My friend Tina has been a great supporter of all my crafty projects. She told me one day that her mother had a couple of old stools that she no longer needed and asked if I would like them. Never being one to turn down free furniture for refinishing, I said "sure!" I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw when she turned them over to me. They were solid wood, made in Czechoslovakia, and a great clean style that would be a breeze to work with. They were in good shape considering they were over 50 years old.
I loved their simple square shape and knew right away what I was going to do with them. That same week I had seen some decor projects online that were completed using Mexican oilcloth. Oilcloth? I thought that was like the old flooring I had in my last house. Not quite! Oilcloth is a heavy printed plastic backed with threads. It's shiny and waterproof, somewhat supple, perfect for indoor/outdoor furniture, and the Mexican variety is deliciously retro!
My hubby did all the pre-work for me and helped to realize my vision for these beauties. He removed the cushions and completed any needed repairs. Primed and a few (5) coats of pretty red paint later, the stools were almost ready.
Hubby cut new seats and helped me to reupholster the cushions after I beefed them up with extra padding. Once the cushions were done, the stools were sealed with a few coats of poly. Finally the cushions were ready to re-attach to the stools. Ah! Perfection!
Aren't they adorably cute? They make me want to redo my entire kitchen to match. But alas these are for sale. I may shed a tear when they leave my house for their new home. Seriously though, I'm glad I bought a few different patterns of oilcloth. This stuff is seriously cool. I have other projects already planned for the rest.
And a final before and after:
Have you ever used oilcloth for decor projects? Are you tempted now?
