To me, the best part about getting furniture second-hand is that usually it has no where to go, but up. That was the case with my dining room set.I bought the table first. I believe it was Summer '02. I was out cruising the neighborhood (Jacksonville, FL - Avondale/Ortega area) on a Saturday morning & stopped at a few sales. I walked up the driveway & saw this beautiful base of a table. I fell in love with the big barrels. It was a young couple who was helping to sell some things that were in an elderly neighbor's garage (at least I hope it was okay with her!). Anyway, $40 & I had a table... that needed some work. The veneer was ruined, rippled with water damage. I threw a tablecloth over it for a few months, but when I couldn't stand it any more, I attacked it with a chisel & paint scraper. That took care of all the easy pieces... then my mom gave me the idea to actually steam the old glue adhering the veneer. I soaked a towel & ironed over it... and whatever was left I chiseled off or feathered down with a sander! Since then the top has been painted over, but I've kept the base of it the same. I still love those big barrel legs!
The chairs I got at an Estate Sale February 2003. My friend & I were headed home from somewhere & saw signs for the Sale. We stopped & were only in the house for about 10 minutes when I saw a set of dining room chairs {5 side chairs + 1 arm chair}. I could look beyond the nasty nubby fabric & the drab country blue... but did I really want to pay $150? I would have... but just as I was about to make my decision a man came into the kitchen to tell us they were closing... and to come back 1st thing in the morning and everything would be 1/2 off. I set my alarm, Brett & I raced back to the Sale, made a beeline towards the kitchen & announced "the chairs are mine!!!!!" I paid my $75 & took my 6 chairs home... and I think immediately got to work. I couldn't stand looking at 1982 a minute longer! I visited Joanns & got some fabric & gave the chairs a coat of Kilz & paint. Voila... cute, custom chairs. Since then I have given the chairs another make-over... but I think they're due for another one! 
I LOVE finding second-hand furniture! Oh - the downside of finding a table that's been in someones garage for years? The bird poop. Yep, still there...thought I'd come "clean". Photo taken today. Gotta go... I feel the need to bust out the Soft Scrub. 
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One of my grandmothers had a table with legs like that---don't remember which one, but I remember playing on them.
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