tones, I would try a sample of the green as pictured in mclarke's post. That green color was one of the many colors we sampled for our LR/DR before going with SW Blonde. Please post a pic when you paint. Would love to see what you choose.

Positano Our bottom cabinets are in. Island will be assembled on Monday, Granite template on Tuesday. Builder back on Wednesday to finish installing uppers, trim, toe kicks, pulls, etc and granite installed on Friday. Love the look of our cabinets. Our trim around doors and windows will remain white (at least for now). Our new kitchen is in a completely new space from our old one so we already have trim up around doors, and windows. I guess I will wait and see just how much it bothers me. As for the table I think I have another solution (although I love the look of the ballard table - can't figure out why they would make it pine). Found the table I want at an unfinished furniture store for 1/2 the price of the ballard in rubber wood which is supposed to be very hard. Size is too long by 6 inches and they are going to remove it from the base, cut it to the right size, sand and re-attach to the base. I really don't have much wiggle room on the table b/c of doors and the banquette that will be built. You will see in the pictures. I will try and post som Monday after the Island is built. Can you go to a few showrooms to look at some cabinets and see if you can find a cherry you like or if the creamy white shaker is still calling to you. Good luck.