One of my favorite things to do is repurpose furniture. I am always in consignment shops, Good Will or yard sales looking for a bargain that I can play with and tweak. Here in town we have a store called Vintage Values. Vintage Values has two locations where you can donate your household items or clothing that are in good condition. The profits from the shop are then utilized at our local Domestic Violence Shelter. Gotta love that! I am in there at least twice a week scrounging around.
See the cute storage stool above? $6.99. Now that is a TICKLED find 🙂
It did however look like this when I found it. I adore black and white as you know but not on my furniture and not in harlequin print. Also this fabric was old and dingy it had to go. Would you like to see how easy it is to transform this top? Trust me anyone can do this if you haven’t done something similar already.
Remove the fabric that is already on there and see what you are working with. Usually this is just a simple process of removing some staples.
As you can see someone had the same idea as me only they covered over the damaged original basket weave. The problem with covering over the damage is that you can feel the broken section through the fabric when you use the stool for a seat.
If you look closely you can see that the basket weave goes down into a braid wrapping around the edge of the lid. It is for all intents and purposes separate.
This is where I make my cut and remove the damaged top. Cut close to the braid all the way around the lid.
I was going to leave the braid exposed but as you will see once you start playing around with a piece, it will dictate what you can and can not do. The braiding was just barley holding the cushion on. If I had left the braid exposed the cushion would eventually shift over time with use and be a disfigured lumpy mess. No can do my friends.
Choose your fabric, lay it out flat and pin it along the top and bottom edge of the lid first. I went with a Schumacher fabric that I have had lying around for a while. It is also upholstery grade so it will be perfect for all of the wear and tear from my monkeys and my darlin’.
Flip it over and make sure that the fabric pattern is lined up exactly how you want it to be. Okay now we will be getting technical but it is still not that difficult.You will be working one side at a time. Start with a side that is not pinned.
First: Pull the fabric taut and hot glue it along the top edge of the lid from corner to corner leaving approx. one inch from the corners not glued. If you glued the fabric to the interior it would not be able to fit the bottom any longer.
Second: Staple along the same edge with an industrial staple gun (not a neumatic one, we aren’t building houses here) for extra reinforcement.
Third: Make a cut in the fabric at the corners.
Fourth: Tuck and fold the fabric evenly around the corner.
Fifth: Staple securely.
Sixth: Move on to the next corner. Repeat. Move on to the next side and repeat all of the above steps.
When you are done trim away the excess fabric around the edge and vacuum up the stray threads lying around.
This guy now holds a multitude of my magazines for me. My surfer is ecstatic to have them hidden and out of the way. I also get to put my heels up at the end of the day in comfort 🙂 Voila! $6.99 worth of storage and comfort.
You can use the same steps with dining room chairs or foot stools.
Let me know what you have repurposed, reused or recycled. I would love to know.
XOXO,
Tickled Red
May 12, 2010 at 2:13 pm
That is so cute! I love yard sale and thrifty treasures. Have a bit of a problem fixin’ them up though. I know…somewhere inside me, there is some crafty talent just dying to get out 🙂
May 12, 2010 at 6:49 pm
I agree go for it. Hot glue and a staple gun are a girls best friends 🙂
May 12, 2010 at 2:45 pm
You’re just taunting me with those FAB shoes! :)…and motivating me to get movin on recovering my vintage chair!
May 12, 2010 at 6:50 pm
I actually took that pic before I left to meet up with you guys. I can’t wait to see what you do with your chair.
May 12, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Ooooh, I like your shoes! I’m definitely a shoe girl.
May 12, 2010 at 6:51 pm
You and me both darlin’ 🙂 The monkeys have but a damper on my shoe budget but they are worth it.
May 12, 2010 at 4:10 pm
I am not a shoe girl, and even I like them! They’re fabuloso 🙂
p.s. The cube is cute too!
May 12, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Those are my babies 🙂 Thanks! They had a matching smaller one but not in the same condition.
May 12, 2010 at 8:22 pm
Look how talented you are! I try to do projects like that but you can always tell I did it myself haha. LOVE those shoes 🙂
May 12, 2010 at 11:22 pm
All it takes is practice 🙂 Thanks for the lovely compliments!!
May 13, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Very very fun, shoes and all! 🙂
May 13, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Thanks so much Sandy 🙂
May 13, 2010 at 5:58 pm
((Gorgeous!)) And…um…how can I snag your beautiful red shoes?! 🙂
May 13, 2010 at 6:37 pm
Thanks so much 🙂 Oh darlin’ they are Etnies Plus but they do not make them anymore…:(.
Lets all email them and beg them to bring back the style in a multitude of prints and colors.
May 13, 2010 at 7:52 pm
I have to agree with everyone else- I love the shoes!!
May 13, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Thanks!! I wish that they still made them. They are super comfy as well.
May 13, 2010 at 8:15 pm
Cool-mo-dee! That turned out great.
I’ve got a footstool that we found at a garage sale and have changed the fabric on it now 3 times to suit my fancy. Those are my favorite kinds of deals.
May 13, 2010 at 8:25 pm
I know, I love good finds! No matter how many times I change the fabric this will always be a bargain 🙂
May 13, 2010 at 10:28 pm
I LOVE your shoes:)!!
May 13, 2010 at 10:35 pm
Thanks darlin’! You are up late 🙂
May 14, 2010 at 6:22 am
First of all … the shoes are great!!!! So feminine, yet statement making!!
What a lovely transformation of the bench … great job … love the fabric! Thanks for the step-by-step!
May 14, 2010 at 9:37 pm
I like my funky shoes CG 🙂 Thanks so much it is always fun to transform something and put it to good use.
May 14, 2010 at 12:46 pm
What a great project, I love your fabric. I’ve done alot of those things, 3 couches, 2 barstools, a headboard, a wall hanging, and other stuff. I had 2 old rocking chairs I started and couldn’t fix, over $1000 later they are too perfect. I hide them in a guest room and forbid anyone to even look at them. sorry I put this comment in the wrong place the first time!
May 14, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Thanks so much.I have a couple of chairs that need to be reupholstered and it will end up costing me about the same. Unfortunately I don’t know how to do chairs or sofas just easy pieces.