Simple piano bench makeover.....
This will be my last post until after the New Year. Just too many things going on between now and then...Christmas with the family and all the craziness that entails...falling asleep before midnight on the New Year's Eve...and of course the cold weather that makes it a little difficult to do too much outside!
My family will be arriving Christmas eve. Sarah and her family...the boys driving in from Phoenix! Before then, I have several days of baking and house cleaning to do! Lots of fun and excitement. I also have a few new "things" happening after the New Year that I will share in due time.
So many wonderful changes going on around here!
So...the last project of 2014 is a simple little project that anyone over the age of 40 will appreciate!
In the warmer months I pretty much live in flip-flops! This is the time of the year when I wear my boots almost every day and the older I get the harder it is to get those suckers on. I use to be able to steadily stand on one foot while I put on my shoes or boots...these days I tend to tip over. Not sure if it is the age or the weight...lol! And naturally there is the potential to be bowled over by a spastic dog or terrorized cat!
I have the little ottoman by the chair in that room, but it is a tad low....
...God forbid I move the ottoman and sit in the chair!
When I found this little piano bench at an auction, I immediately knew it was the perfect size to set next to the closet so I would have a place to sit and put on my shoes.
I have reupholstered and refinished several little benches over the last year...naturally when I went looking for pictures I found I had a lot of "before" pictures and a few "after" pictures but never both of one bench...seriously, what is up with that!
This bench was in obvious need of a little "makeover." The top was in pretty rough shape but it was walnut veneer and the legs were pretty much mint after a little cleaning. Structurally it was sound and solid.
I decided to strip and oil the top and paint the legs!
First, I removed the top. I used the acetone/lacquer thinner mixture to quickly strip all the old varnish off the top. Took all of about 15 minutes. Then I applied 4 coats of tung oil, rubbing with steel wool and wiping with a tack cloth between each coat!
I sprayed the legs with Kilz and after it dried I gave it a quick sanding and wiped it down with a tack cloth. Then I sprayed it with 2 coats of my favorite off-white spray paint.
Cute as a bugs ear!
It is the perfect height for sitting to put your shoes on and since it is a piano bench, the top lifts up for storage...perfect for boot brushes and cleaners! (Like I ever do that...that is what my OCD son is for) I didn't refinish or paint the inside...why bother!
I have run across several old piano and sewing benches over the years. Sometimes I paint the tops or add upholstered cushions. The larger benches are perfect for the foot of the bed. Simple and perfect for storage for an extra blanket or shoe cleaning supplies.
Next time you run across an old beat up bench, use your imagination! This little makeover took less than one hour of actual "work." Trust me...when you hit forty, you will be glad you have someplace to sit while you put on your shoes!
I hope you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and may the New Year bring you happiness, health and wisdom! Trust me, if you have that, you have all the wealth you will ever need!
Goodbye 2014...thank you for the great times and the lessons I learned during the hard times.
