Vintage Bench Makeover.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz …
I know that’s the most boring blog post title in the world, right?
I kinda miss the good old days before I knew it was important to include very specific words if you wanted Google to find your blog post.
Basically, forget everything you ever learned in school about writing an interesting title, because Google won’t find it.
Google Smoogle
What I really wanted to title today’s post is
The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree & Other Lies
or maybe I would have called it
The Kidney Bean That Kicked My Butt
or perhaps I would have gone with
The Glue Gun That Won the Battle
But no… I had to play by the rules, so I went with…
Vintage Bench Makeover
You see, several years ago I bought this vintage bench at a community yard sale.
The fabric on it was worn and outdated, but the legs were cute, and the seller offered to lower the price when she saw me looking at it.
I guess I was so busy looking at the cute legs that I didn’t notice the weird kidney bean shaped top on the bench.
I certainly didn’t consider how tricky recovering that shape might be.
I just blissfully brought it home, looking forward to giving it a makeover.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pulled that bench out to work on it in the last few years, but every time that kidney bean shape threw me for a loop and I couldn’t figure out how to tackle it – especially since the top couldn’t be removed from the base, which would have made it easier.
My grandfather was an upholsterer by trade, and I’m sure a kidney bean shaped vintage bench wouldn’t have been a problem for him, but apparently the apple does fall far from the tree, because for the life of me, I wasn’t sure how go about it.
I finally decided to either attempt it, and if I failed, it would become wood for our next bonfire. 🙂
First, I painted the base white. That was the easy part.
Since I couldn’t remove the top, I just reused the original foam cushion and draped ticking fabric over the bench.
My husband helped me staple the fabric to the top edge of the seat, which was a challenge on the weird kidney shape.
To cover up the staples, I bought some pleated trim. It wasn’t as wide a trim as I wanted to use, but that was the only one the store had, so I went with it.
I used a hot glue gun to attach the trim and TA DA!
This little bench finally has the farmhouse look I hoped for, but didn’t think I would ever be able to give it.
I have it sitting in my She Shed right now, but once our bedroom gets remodeled, I’ll move it in there.
Vaya con Dios,
Angie. I so feel you about having to write boring titles for the posts. I kick and scream every time I write one and resist like a mangy dog. Despite the boring title, your bench came out lovely. The fabric is very pretty and the trim is perfect. As for the titles, you can always tell us the real ones underneath. 🙂
very nice update….
Thanks for the chuckle this morning, Angie. I couldn’t agree more about blog titles – it’s hard to refrain with the cute ones sometimes.
You did a great job on your kidney shaped bench – love the ticking fabric and pretty trim!
Angie, that little stool looks great with the ticking top! And it looks like a totally professional upholstery job! I have developed a thing for little stools lately, so I’m kind of envious of that one. I have one or two that I had tho’t I would paint, but now I’m considering maybe upholstering one, too. Thanks for the good ideas!
The bench makeover is great!
I sooo know what you’re talking about with the blog titles. I always struggle to be good and try to be all professional/businessy (dull) for Google’s sake but what I really want my title to be is a bad pun or something. I love your alternate titles for this post.
Same problem on Etsy – the tortured list of keywords masquerading as a title or opening sentence of a product description. Ugh.
Just know that regardless, your projects are always great! And I’m glad more people can find them.
david
i understand your frustration with the shape. you are braver than i am!
i wonder if you could have cut a piece of masonite to fit the kidney shaped top, then added the foam and either stapled on the fabric or used duct tape. then maybe you could have glued the masonite to the stool–? just a thought. i used to make a huge welted covers for my window seat then i saw that someone had gone the masonite route. it was $8 at lowe’s and saved me a day of sewing. soooo much easier!
That’s a great idea I need to remember, Joan!
The wait was wOrth it. What a great job. Love the,fabric you pIcked.
Thanks Beth – ticking is my very favorite fabric!