Last year I found a wooden table on the street in the worst shade of cheap wood stain. I walked past it twice on my way to and from the market, and then I turned around. After a few coats of paint, it's now one of my favorite pieces in my apartment. Now I'm thinking it's ready for its next upgrade using stencils. Here are five ideas for transforming any old tabletop into something arresting with the quick application of some letters or numbers.
Above: Amsterdam-based Uxus Design used a variety of stencils on the picnic tables of the Nike canteen from DIY: Stenciled Picnic Tables.
Above: A table made from recycled wood is stenciled in white text by architect Katja Buchholz at Lokal in Berlin, Germany.
Above: Swedish designer Anna Malin spelled out E-A-T in black paint on her table top, spotted on Decor 8.
Above: A stenciled table at Merci in Paris.
Above: A numbered table at L'Altro in Paris, image via Flickr.
Read about how Diane Keaton was drawn to graphic lettering in Palette & Paints with Diane Keaton, and if you're thinking of starting a stencil project, see Justine's genius wallpaper alternative for more ideas.
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on May 21, 2013.