The Lucky Penny Table & DIY Table Runner
This fall I was inspired to decorate my home in the color story of Copper Verdigris Patina. Now you can see how I created my Lucky Penny & DIY Table Runner for this season.
By now I’m sure sure that many of you have seen my Fall Home Tour- Falling for Rose Gold, if not you can click to the link to see the rest of the home tour. One of the main features on my home tour was The Lucky Penny Table seen here.
This table was completely inspired by my, over all, fall color story of Verdigris Patina. You see, when I started to think of things that verdigris and patina; one of the main things that came to mind were pennies.
I have always been inspired by all shades and varieties of pennies. If you really think about it, they all started out exactly the same. These patinas and verdigris have occurred throughout the lives and adventures of the pennies, very much like people. Each penny has it’s own story, it’s own unique journey that has given it this beautiful antique coloration which makes up my table mosaic. It is quite the conversation starter for a tablescape wouldn’t you agree?
I really loved the fresh green pairing of winter kale with all the shades of copper and the verdigris. The winter kale’s shades of purple and green really do pop against the verdigris and patina variations of copper in the runner nicely.
Funny story, we recently discovered that after a summer of eating nothing but salads filled with kale, that I have a kale intolerance. Yeah let me tell ya, try going to your doctor and saying, “my stomach hurts every time I eat a salad”….that goes over well I assure you, LOL. Come to find out pretty much every bagged salad on the market has kale “the superfood” in it these days, which had become quite problematic for me.
So now I just decorate with it.Since I saved all my pennies on other projects, I was able to afford these fantastic Copper Flower Pots available online from William Sonoma. They have two sizes available, these are the large size, but please do not get sticker shock if you look them up, all copper tends to be expensive these days. I ended up purchasing five of them because I always buy in odd numbers when it comes to garden items or plants. I used three on the table and two on the sideboard, but going forward I am sure I will use them for tons of other things. 
At each place setting I used a single copper painted pumpkin which I plan to tie a place card to the top of each for my more formal gatherings by tying them on with twine. You could hand write a name directly on to the pumpkin or just use it as a prop for a formal printed card too.I feel like this simple touch just grounded each place setting and pulled out the copper accent pennies we added to the chargers, and has my table ready for any gathering I may be hosting though out the season. It is always better to be prepared than trying to pull something together at the last minute especially during the busy holiday season.
The Penny Runner DIY:
First you will need to figure up how many pennies you will need. We calculated the basic size of the runner based on how many pennies across and long we would need. This will vary depending on the size of your table and the runner you wish to construct. We also needed to allow for additional pennies for the chargers as well so we conservatively figured on $40 worth of pennies.
Word of advice, when collecting $40 worth of pennies from the bank you will need a container or bag to put them in. However, I do not recommend walking into the bank with an empty bag, it does raise a few eyebrows, LOL.
Once we obtained the pennies the sorting process started. We ended up with four distinct color batches which allowed for me to create the tile work style pattern seen in the runner. Then we created a fifth and sixth color through two types of oxidation processes to get the other two colors. These were the four basic color groupings below: 
Medium Aged Copper
Patina Bronze Copper
Shiny New Copper
Aged Verdigris & Oxidized Copper
The next step in the process was to spray our masonite base board a copper color. This will serve as our base that the pennies will be glued to, in order to create the runner for the table. 
Next, you just have to start working with the pennies to find a pattern that you like. This part of the process took me a while. I tried several patterns before I started to glue them down permanently. I would recommend looking at patterns on runners or fabrics to draw your inspiration.
I will tell you that I tried to do a diamond shaped pattern but it was very difficult and the pennies kept sliding, so for me and the sanity of my OCD I stuck to straight lines and created more of and striped pattern. This worked well and was easy to replicate in 12″ sections, and I was able to vary the pattern slightly by changing the color of pennies. 
Once I had my pattern set I could glue and start working my way from one end to the other, which kept the pennies tight and in-line. I also found that working on the actual dining room table was especially handy too, since I could work the entire length. 
The over all effect is beautiful up close and especially from a distance. Depending on how detailed you want to get, you can alternate sides of coins from head to tails, and the orientation of the coins as well, so they all line up like perfect little soldiers. 
The next project was to add pennies to basic changers to create a boarder. I had originally planned to do a thick band covering the entire edge, but I ended up deciding a simple ring looked better. 
Again this was just a simple glue gun project, so at the end of the season you can pop the pennies off your chargers and use them again for another season. Just another way to save your pennies this season! 
For these pennies I used a special container that had unique pennies we found upon sorting. By unique I mean they were not you run of the mill basic pennies. Out of $40 worth of pennies we probably had 30 or so random or odd pennies that we used for the six chargers to add interest. 
This charger had a cute kitty penny, that some one clearly crafted by decoupage while the charger below has a Canadian penny. I thought this would add another layer of visual interest and conversation to the tablescape as my guest looked at the pennies located on there plates. 
So I have been asked, Dirty Money on a table? My answer to this is you can actually spray the pennies with a light coat of clear spray paint, shellac or varnish to seal them prior to putting them on your table with dishes and food. Yes I will tell you after sorting the pennies, they are dirty, and yes I understand the thought of eating off them is gross, especially if you have small kids that might be prone to eating off the table. So that is my best advice if you still want to be able to disassemble the runner and reclaim your pennies back. If you don’t care about that a nice thick epoxy would probably be your best bet. 
Just remember the spirit of the table is to have fun and create a visual tablescape for your guests to enjoy. I have been in the business of creating interesting table settings for parties and events for years.
So my entire thought process is, it is for one night, or one season, it is temporary, and then it’s gone so make it something fun and unusual. In this case when I am done with this holiday I will scrape off all my pennies and go spend them on something else.
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Now that gives me an idea what to do with all those old coins just rotting away on the drawers. Thanks. Awesome idea as always!
Wow that is such a great idea! I have lots of pennies, so that would be the most creative way to use them:)
I love this idea! I have a bunch of wheat pennies that just sit in a drawer that would make for a great table runner. How is it you come up with some of the coolest ideas?
Wow! I’m completely blown away by your creativity. I love finding beauty in everyday objects, and your use of pennies as a table runner is a perfect example of that. I think I’ll create my own version of this in some way, perhaps as framed artwork! Thanks so much for sharing.
xo Joi |
Thank You Joanna, you know I have no idea how I come up with this stuff, different things inspire me at different times. My husband says my mind is always going, churning at 100 mph all the times. Honestly, for this project I have always loved the floors and tables that I have seen done with pennies. I have always wanted to try it, so I guess it is just a way of soothing my creative soul on a smaller scale, better a table runner than the basement floor LOL!!!!
Elisha glad to help, but I would make sure that they are not valuable first. My family actually has a very old penny collection from the early 1900’s, which I would never have considered using for this project. These were just pennies I got form the bank, so luck of the draw, lol.
You are a very creative person. I love the idea and the product. It looks fabulous.
For me it’s a great idea! I have a lot of old coins, Now I have an idea on how to use them. I never thought about this one! Awesome!
The table and decorations look amazing! this would never have occurred to me and must have taken you ages. Definitely a conversation piece over dinner! Im so impressed!
Such a cool DIY project! I also love how you added them to the plates to match – so perfect <3
I’ve seen floors of pennies, but never table runners. Your table is absolutely gorgeous–I’d love to be a guest at it.
Such a wonderful idea. Your table looks gorgeous. Inspiring read.
This is such a pretty finished product! I have tons of pennies we’ve collected over the years, and think they would be put to good use doing something like this!
What a neat idea! It looks beautiful and even Fall themed! haha
Ahh!! now i got idea to decorate halloween party table. Thanks for sharing it.
What a unique idea! I feel like I could almost do this project! I would never try the pattern though. I could see me missing one and giving up!
This is so cute!! I may try it for St Pattys Day in March!
This is absolutely beautiful! I love this idea.
What a fun idea! I do love how the pennies and the colors of the kale pair together. The copper pumpkins are the perfect touch!
That is such a cute idea. I love that you used old and new pennies.
Samantha, That is a great idea you could do it with gold coins for the Leprechaun 😉
Hey Marni never fear, if you use the hot glue it is pretty forgiving. So you can go back and pry the incorrect coin up and replace with the correct colored coin. So don’t give up on the idea of a pattern of you like. Now if you think it will drive you nuts…..which it almost drove me nuts….. I completely understand LOL 😛
Gee, I am so glad that I could provide some inspiration, that is the entire reason I got into blogging in the first place. I would love to see your Halloween table once it is complete…. being Halloween I am now thinking it has to do with putting coins on the eyes or the dead which would be cool, or maybe just a eyeball runner all together. See now you have just inspired me back so tag now you are it….. This is why I love being around creative people like yourself 🙂
This is amazing transformation of table with innovative DIY idea. So eager to try something like this myself.
Honestly your stuff is amazing! Please please please can you come and make my house look as pretty as yours? I’ve subscribed by the way!
Thank you so much Charlotte you are just the sweetest! 🙂
This is so unique! I love it. Definitely going to keep this in mind for later
Ha ha… I was just browsing around and took a glance at these responses on this post, some are funny. Thanks for posting about this great DIY.
What a cool idea, I really love the copper on the table that color is lovely.
It is truly a nice and useful piece of info. Love that you shared this useful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
Amazing this could not be created any better. Reading this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept talking about this on the floors. I will forward this report to him. Pretty certain he will possess a good read. Thanks for sharing!
Magnificent issues altogether, you simply won another loyal reader for life.
OH I love this idea such a fun DIY for the kiddos too, especially over the holiday breaks to keep them busy. Great idea, it would even be cute for a fourth of July table with nickles added in, since you reclaim all the money after the holidays anyways.
Great write-up. I’m a normal visitor of your site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I’ll be a frequent visitor for a long time.
This is SO cool! What a simple yet so cute way to decorate a table!
Wow this is so creative and looks so fun! *word of advice, walking into a bank with an empty bag may raise eyebrows* made me LOL. Thanks for sharing!
This idea is genius! I love the copper colours and it’s just the cutest idea. So clever!
This is so cool and creative! Agree that each penny has its own story. Wow Kale allergy, never heard of that before. Great post!
Loved seeing this creative designs! By the way. – great job on your multiple accolades received!!!
Jen! I have missed reading your awesome content. I love your penny runner! You are so creative. Great idea to spray them with a clear coat after glueing them down. P.S. I love your fall home tour this year too. You have inspired me!
This is cool u give me an idea fir my next diy project
LOL, oh I know, and now days wearing a mask is even more sketchy, so just a word of EXTREME caution on that front, LOL!!!!
What a cool idea! I love that not all the pennies are perfectly copper in color.
Oh my gosh! What a cute and clever idea for a table runner. I’ve never thought to make pennies a table runner, but now that I’ve seen it – I’m impressed.
I’m loving your penny table runner. Brilliant idea! And I do agree about the runner being great for conversation – I’m wondering how the story for each penny will end.
OMG!! How creative. I love the runner made from coins lying around. I’m definitely going to steal this idea and use foreign coins instead. Love it!
What a beautiful way to repurpose pennies!
Whoa this is such a fun and ingenious idea!! Love it
This is such a fun DIY! I have so many pennies lol I totally need to do this would be great for holidays.
This is such a great idea! I do have lots of pennies so I will have to keep this in mind!
This looks so cool and such a fun project to do as a family on rainy days
Ohhhh now i know where my pennies should go! This is a really great DIY and i can probably have the kids involved!
I love this table runner! Such a cute idea and perfect way to use up loads of pennies we have sitting around.