When my mom and dad brought back some family pieces from the middle-of-nowhere-but-charming-and-quintessential-small-town-Texas abode where my dad grew up, we inherited some pieces that included a shabby looking piano bench. Thinking it would be a great piece to put in our slightly awkward entryway, we happily took the lot and rolled up our sleeves to get it looking like it hasn't been sitting in a rat-infested shed for the past 30 years.


I used a similar process from our DIY upholstered headboard project when upholstering this bench. The steps I took went like so: sand the wood down, and spray paint the piece first with primer (let dry in between coats if primer isn't already in the formula) and then with the color. I used Rustoleum 2x Paint and Primer in glossy Dark Grey. While that was drying, I sprayed adhesive on the wood top (it wasn't screwed on the base), stuck the foam to it, and trimmed just outside of the edge. I then sprayed the adhesive on the top of the first foam layer, and made it a double-double (for all you non-In-N-Out fans, that means I put another layer on top).  I felt that the 1.5" foam I was using wasn't cushy enough, and 3" would look and feel better. After that step, I used my nail gun to put on a layer of batting to smooth the edges out. Then came the fabric. The striped ombre fabric I used was a vintage find at a local estate sale. It smelled SO bad when I got it - it was stored in a garage for years, and I instantly fell in love with it in all its musty mothball horrendousness. Side note:  I soaked it in vinegar and water twice, washed it, and that did the trick in getting the fabric to not gangbang my nostrils with offensive odors.

Looking back, I would have rather kept the wood but it was pretty deeply scratched and peeling in some parts. Instead of getting out the wood putty, sanding the hell out of the piece and re-staining it, I took the lazy route and covered it with paint. I think it turned out well, I'm just not so sure I'm feeling the look of painted wood in this project. Live and learn.

{photos by me}