I cannot explain to you how HAPPY I am that the weather is finally improving in Chicago. Aside from being able to let the kids go outside and run around, I have been able to get some furniture painting done, which has given me so much joy. Never in a million years would I have pictured myself as a furniture painting junkie, but I think I may be reaching that status.
I can’t get enough!
Last weekend I had some fun giving a makeover to a sad little stool that my sister found for me at a thrift store. We had gone there to donate some baby clothes, and my husband had given me strict orders not to buy any additional furniture. But I just couldn’t help myself when it came to this little guy.
He was pretty banged up and lonely looking, but I thought he’d be perfect as a plant stand on my front porch. So for $5.99 with my $2 coupon I got for donating clothes that day, I snatched him up.
I eventually confessed my thrift store shopping sins to my husband, and while he wasn’t upset that I’d purchased another thing to fit into the garage, he totally shot down my plant stand idea. Ah, yes, this little stool would not fare well on our front porch because it is essentially a wind tunnel.
Oh well. I’d find another use for him.
My original plan was to spray paint him green, but then I decided that I do not like working with spray paint, nor did I want to make my little stool friend so boring. So I did this instead. . . .
Taa daa! What do you think? Kinda weird with the “Hello” on there, right?
Whatever – even if it is weird, I think it’s cute in a cheeky and friendly way. And what a transformation! You can’t deny that it looks better, even if you think it’s strange.
For this project, I whipped up some homemade chalk paint (1 cup latex paint // 2 tablespoons calcium carbonate // 1 tablespoon water), and brushed on a rustic coat of a light gray chalk paint all over.
Next, I got super brave and (successfully) attempted to make a stencil with contact paper on my Silhouette Portrait that my husband gave me for Valentine’s Day. (How sweet is my husband?! Forget chocolates and flowers – he knows the way to my heart!) I followed these awesome directions from Shanty-2-Chic, and everything went great.
(Do you like my cute new Sperrys?)
I then applied my light turquoise paint to the stencil and to the bottom and top “X” portions of the stool. After everything dried, I roughed it up with some sandpaper and then sprayed it down with two coats of poly.
Now this friendly little stool has a place of honor right next to our kitchen table. He is so happy to be out of the thrift shop and into our home . . . I just know it!
This post makes me sound like a total nut job.
– Bre
EstheticGoddess says
That turned out so adorable!
Bre Eggert says
Thank you very much!
Linda @ it all started with paint says
So cute and friendly! I’m in Chicago too. And it certainly did warm up quickly today, right? Perhaps a bit too much!
🙂 Linda
Bre Eggert says
Hi, Linda! Thank you! I am so thankful for the warm up – after the winter we had, I’ll take anything that’s above 60 degrees! Have a great day. 🙂
Emily B says
I love this little stool. The fact that you painted the little x part of the chair blue was adorable. I am in the Milwaukee area and yesterday was glorious, it has been a looooonnnng winter!
Emily- Our house now a home
Bre Eggert says
Hi, Emily! My family lives in Milwaukee! It’s a great town! I know you’re so glad to have the awesome weather, too! My goodness was the winter brutal. Thanks for your sweet comment on my stool. 🙂 Have a great weekend!