A Fast and Easy Footstool Makeover

I picked up this vintage footstool last time I was at the Alameda Antique Fair and boy, did it need some help! Someone had decided to paint the base white, and they did a shoddy job to boot. I don’t think they even bothered to sand or prime, the just hastily slapped on some white paint and called it a day. Unfortunately really, because this little stool has great bones, don’t you think?

When I saw it I had a vision. So I picked it up for $10 and brought it home with me, cobwebs and all.

My vision? Well, take some of this:

via

And mix it with this:

via

So, first things first: A good sanding to get a smooth base for paint. The last thing this little footstool needed was to see the outline of chipping paint underneath the fresh new paint I had planned. I like to use Valspar Gloss Paint and Primer in One for projects like these. I started with a 150 grit sandpaper block to get most of the paint off and then finished with 220 grit to smooth it out a bit.

But an unexpected thing happened! Once this little guy was sanded thoroughly….I absolutely loved the way the raw wood looked. Aged and distressed without looking contrived and the perfect base for that fluff of fur I wanted on top.

Next up, the unique black and white sheepskin. You can find them here at Black Sheep White Light, but since I didn’t need a whole sheepskin and I didn’t want to waste, I bought this, perfectly sized “chair cover” from Etsy seller Taftyli. It’s actually a bunch of different leftover scraps sewn together. I like that! Way to make a profit on not being wasteful 😉

I kept the original needlepoint upholstery in tact and just recovered it with the sheepskin using a staple gun.

So that’s my easier than expected furniture makeover! What do you think? Aren’t the legs great as they are?

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This post was brought to you by the Lowe’s Creative Ideas Network, which I’m so happy to be a part of along with a crew of other really creative bloggers, you can check out all of our fun projects on the Lowe’s Creative Ideas Blog. As a part of the LCI Network, I’ve received compensation in the form of Lowe’s credit to help with my projects above.

6 thoughts on this post

Steph says

September 5, 2014 at 8:24 pm

Where is that gorgeous leather chair from???
- Reichel Broussard says
  
  September 5, 2014 at 8:41 pm
  
  It's a (very) old Pottery Barn Manhattan chair 🙂
House of Pemberley says

September 6, 2014 at 2:31 am

Oh my goodness. I love it!!!!
- Reichel Broussard says
  
  September 6, 2014 at 5:00 am
  
  Thank you!!! 🙂
mrsben says

September 7, 2014 at 2:00 pm

It is so cute it makes you want to pet it. ☺ Good job! -Brenda-
- Reichel Broussard says
  
  September 8, 2014 at 3:38 am
  
  It reminds me of the footstool in Beauty and the Beast 😉