In my home I have a few antique pieces. Nothing of great value, but lots of sentimental value. All are family pieces from my grandparents or other relatives. One that I use most often is a piece that I was told was a water table or water bench. I have mostly referred to it as a water table.
This piece is very primitive and made of pine. In doing some research, I have found that what is referred to as a water table or water bench is actually something that looks more like this.
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Water tables like the one above were also mostly found in Pennsylvania in the 1800's and had more shelves and drawers to hold soaps and towels.
Then I stumbled upon the term bucket bench, which looks more like what I have - more primitive and utilitarian. Below are a few pictures I found of bucket benches. These bucket benches were also found primarily in the early 1800's in Pennsylvania.
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The history of the bucket bench - back in the years before running water or indoor plumbing, the lady of the house would have a bench sitting at arms length right outside the door of the summer kitchen. On top of this bench would be 2 buckets full of water. The man of the house, while passing back and forth from his daily chores, would grab the empty buckets, take them to the hand pump in the yard, replenish them, and sit them back on the bench ready for the lady once again. Thus the term, bucket bench.
I do remember there was a hand pump outside my grandparents house, so this makes sense. It was also in a place where there was easy access to the outside. When my grandmother died, my mother and her siblings and children went through the house and chose things they wanted to keep. I remember they took turns choosing things they wanted and I even remember my mother giving my sister and I the chance on her turn to chose. My mother chose two pieces that I now have in my home - the bucket bench and a corner cupboard. Both were very primitive and made of pine and both were painted when she got them. My parents had them stripped of their original paint. I'm finding that these pieces, over time, were getting very dry because they were in their raw wood state.
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The picture above is from last March when I first started my blog. You can see how things have changed around here. For the bucket bench, I decided to paint it. I used Annie Sloan chalk paint in Graphite followed by dark wax.
The picture above is from last March when I first started my blog. You can see how things have changed around here. For the bucket bench, I decided to paint it. I used Annie Sloan chalk paint in Graphite followed by dark wax.
The bucket bench is great when I entertain to hold serving dishes or beverages. It served as my hot cocoa station over the winter months. Here it is set up for Christmas and here in January.
I'm glad I did a little research on this piece and now will refer to it as my bucket bench!
I'm glad I did a little research on this piece and now will refer to it as my bucket bench!
Blessings,
