Project Cool Stool

Finding room for an extra seat at your kitchen island? This little cool stool is the perfect solution...

How this wee little stool finishes ... so cute, right? It's the perfect stool to bring in when I need more seating on our peninsula. Want to see how it started?

The Start

To be fair, I bought this stool for $5 on Varagesale. Have you ever Varaged? I use this app frequently. The area that I live in (South Delta, BC) is excellent for Varage. I find great pieces on their all the time...much to my partner's disappointment. Haha.

The Process

1. Wood Filler

2. Sanding

A lot of sanding. Started with my orbital sander and 50 grit rounds. Ended with my Ryobi cat sander to get in all those tight corners. Got it buttery smooth with 180 grit.

3. Staining

More often than not, I would have stopped after sanding the stool. I love the look of bare wood. And this stool had such a beautiful bare wood, aged patina to it. For where I need it, it had to go black...

Also, why stain when you can paint? Personal preference really. I chose to stain this stool so it can weather gracefully over time. Plus if you sit on this wee guy when you're wearing jeans with rivets, scratches and dents will only make it look cooler in the long run. A painted stool would get scratches and nicks in a chabby chic sort of way. It's just not the look I'm trying to achieve with the stool.

Overall, I needed 4 coats of Minwax Black Ebony. Brushed on, wiped off before it got tacky (about 4ish minutes).

4. The Finish

We may not have an island that can fit 3 stools...but, now we have an extra seat to pull up to the peninsula when need be. When cool stool is not in use, it can tuck into a small console close by. (Also, bonus points for this stool having the best seat in the house...easy views of both the kitchen and TV. Win.)