Easy Bench Makeover

Sometimes I like a challenge, but sometimes I just want an easy and quick project for instant gratification.  I knew this bench would be it!

I once read that a pillow sham is the perfect size piece of fabric to recover a chair seat, so last summer I picked up three of these shams at GoodWill for a few dollars.

They are Martha Stewart Living brand and are a nice heavyweight fabric.  It was also just the right size for this bench.  

I started by removing the blue and white fabric from the bench seat to find this underneath--

A chenille rug!!  And that was it, no padding or anything else.  Thankfully I had some batting that I was able to layer to give the seat some cushion.  

Then I took apart the sham.  I cut off the back layer of fabric as well as the piping to be able to free the top of the fabric.  I stapled it to the seat top as you would any seat cover.

I almost threw away the piping, but realized it was long enough to go around the seat--I just stapled it around the edges.  It was so easy and added a nice finished touch to the seat.

Not sure if you can tell, but the bench used to have cross bars--only one was left.  I used a hand saw and cut it off then sanded and filled the holes with wood filler. I painted the base with three coats of DIY chalk paint in Valspar Hotel Churchill Vanilla, distressed the paint and then screwed the seat back onto the base.

Voila!  There it is, instant gratification with a wonderfully transformed bench.

Linking to:
Silver Pennies | DIY Showoff | I Should Be Mopping The Floor | Dwellings | The Dedicated House | Creative Home Expressions | Twigg Studios | Coastal Charm | Rain On A Tin Roof | Homecoming | The Dedicated House | Cozy Little House | A Stroll Through Life | Love Grows Wild | Kammy's Korner | Table 4 Seven | Domestic Superhero | The Happy Housie | Living Well Spending Less | Lamberts Lately | Fluster Buster | Sweet Haute | Start At Home |  I Gotta Create | The Shabby Creek Cottage | Craft Dictator | Miss Mustard Seed | Liz Marie | The Shabby Nest | DIY Vintage Chic | Lovely Crafty Home | The Pin Junkie | Pink When |

Featured by:
Creative Home Expressions