STYLE: My New 1963 Dinette Set

I've been jonesing for a new dinette set for about a year now, ever since Alice has joined the table. We only have a small eat-in dining area in our little ranch house, complete with a large picture window so we can watch the neighborhood go by while we eat (or, better yet, they can watch us chow down or color pictures or do homework). We've had this little retro set for 11 years. I saved up the $130 it cost me to Beekman Place, my favorite little antique shop in Corvallis, Oregon, where Eric and I lived in an apartment down the street during his grad school years.

We've hosted many a dinner, wiped up many a toppled cup of applesauce, and bleached out many a permanent marker stain on this avocado green set through the years. But, lately, it's become a difficult fit in our tiny space and it's really started to bug me. Not to mention, one of the chairs finally gave out on Eric one night at dinner. And, when I've got a bee in my bonnet like that, there's no stopping me. I've spent the summer searching on craigslist and garage sales for the perfect round table. I think a round table is much cozier for dining together, provokes more conversation, and keeps people sitting around it longer. All I was able to find, however, were wood tables, which are lovely and perfect in many, many homes, but I just don't visualize one in mine. Plus, the girls love to write with pen and marker on the tables, so I love me some formica tabletop. After months of agonizing over how much I might have to spend on a vintage set on Ebay, I found this wonderful thing at Renewal downtown Boise:

And I fell in love. Hard. I immediately put a hold on it and made Eric go by after work to take a look. My husband's a difficult sell when it comes to furniture and his approval is totally necessary. He loved the sturdy, quality construction and the seats are super comfy. I love the orange vinyl on the chairs and the white formica. Plus! It came with a leaf! Perfect for our larger family get-togethers. We bought it immediately and to save my lovely tabletop from my destructive toddler I bought this wonderful invention from this website and several more like it. This summer has been a wealth of wonderful second-hand finds and this isn't even all of them. Stay tuned for more stylish goodness.