Sunday, January 24, 2010

Ballard Inspired Burlap Foot Stool

goodwill footstool 006

My latest project was another Goodwill Re-hab. My inspiration can be found on page 47 of the latest copy of the new Ballard Catalog. That is where you will find a foot stool that looks a lot like the one I just made. The price was $129.00. I kid you not!!

Goodwill Foot Stools 007

Such a sad and lonely little foot stool. I’ll bet it was the hit of the party back in the 1970’s. I paid $4.49 for it at the Goodwill and took it home for an easy project. Well, I knew I could I could fix this little baby up to look just like new and I could include a few of my favorite touches like covering it in Burlap. Not only is Burlap CHEAP… I really do like the look of it. And then I thought I would use my new question mark stencil.

goodwill footstool 005

The first thing I had to do was remove the wood legs which was very easy because they simple screwed on and off and then I gave them a couple of coats of black spray paint.

I turned a box over and screwed the legs into the box so that they were standing straight up which made it very easy to paint them with out any paint runs or smudges. (This is a great way to spray paint door and cabinet knobs too.)

Goodwill Foot Stool 005

I wanted my foot stool to look nice and plump and have some loft on top so I cut out two pieces of high loft quilt batting (very cheap at Walmart for around $5.00 for a bag.) and wrapped the top piece with it and stapled into place with my upholstery stapler. This kind of stapler is a must for projects like this and they are not very expensive. I purchased mine from Lowe’s a few years ago.

Goodwill Foot Stool 006

Next step was to cut out a piece of Burlap to go over the batting and cover the top. I used a steam iron to press out the wrinkles before I stapled it into place.

Goodwill Foot Stool 008

As I stapled the burlap to the top piece, I folded the edge under for a more finished edge.

I screwed the legs back into place before I had a chance to paint them in this photo to see how they fit and trimmed the underside of the corners.

Rest assured that the newly painted black legs look fabulous on the finished product.

goodwill footstool 008

And here it is. The total cost was about $8.00. I guess you could say I saved $121.00. Cha- Ching! And this is so easy to change when I get tired of the Burlap or the Question Mark…I can just re-cover it again with some decorator fabric. But for right now I am happy with the Question Mark. It gives it air of mystery don’t you think? :)

I am adding this post to Cottage Instincts....Come see all the other How-To projects!!

And there are more projects to see over at The Twice Remembered Cottage.

36 comments:

Amy@TheLemonCottage said...

CUTE! It was a miserable little thing to start with, wasn't it? LOL

I have a little footstool in the garage that belonged to my Grandma. It needs some help! Thanks for the inspiration!
~Amy

Brenda Pruitt said...

I love it! I've been looking for a little stool to reupholster like that. Love the idea of putting the legs into a box. I wouldn't have thought of that!
Brenda

Karen said...

VERy cute. Excellent idea and great instructions!

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Great looking makeover!

Melanie said...

I just went to Goodwill on Friday and I never find anything there. You must have a great Goodwill.

Good job on the stool. I love Ballard but good grief they are over priced!

akawest said...

That is adorable!

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

Very cute! I haven't looked through the new catalog yet, but now I have to! Love that you can change it out if you get tired of the burlap or the question mark. Or you could add a *, &, #, and a @, and make it your cursing corner!

www.thewhitefarmhouse2.blogspot.com said...

I do like your quick change. Very cute idea! Looks great with the plaid chair too.

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

Very, very cute! Thatall show those Pottery Barn people that we creative types were hear first!!

Jane said...

What a great transformation. I love the burlap and the black together. Way to create and save $121.00 in the process!!
Jane

Unknown said...

You go girl!!! Now that's what I call doing it up right~

The Daily Connoisseur said...

You are so creative. Can you come to my house please and work your magic?

Norma Lee @ Norma Lee Good said...

Oh you made this stool so much happier. Don't you know the people that got rid of it would LOVE to have it back! I like the question mark and I am even happier that you were able to do this for under $10 and did not pay the ridiculous price. Great!

Malisa said...

I love thrift stores and I love your creative magic! You also give very clear instructions...easy to follow! Thanks!

Allyson said...

This stool totally deserves to be in a library...complete with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and the whole sliding ladder thing. What a great idea! And now I will have to start getting this catalog because one can't steal from Pottery Barn ALL the time. A girl has to have options.

Kathleen said...

What a great job! Love the question mark and love the price even more.

Laura said...

You clever, clever girl! Nice work!

Laura said...

Wow-
You did a great job.
Now I think I need a burlap project!

Laura

::cottage instincts:: said...

You brought that puppy back to life! Totally cute.

Glad you could again Mi4M :)

Anny said...

This turned out so well! And you sure can't beat the price ;)

Stacey @ Fun to Craft said...

Very cute!! I love it! Burlap is so great.

Kelly @ turned UP to ELEVEN! said...

SO freaking cute! ox Well done.

my home sanctuary said...

Great job very cool

Anne Lorys said...

That is just wonderful!
That sweet little stool had good bones, it's too bad the original owners didn't have the junker's vision that you had! :-)

Anne

RNSANE said...

You always have the most marvelous ideas...I wish I had been a creative person. My poems are nice, I suppose, but they don't turn into good pieces of furniture!

Unknown said...

LOVE this! I wish I could come up with things like this... Very cool I am loving the burlap.

Anonymous said...

Brilliant! Need to find me another footstool (we turned our last one into a cat bed!)!

Triad Smarty Pants said...

Adorable! I love this! Gives me inspiration!

Patti @ Pandoras Box said...

Nice job...I recover my footstool quite often....so easy and inexpensive to do. Love the question mark!

Linda@Coastal Charm said...

Luv that AWESOME BURLAP stool!

Blessings,
Linda

TidyMom said...

I love this! I have a little stool I picked up to make over...I was thinking burlap too.......love the question mark!

~TidyMom

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decorator to the stars said...

HI, RAN INTO YOUR BLOG, LOVE IT, WE HAVE ALOT IN COMMON :) STOP BY & SAY HI GIO