Kraken Coffee Table

When my partner and I moved in together, we discovered that the previous tenants of our new apartment had left us their dining table. The Ikea Ingo table wasn't quite what we wanted for the kitchen, but we decided it would be perfect as a coffee table. Inspired by Will Means' nightstand and several octopus tables on etsy, we set out to give the Ingo table new life - specifically new sea life.

We sanded all the surfaces of the wood table.

We then cut the legs down to coffee table height with a saw.

We put together a stencil image in Photoshop and then printed it off and laid it out on the table. Our cat was very helpful, and insisted on inspecting our work before we could proceed.

Satisfied with the size and design, we cut the stencil out of acetate. The clear acetate sheets (the type used for overhead projectors) were taped in place over the printed design and cut with a sharp hobby knife.

The stencil was sprayed with spray adhesive and placed on the table.

We used small foam brushes to paint all around the stencil edges and then continued painting the rest of the table black.

When the paint was dry, we peeled off the stencil and gave the whole table a shiny coat of polyurethane varnish.

Once the coat of polyurethane was dry, the table was done!

We've since enjoyed it's new functionality and style.