Friday, February 21, 2014

Super-Simple Project: Recovering a Flea Market Stool

A few months ago while browsing the flea market I came across a small, simple stool that was reasonably priced.


I looked past the scratched wood and dingy vinyl and saw true potential.  Updating it with new fabric would be an easy option.

I removed the seat cover and cleaned every inch of the stool with a disinfectant.

Since the vinyl was in good shape I didn't bother to remove it.  To recover, I simply placed the new fabric underneath the seat and went around it with my staple gun to secure the fabric in place.
  
After recovering the seat I decided not to paint the wood.  I love the look of the dark wood against the light walls.



As you can see I haven't jumped off the chevron train.  I love this upholstery-weight fabric.  It was a great find at Joann's for $20 a yard.  For this project I used half.


I "erased" the scratches in the wood by using a walnut.  Yes, that's right, a walnut!



My advice; don't overlook furniture at thrift stores or flea markets because of their current state.  Fabric and paint are an inexpensive way to update your find into something special!



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48 comments:

  1. I was just at the flea market yesterday.
    This is beautiful!

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  2. Love how it turned out. My oldest had the exact same stool (purchased at a flea market) in her room here at home. Not sure if she still has it at her apt. though.

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  3. The stool looks great and I love your fabric choice! A walnut! Say what!

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  4. How stylish is that!!!! Happy weekend, Brandi!

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  5. Love your fabric choice. It looks fabulous. Hugs, Marty

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  6. Looks nice! My mother has the same stool and she used it when she sat at the sewing machine. The instead part is a nice little storage area, she kept sewing magazines in hers. My son has her stool now is his apartment.

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  7. We've all been on a re-covering frenzy lately, love the fabric you chose Brandi!

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  8. Well, I just love it! The stool looks great!! You really have an eye for picking out great things! I still love chevron too. :) I've heard of the walnut trick and it's good to know it really works! I've got plenty of scratched up things to try it out on. :)

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  9. Super cute! And you really can't beat that price.

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  10. Loved the stool so nice. I need to get you in the magazine for our Home Decor issue for April on how to spruce up your house for the spring.

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  11. I have an almost identical stool, it once belonged to my husband's grandmother. It is an old sewing table stool and still has the original sewing supply tray under the seat cover. I have been debating on whether to remove the original cover (very similar looking to yours, vinyl maybe?) before I recover ours so I'm glad to see that your method has worked out so well - it's absolutely lovely with the chevron pattern too.

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  12. Score! Love the new upholstered piece. Nothing wrong with a little more chevron. :-)

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  13. LOL, Brandi,
    I've been on a blogging hiatus for about a week now and one of my "vaca" projects is recovering a vanity stool in the master bathroom. I can't say mine went as easily as yours did and it's chrome but, I did it! (I will not be sharing it though:)

    As for the walnut "thing," this past summer I was given a huge bucket of walnuts that I had planned on trying to turn into hair dye:) Well, little did I know, walnuts are horrendous to clean, now I know they are worth every penny, the stuff was everywhere and impossible to remove which made me realize, I wasn't sure it would EVER come off my scalp, lol...I ditched them all:)

    Thanks for sharing, Brandi, your stool looks fabulous and I am so into chevron these days so I of course LOVE the fabric!

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  14. It looks great, and I love that you chose to not paint the dark wood, it gives it so much character!!
    Have a great weekend!!
    Ozana

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  15. It turned out just lovely, and the fabric!!! Gorgeous. Nice touch leaving the wood, too. Jane

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  16. So cute! It looks so much better after! I love the fabric you chose. I've heard about the walnut trick before, but I've never done it myself. I can't believe how well it works! That's awesome!

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  17. And it is special. Love the transformation!

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  18. Love it- the chevron looks really stylish. Can beat that price either!

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  19. The meat of the walnut or the shell? How did you do it? I think I've heard of this before, but I never followed up on it. What kind of walnut...black or English?

    You did a really great job with this! It looks fantastic. REALLY pretty fabric you chose! Very up-to-date, and the whole thing will be easy enough to re-cover again when you do jump off that chevron train! :-) You've put me in the mood to re-cover a few benches around here to freshen up the place for the ensuing warmer weather...IF it ever gets here!!

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  20. I love this!! I found a similar stool at an estate sale a while back and gave her a new seat cover and she looks fab!! I love the chevron on yours!

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  21. Your stool looks beautiful Brandi, great fabric choice and the dark wood is very pretty.

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  22. Wow! Now, that is a job well done. I love it!

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  23. You are cranking with the stools. Very nice especially considering I have jumped from the chevron wagon.

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  24. I love what you did with the step stool. I need to go thrift store shopping with you.

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  25. Oh I love how your stool came out, and that you kept the base wood tone! I love black & white fabric with wood, such a great combination!

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  26. I'm still on that chevron train with you - that's an awesome fabric and I love the "after" look of the stool! Thanks so much for linking up to Best of the Nest!

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  27. I'm still on that chevron train with you - that's an awesome fabric and I love the "after" look of the stool! Thanks so much for linking up to Best of the Nest!

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  28. looks great! I love a good deal find. I didnt know a walnut could do that? Thanx

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  29. Perfect. Love the fresh fabric you added.

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  30. I just love what you did to re-purpose this stool! It is beautiful especially after you used a walnut to fill in the scratches. What a great idea!

    charlotte

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  31. Hy! Good job!! Love the fabric. Thanks for sharing. Hugs. Evelyne.
    Evelyne-home-interiors.blogspot.pt

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  32. This is just studly! I love the frame of this stool and the new fabric looks great!

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  33. You did an amazing job!!
    I love the look. c:
    I'll have to try this out when I get my own place.


    <3
    Harlynn
    mindyourmadness.blogspot.com

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  34. you did great. i'm impressed. :)

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  35. Marvelous makeover on the stool, Brandi. Love the chevron!

    That stool is very old, and a great find. My MIL gave me her treadle sewing machine with exactly the same storage stool as yours; tacky vinyl included!

    Thanks for leaving a sweet comment on my blog, and have a great day!

    Val @ artsybuildinglady.blogspot.ca

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  36. I love it! It's always so fun to come here and see what you have transformed recently :)

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  37. Ooh Chevron! That print is gorgeous in any medium. Love what you did what the bench.

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  38. Looks spectacular Brandi! For that price you would think people would jump all over it. but there it sat waiting for you:)

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  39. Looks beautiful with the Chevron fabric!
    I have 4 of those sewing benches ( for extra seating in the dining room actually because they're easy to store away ) I keep extra napkins in them lol
    xxx

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  40. Wow this makeover rocks. I love that fabric with the wood tone of the stool. So pretty!

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