What should I do with this

This was one of the items I got from the house that Jim inherited. It is officially sold now, and this was one of the things left behind when we went in to clean it out (and that is a stroke-inducing story for another day… which may never come… steam is still coming out of my ears…)


Anyways, it is a vintage sewing storage stool that I presume belonged to his friend’s mom - there are still some spools of thread and tools in there. The vinyl is obviously breaking apart on the top, but the foam, structure, hinges, legs, and insides are still good.

The thing is… I am stuck on what to do with it - I was thinking of a basic re-covering of it using a durable fabric in a fun print or two to match my craft room - like a floral print in teal blue on the base and something with butterflies or dragonflies on the top, maybe with some silver or brass nailhead detailing.

Boring… but would work… maybe add a bit more foam on the top so I can rest my tootsies on it…

OR - and this is starting to appeal to me more… do a mixed media collage along the base - like what I did with this tissue box.


Then, I could continue the collage to the top surface… or upholster it in a coordinating fabric (either paint/print my own on artist canvas or find something that works) - again, to rest my tender tootsies… what to do??? What to do???

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I like your second idea best— a lot more labor intensive but more YOU, in my opinion.

If you want to use it as a stool I like the mixed media base with coordinating fabric idea. Or make it an entire mixed media art piece.

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Wow…that is the exact fabric that was on my sewing chair…the one I got in 1968!!!

The vinyl tore as well and I recovered it with duck cloth…it has lasted for years, but I also want to recover mine…I think it would be awesome to do the base as you described and just cover the top with fabric…what a cool find!

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Cool find! I agree that you have got to put your own distinct style in there. Can’t wait to see how you’ll transform it.

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Yes - the collage idea is appealing to me more and more… and I just got a new mattress, so maybe I can reuse some of the memory foam from the pad I had to cushion the top of this?

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I think the mixed media with those colours on the bodem would be cool. But then you should, imo, use a black (velvet perhaps) fabric to even out the buzy collage. It could turn out really cool!