Months ago, I bought a bench at a yardsale. It was obviously made from a headboard. The lady who sold it to me said it was an incomplete project that she got tired of looking at. She just wanted it gone. I was happy to help her out.
It sat at our house waiting for attention for ages. I began to wonder if one day, I too, would just want it gone. It was already partially painted. It was as if someone had been putting on the first coat and was interrupted and then never got back to it. Or maybe they were going to do some sort of two toned finish. I don't know.
I got started on it last week. Knowing I would be distressing it, I didn't even prime it. I wish I had read Barb Blair's great article (Design Sponge) on subtle crackle finish last week. I would have used a bit of crackle here and there. I also would have made my first coat of paint something other than black.
I bought some one inch thick foam and put four pieces of it together to form a cushion. I would have preferred to have one nice four inch thick piece, but Hobby Lobby didn't have it and I didn't have the patience to wait. As the Nester says, "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful." I find myself using that quote often these days. It's a wonderful phrase to help you feel better about not being a perfectionist.
I made "underwear" for the cushion - a cover for the foam to go under the real slipcover. I made it from a painter's dropcloth. I love dropcloth slipcovers for the real slipcover, but in this case, I had something else in mind. I haven't had time to make the real slipcover, so this project isn't officially finished. I plan to pipe the real slipcover and make it look a little bit snazzy.
With Thanksgiving cooking to do, I didn't have time to finish. The bench cushion would have to settle for underwear for a few days. But then, all my furry friends came to investigate. Ugh oh. I decided to give it a temporary cover out of a fabric similar in color to the one I'll be making. I just wrapped a few yards of fabric around the cushion and tucked it here and there. Why bother? Because, I swear, if I didn't , one of the kitties would barf on the dropcloth cover and it was incredibly hard to pull over the foam. I hope not to have to wash the "bench underwear" very often. So... better safe than sorry.
I had fun playing with pillows. I don't think I have the right look yet. All of these pillows came from yard sales, and I love them, but I believe I need some a little smaller. I recently found some pillows at a yard sale that would have been great on this bench. I put them in my booth and they sold. Dang! (or , if you speak French, ^%$#@!)
Once I finish the real slipcover, I'll feature it in another post. Meanwhile, I'm happy with it.
Thanks to her unfinished project,
I now have a wonderful bench in my coat room,
but it was a long time coming.
It sat at our house waiting for attention for ages. I began to wonder if one day, I too, would just want it gone. It was already partially painted. It was as if someone had been putting on the first coat and was interrupted and then never got back to it. Or maybe they were going to do some sort of two toned finish. I don't know.
I got started on it last week. Knowing I would be distressing it, I didn't even prime it. I wish I had read Barb Blair's great article (Design Sponge) on subtle crackle finish last week. I would have used a bit of crackle here and there. I also would have made my first coat of paint something other than black.
I bought some one inch thick foam and put four pieces of it together to form a cushion. I would have preferred to have one nice four inch thick piece, but Hobby Lobby didn't have it and I didn't have the patience to wait. As the Nester says, "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful." I find myself using that quote often these days. It's a wonderful phrase to help you feel better about not being a perfectionist.
I made "underwear" for the cushion - a cover for the foam to go under the real slipcover. I made it from a painter's dropcloth. I love dropcloth slipcovers for the real slipcover, but in this case, I had something else in mind. I haven't had time to make the real slipcover, so this project isn't officially finished. I plan to pipe the real slipcover and make it look a little bit snazzy.
With Thanksgiving cooking to do, I didn't have time to finish. The bench cushion would have to settle for underwear for a few days. But then, all my furry friends came to investigate. Ugh oh. I decided to give it a temporary cover out of a fabric similar in color to the one I'll be making. I just wrapped a few yards of fabric around the cushion and tucked it here and there. Why bother? Because, I swear, if I didn't , one of the kitties would barf on the dropcloth cover and it was incredibly hard to pull over the foam. I hope not to have to wash the "bench underwear" very often. So... better safe than sorry.
I had fun playing with pillows. I don't think I have the right look yet. All of these pillows came from yard sales, and I love them, but I believe I need some a little smaller. I recently found some pillows at a yard sale that would have been great on this bench. I put them in my booth and they sold. Dang! (or , if you speak French, ^%$#@!)
Once I finish the real slipcover, I'll feature it in another post. Meanwhile, I'm happy with it.
~~~~~~~~
Be sure to check out the latest RE- Party!
We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair, RE-upholster,
RE-furbish, RE-finish, RE-purpose, and of course, we love to RE-lax!
RE-furbish, RE-finish, RE-purpose, and of course, we love to RE-lax!
This party celebrates the RE-'s in our lives!
Take a look at these other wonderful link parties for more clever ideas.
I'm linking this post with them!
- Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays at Coastal Charm
- Themed Linkups - Headboards - at Funky Junk Interiors
- Make It Yours Day at My Backyard Eden
- Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Designs
- Look What I Made at Creations by Kara
- Power of Paint at Domestically Speaking
- Show Us What You're Workin' With at Me and My Bucket
- We're Organized Wednesday at Organize and Decorate Everything
- Piece of Work Wednesday at Primitive and Proper
- Creative Share Wednesday at Trendy Treehouse