Before & After: A Simple Stool Gets Gilded for Just $15

Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
For more than 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of house tours from around the world. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
published Sep 20, 2014
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Worn wooden table with carved legs on a brick patio, labeled "before."
(Image credit: Elly Gehrig )

Looking for inspiration on how a simple step — a tiny application of a surprising material, for instance — can dramatically upgrade the look of a tired piece of furniture you might already have? Then you’ll appreciate the do-this-in-a-weekend amount of work that Elly put into this old wooden piano stool.

(Image credit: Elly Gehrig )

From Elly:

When I moved out at the start of the year, I inherited this unwanted piano stool. It sat in the bedroom with the laundry on it for almost half a year before I decided what I wanted to do with it.

I spent an afternoon sanding it and spray painted it white. I wanted the white to look a little bit rustic. I then spray painted the legs metallic gold. I’m so happy with the results. It cost about $15 and it’s the first thing you see as you walk in our house. I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out!

Thank you Elly! We love how this stool looks like an expensive purchase after your work! And what a lovely way to greet yourself and guests!