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How To Makeover A Thrift Store Bench
Learn how to renovate a thrift-store bought bench with help from YoungHouseLove.com's DIY experts, Sherry and John!
Learn how to renovate a thrift-store bought bench with help from YoungHouseLove.com's DIY experts, Sherry and John!
If you have about 30 bucks you're well on your way to adding an amazing bench to your furniture collection. Benches are classic choices for the foot of a bed, an entryway, and next to a sofa or bed as a casual side table (just add a tray or a stack of books on them to turn them into tables of sorts). So when we came across an old piano bench for $7 at a thrift store, we couldn't resist giving it a full monty makeover.
First we unscrewed the dated old upholstered top and sanded down the legs. Then we used oil-based primer (so there was no risk of ugly bleed-through) followed by a few thin and even coats of latex semi-gloss paint (in Lunar Tide by Valspar) applied with a brush. That left our bench with a soft celery green tone that looked a heckova lot fresher.
Next it was time to reupholster the bench seat using a half-yard of green and cream lattice fabric (snagged for just $12 at a local shop) and a staple gun. Our seat upholstery tips would be to ensure that the fabric is straight before stapling if it has a pattern, and to pull things tight and put one staple in the middle of each side of the bench (through the fabric and into the underside of the bench), which allows you to "set" your fabric so that it's snug and straight before adding the rest of the staples to finish things off. When it comes to the corners, staple them as you would wrap the corner of a present, folding them over each other for a nice clean look.
Then just re-attach the top and you'll find yourself one amazing bench richer, and only about $30 poorer (which covers the cost of the bench, the primer and paint, and the new fabric in our case). Gotta love fast furniture makeovers that don't break the bank. To see more detailed photos and instructions for this project, visit www.younghouselove.com and search "bench makeover" in the search bar on the upper right corner of the page. And happy bench hunting to one and all!
Sherry and John Petersik are DIY design bloggers for Young House Love. They've been featured in Better Homes & Garden’s Do It Yourself Magazine, The New York Times, The Nest Magazine, RealSimple.com, and on HGTV's "Rate My Space." For more on Sherry and John, visit their blog at www.younghouselove.com.
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