Great Hacks: Door Sixteen's Faux Aalto Frosta Stool

Anna's Frosta "After"

I recently had the pleasure of scrolling through Anna Dorfman-Stark's Door 16 blog after a long hiatus and was blown away again at how great it is. For those who love "How To's" and juicy, satisfying pics of an old thing becoming a shiny new thing, this is for you. The project I want to highlight, however, is one that I've been working on as well - The Frosta Hack - but Anna's done the best job I've seen yet...

She's taken a $13 Ikea Frosta stool and "upgraded" it into a much nicer faux-Alvar Aalto stool 60. She does a beautiful job and gives you really clear instructions. It will make you want to do your own this weekend. :-)

>> Faux-Aalto FROSTA upgrade @ DoorSixteen
>> Best Products: Frosta Stool by Gillis Lundgren

Typical Frosta Before - note four legs as opposed to the Aalto three

Comments (6)

I hope her friends are light. I would think that the fourth leg makes the Frosta a lot sturdier.

posted by kiljoywashere on July 6th 2009 at 2:53pm
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They ain't heavy, they're her friends.

posted by olga on July 6th 2009 at 6:24pm
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Actually, kiljoywashere, according to the laws of physics, three legs are always sturdier than four -- three points define a plane. For a more in-depth explanation, see here:
http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/QQ/database/QQ.09.00/teri1.html

(Regardless, I use them as bedside tables.)

posted by Anna at D16 on July 6th 2009 at 7:48pm
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Thanks, Anna! I love the maths behind that.

posted by kiljoywashere on July 7th 2009 at 9:28am
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does anyone have an idea how to cushion the top of this table for use as an ottoman in a way that won't look cheap?

posted by gothamguy on July 7th 2009 at 2:18pm
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I hadn't seen the Aalto before, but even that, to me, looks very Ikea-ish. (I hadn't seen the Frosta, either.)
I guess Ikea's copying of styles is brainwashing me to think of Ikea as the "simple-style maker"? Horrors!

posted by pammyfay on July 7th 2009 at 5:21pm
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