My end table went to prison

I'm sure this is about the strangest post title you have ever seen but yes, it is completely true. My mom was given this very interesting end table/jewelry storage furniture piece by a friend of hers who didn't have a place for it (it previously belonged to her mother) and so my mom asked if I wanted it because she didn't have a place for it either. It was such a unique piece that I immediately said yes even though it was in need of some work. Plus who says no to free antique furniture!

At her suggestion, I had my mom take to the prison nearby Lakeland that has a work program where they refinish, reupholster and even build furniture. My mom had taken many pieces there in the past like her couch, end tables, and a chair from this post and their rates are extremely affordable. Not many people even know about the program since it's not widely advertised. I picked out the stain color from about 6 choices.

A few weeks and $80 later, and I had this gorgeous end table. Well it actually was longer than that until I received it since it had to travel up to Charlotte with my parents during one of their visits. They did such a great job! A better job than I could have done myself and I would have taken much longer to redo it. And such a deal!

You can see the neat storage when you open up the top. That part needed refinishing too but you can kind of see the stain color that it used to be. I think the stain color I picked out is very close to that.

I've actually had the end table now for over 6 months. At first it just sort of hung out in different rooms but not in any permanent place and at Christmastime it was in our kitchen and held my Clemson tree. It has now made a permanent home in between my two teal chairs in the family room. That wall isn't a big wall so I needed a small end table between the chairs and this was perfect.

It took 3 different tries at the right sized lamp since the end table is taller but still small so I finally found a winner in this short chunky white lamp from non-other than HomeGoods!

Anyone else have a prison work program that refinishes furniture and such near them? I haven't looked to see if there is something like that near Charlotte but with this area being such a big furniture market I kinda doubt it since that would compete with many businesses.