Frenchy End Tables - Before and Afters

I'm on stay-cation this week from my day job, so I'm working on a few projects.  A couple weeks ago I picked up a set of tables from Craigslist - a coffee table and pair of end tables for $25. I was pretty excited when I saw them and couldn't give the guy my money quick enough.  These are old, beautiful and solid wood, but had a mucky varnish that I used Formby's to take off the top.  Messy, but the results were so worth it. I wanted to finish one entirely so I could do a side-by-side before and after photo.  I thought it would be part of a long post showing the finished tables in my living room, but I couldn't wait.  I've only got one coat of poly on the after table top and it's going to get several more, plus drawer liners, but here they are:

The photo below gives a good idea of the condition of the top - very icky.

I think I'm in love...

The coffee table has some deep scratches but I have my fingers crossed I can get them out - if not, it will get painted (but that would be a shame, wouldn't it?)

Morning at the Antique Market

This morning I took a trip to Renningers Antique Market thinking I would like to find some old skeleton keys and possibly an ornate picture or mirror frame for my bedroom wall.  Today was my lucky day.  I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with these, I just think they are cool.

I also found this:

The seller wanted $40, which I thought was pretty reasonable, but I had only brought $40 with me and had just spent $10 on keys.  I offered my remaining cash and he took it.  I cleaned it up a little bit, but its filthy and it does have some significant damage on the corners. From the front it's still in really good shape and the beveled mirror is almost too perfect to be old.

And this is the back, which looks pretty darn old to me:

I went looking for it thinking of painting it white and using it in my bedroom, but now I'm thinking it goes in the living room:

I'm still leaning toward painting it white - what do you think?