No more bar stools!!

Benches at dining tables are everywhere now. They are great for kids. And having a bench you can tuck away under the table means you don't have to have 6 or 8 chairs surrounding the table. But what about having a bench replace your bar stools at your kitchen island? I am a minimalist in the kitchen. I can't stand clutter in there. Our kitchen nook table is right next to our island eat in area so there were bar stools and chairs everywhere! Here is a photo of what the bar stools looked like at the counter. 12 little stool feet to clean under with food and dog hair collecting on them every time they push in and out!

So I started looking and I found that the concept does exist, although the only one I found was this one from Lee Industries.

Good option but I needed it a little longer to maximize the eating area and I didn't really want it to have a back. I liked the idea of it tucking under the counter and disappearing when not in use. So I had our contractors who finished our basement and have done several other home projects for us, build one to fit! Here are some pictures of it unfinished.

We also did some work on our kitchen, which is why it looks a little torn up. That post will come later

After they built it I stained it with a color that matched our wall color in the kitchen. Staining is easy! I used a brush to put it on, then wiped it off with a rag as I went. I like the look because it is dark like the gray paint but you still see some of the wood grain. It is also way more durable than paint with shoes climbing up on it. Also you always want to put a couple coats of a clear matte or satin polyurethane to protect the stain.

I got the fabric from Ballard Designs. It wasn't badly priced and I only used a little over a yard. I also hammered in the little decorative tacks which you can get at any fabric store.

We used 3 inch foam cut to the size of the bench top. Then get batting and stretch it over top of the foam, pull tight and stable gun it up under the seat like you will the upholstery. Finally, do the same with the fabric, stapling it under the lip of the bench top. Make sure you pull tight as the fabric stretches as the foam gets more use. Also use scotch guard in a can to protect it from staining.

Here is a picture after the tacks were all hammered in.

Dana's aunt, Grace Bradley of GB Designs helped me upholster this bench. If you need a kitchen face lift or remodel, she is a very skilled designer. With this large of a piece you need two people to pull fabric, hold the bench still and staple.

With smaller pieces it is really very simple and it can be done by anyone, no previous experience necessary. I bought this cheap target bench a long while back, although I think they still have it. Turned it over, unscrewed seat from base and took off the ugly leather material on it. Lots of discount furniture stores have these little benches now. I took some leftover upholstery I used for a chair in our bedroom and put it on this bench in our bathroom. See below.

These little benches look cute to pull up to a bathroom vanity, fill in space under a mirror that is not to the floor or a couple at the end of the bed.

Enjoy! Cheers! {Laura}