This sturdy bench was a garage sale steal at only $5 — other than the battered finish and missing arm, that is! Still, classic lines and solid construction made this bench the perfect piece for some makeover magic to banish the wear and tear while preserving its history.

The first step was sadly surgical — the remaining arm was removed to bring back some symmetry to the piece. A dark stain on the seat brought out the lovely warmth of the scarred wood, while the aqua paint on the legs and back gave this bench a bright new outlook. The finished product is a great reminder that basically any solid, well-made piece of wooden furniture can be brought back to life with a little vision and a lot of elbow grease!
See More: The Junk in Our Trunks: A Bit Off
(Images: Kathryn/The Junk in Our Trunks)


White Enamel Flatwa...
Lovely. Is it for indoor or outdoor use?
So charming!
I picture a dense and sturdy cushion covered in a cute blue and brown upholstery fabric, anchored at the four corners to finish it off. Nice job!
This would be awesome for a dining room table!
Very cute!
I thought you were going to put in another arm but taking the one that was still attached was a better choice. Nicely done. I agree w/ VESLABEACHGIRL about adding a cushion.
Nice job.
Amazing buy for $5!!
Sit down gorgeous.
I see branch arms on this one.
You can find branches in the woods that will make good arms for sad seats needing a redo.
cool!
Love it!
Aww, i was half hoping to see the remaining arm was kept. A little asymmetry can be fun, and it would show the history of the piece. But nice job all around!
Great job. Like the colors and the bench without the arms.
5$ bench turned into a 100$ bench. Very nice work.
I loved finding stuff like that and then giving them a makeover during my spare time.
Cameron @ bedroom chandeliers.
aw you saved that lovely piece! it's delightful!
Thank you for the kind words. I have used it outside, and I just brought it in and it is at my dinning room table. You know how it is always changing things up.