I find reupholstering relaxing. I focus so much on the task, I block out everything else. It's very zen for me. I am always on the lookout for projects to reupholster and that will sell in my booth.
I found these little stools at an estate auction. They had been reupholstered several times and had seen multiple colors of spray paint.
One had hideous gold paint on the legs. The other one had a mix of gold and mint green. The fabric was different on each stool. Time for a makeover!
First, I removed the legs from the seats.
One of the stools had the rubber caps on the feet. They were adhered to the stool with the application of the spray paint. Fortunately, a wrench removed them easily.
Then I sanded the legs to remove the rust and any old paint drips or bumps. I sprayed painted the legs black. Incidentally, the black paint did not like the metallic paint. It would bubble up and it wouldn't adhere at first. It took multiple coats to cover the old paint.
I set to work removing the layers and layers of fabric. Each stool had three layers of fabric. The original color was black vinyl. I stripped everything off of the seat. I was left only with the plywood base.
I typically add new foam and batting to my projects. As someone that has dust allergies, I prefer a fresh start on the upholstery. I thought this fabric would work well for the stools. The best part?
I found it at Goodwill for just $2.99. There is almost two yards here. And it is heavy enough for reupholstering projects. I often scour the racks at Goodwill for upholstery fabric—you would be surprised at how much I can find there.
I began upholstering the seat. I had a layer of fabric, foam and cotton batting.
I always add a dust cover on the bottom. The fabric for this is really inexpensive and I think it finishes the piece really well.
One done! Now for the other.
Now that both seats are finished, I just reattached the legs to the seat. I used an awl to punch a hole through the dust cover to ensure proper placement of the screws into the holes.
Voila! They look so much better! A little paint and inexpensive fabric can make such a huge difference! I will buy some black rubber stops for the feet. The metal is pretty sharp and I don't want anyone to scratch their floors! So take a second look at those hideous stools. You can often pick them up for a dollar or two and if you are a savvy shopper for your fabric, the cost of the project can be next to nothing!