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Painted Kitchen Stools

how to update the look of a set of stools with coffee graphics

Long time ago when we renovated the kitchen, we bought a new set of stools. The kids really wanted to have the ones they could automatically adjust the height and most importantly, they wanted the new stools to spin round and round, and that's what they got. Not that I like them that much, but for the price and the fact that the kids love them, they are still there in the kitchen serving its purpose.

Since that time, the old set of stools have been going places around the house. They are the ones I grab when I need to reach for something in the highest cupboards. My kids have been using them as small tables when they eat their snacks or when doing homework, and as you can see, they've also been a paint station for many of my projects :)

I don't think they are going to replace the ones in the kitchen, at least for now, but since we use them so much I thought a makeover was greatly needed.
After sanding them pretty well, I decided I wanted the "new stools" to have that little skirt most of the stools have. So, out of 1x2's  the little pieces were cut and added to the stools with the Kreg mechanism.
How to install a wooden skirt to plain stools.

Now that they were properly dressed, some more embellishments were not going to hurt, hah. I don't know why I always keep on adding stuff and making things more complicated than needed, but here I am working on the skirt when I see those wooden screw covers and of course I have to add them too.
installing wooden screw covers as nice decor on stools

I'm not a great painter, these stools were good pieces to experiment and learn with. I wanted to go for a distressed look, the one you see the other colors under-neigh the top coat. First they were spray painted red and blue, but when I went looking for petroleum jelly to rub on some spots so the next layer of paint didn't stick...Alas I had none, and I didn't want to go and buy some. So, black paint was then applied, I was just crossing my fingers to see the bright colors showing at the end ;)
stools painted transformation

At this point I decided to work on the seat.  You can get my free graphics HERE and HERE. You know I love coffee, well, if it's Colombian coffee I like it better ;)  Using graphite paper the designs were transferred and filled in with a black Sharpie.
Painted coffee graphics on stool seat

Two final coats of chalk paint were then applied to the legs. Using a sanding block I kept on looking for those bright colors ;)
coffee graphics and sanded, distressed effect


The letters were also distressed. Be careful, the ink can bleed into the unpainted areas. Finally, two coats of stain were applied to the seat and the decorative covers.
Protecting the finish of bar stools with Varethane

The stain gives them a nice soft shine.

Black is mostly the color peeking out, though I saw some red specks :)
Kitchen stools makeover

The before and the after.
the before and after

My kids are not happy I painted them white again, but black is too drastic for my small space I think.
Colombian Coffee - Free printables


Well, after all this work it's now time to go and have a cup of coffee ;)






51 comments :

  1. Oh my goodness, these are fabulous. I love them. What a great idea. Hugs, Marty

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  2. Dios! Que habilidad de mujer!!! The stools are fabulous, I love them and I wish I had one at least with the coffee written all over it too...I am also a coffee lover and I love Colombian too! Wonderful job as always Christina!
    FABBY

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  3. found your post through the link party - LOVE the stools!

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  4. I absolutely love how these turned out! I have one plain bar stool that I've been trying to dress up, and your project is definitely inspiring me! Have a great weekend, Dee. :)

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  5. These look awesome!!!! Love the design you used on the stools, they look great!

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  6. Wonderful job, LOVE the Coffee on the tops, that looks just great!

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  7. Great job! I keep hearing good things about chalk paint, I'll have to give it a try one of these days.

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  8. These are awesome. I love the idea of using a sharpie instead of trying to keep your hand steady with a detailing brush!! Great coffee art Cristina!!!

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  9. Hola Cristina querida bravo .,, bravo. es de tus trabajos que más me han gustado

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  10. love how these came out, especially the seats. You can't go wrong with anything related to coffee!

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  11. This is my fav stool redo ever!!!

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  12. Oh these turned out PERFECT - love them !!!
    XOX

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  13. Fantastic! I have one that my mom bought me almost twenty years ago, would love to do this to it I know she would have loved it!

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  14. They are beautiful Cristina! I love how you dressed them up and made them so pretty! You are awesome!

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  15. I think I see a stool makeover in my future! I LOVE them! Thanks for sharing!

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  16. Oh wow! What a makeover Cristina! these are fabulous! Really, you could sell these and people would buy it for sure!!!! LOVE IT!

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  17. Christina I absolutely love what you did to your stools! I just had to pin them. So glad I saw you over at the Monday Funday Party!
    Marie@TheInteriorFrugalista

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  18. These are fabulous, you did a really wonderful job on them. I'd love it if you'd join my History & Home link party, starts each Tuesday at 5am Eastern, runs through Friday. Take care! -Dawn @ We Call It Junkin.com

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  19. I love the stools! You did a great job. Pinning!

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  20. Very cool!
    I'm gonna have to check out that graphite paper you used!

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  21. These are great. Love the graphics, thanks for sharing. Instead of Vaseline have you tried wax as a resist to the paint?

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  22. They are gorgeous. I just did my first wax paper transfer - DIY serving tray & I think it turned out really good. These stools look like a million bucks.
    Patty at Home and Lifestyle Design

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  23. Cristina - You turned something ordinary into something unique and special! They're really sophisticated and personal! Love them!
    Love and blessings!
    Lynda @ Gates of Crystal

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  24. Love! Those stools are to die for. Good job!

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  25. Hello Christina,
    These stools are soooo CUTE!!! Thanks so much for sharing them at NTT...they will be featured at the party on Monday.

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  26. Just beautiful! Christina, I feel like I have missed lost of your post. I have been so extremely busy and I apologize for that. I am off to visit your blog and see what I missed. Enjoy your weekend!

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  27. I am drinking Columbian coffee right now as I am reading your great tutorial! I saw it featured over at A Stroll Thru Life blog...congrats!

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  28. These turned out so great (I'm a coffee lover too), and I love how real you are in your post..things don't always go the way we plan...but you went with it, and have some beautiful stools to be very proud of as a result! I'm pinning these b/c I want to make one just like it!!

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  29. What great tutorial Thank you for sharing! Ciao Rita
    Stopping by from Common Ground

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  30. They turned out incredible! Absolutely love them!

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  31. Wow! Ingenious! Love how you managed to spruce up a very simple stool with handmade engraving! So simple but packs MAJOR star power! Every once in a while a design DIY knocks it outta the park and yours did just that!

    Have a superFAB weekend- thanks for the inspiration!

    xo-Julie
    Peace. Love. LOL!

    Haute Khuuture Blog

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  32. Wow, you really knocked it out of the park....they look wonderful!

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  33. you did well on th stools. I really like the details and the writing. I am a coffee lover after all.

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  34. Cristina! Did I read that right that you are "not much of a painter". I can see you have a sense of humor but I didn't know that you outright LIED! lol Those are fantastic...and if I lived closer I would plop my Colombian coffee loving butt right down on one of those stools and share a cup with you....or, better yet, you come visit me and I'll make some Colombian coffee FOR you. xo Diana ps...Bring your own stool (and plan on leaving it!;>)

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  35. Just found your site and love it! Thanks for the coffee printable I'm going to use it someplace. I'm following on Bloglovin
    Susan @ Homeroad.net

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  36. Just when I couldn't imagine loving your kitchen any more than I do, you go ahead and up the ante!!! Pinning for sure! And thanks so much for sharing at the Super Saturday Link Party, my friend!

    Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

    :) Linda

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  37. LOVE your stools! I'm featuring them in this week's Spotlight over at Power of Paint!

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  38. LOVE YOUR MAKEOVER, I WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE THE STOOLS IF THIS WOULD BE OK PLEASE LET ME KNOW
    LAUREN

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  39. WOW fantastic job! I think the tops are amazing! Such detail. Love it.

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  40. The chairs look amazing! Hope they are comfortable too :)

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  41. Your a total visionary!!!! Love the transformation!I work at home on a farm with animals and ever since pinterest I have a little workshop in my tack room for down time....lol..another project. I have to comb thru the re-store now for stools :-)

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  42. Your a total visionary!!!! Love the transformation!I work at home on a farm with animals and ever since pinterest I have a little workshop in my tack room for down time....lol..another project. I have to comb thru the re-store now for stools :-)

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  43. Phenomenal! I love that you made the effort to do the seats. This is a beautiful result. Thanks for sharing!

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