A couple years after college, I was struggling a bit with my career and my place in this world. I was living in Illinois at the time, and decided to move back home to Wisconsin. Still wanting my independence, I moved to a town called Lake Geneva, about 45 minutes from my home town. I quit my job, picked up my life and moved there with no plan and no safety net. Risk-taking was a strength of mine! But the point of this story is the apartment I got. It was the top floor of a 2-story house; 2 bedrooms, a living room, bathroom and kitchen. My landlord, Harold, was a very nice older man, and he gave me an account at the local hardware store. I was able to buy paint and supplies to fix up the place, and he paid the bill. Needless to say, I loved that arrangement! In the course of fixing up the place, I shopped at a local antique store quite often. That’s where I found this cast iron stool.
I always like a place to put up my feet when I’m relaxing. Having varicose veins, my ankles and feet often get swollen, so putting them up just feels good. I liked the old-fashioned style of the tapestry, fringe trim and upholstery tacks. And the small size was a plus for my small apartment. Since then, I’ve continued to use it in my home for about the last 15 or 20 years. When we recently refreshed our family room, I decided it was time to let it go. But not without an update, of course.
I painted the base in a couple coats of a creamy white color called Buttercream from Dixie Belle Paint.
Choosing fabric is always a challenge, but here are the three options I considered.
I distressed the base a little, accenting the iron details. I was influenced by a reader who suggested the cream and white fabric. It just seemed like the most practical for selling the piece, since it’s so neutral.
I had to throw a little autumn orange into the photo. I love the contrast with the cream and white. This piece could be used as an ottoman like we did, or a bench for a front entry or to fill a little nook.
One last glance at the current look compared to the blast from the past. I hope you consider it an improvement!
