When we spied Lynn-Ann's bathroom, our first thought was Oh how soothing that color scheme is. Our second thought? Why, Where did she get that fabulous bench?, of course! Now that's a DIY we can actually tackle in an hour.
The hardest part of this project? Finding an old bench or stool at the right size and price.
- Comb estate sales, flea markets and junk stores to find a bench with legs you like. Lynn-Ann chose one with sexy claw and ball feet.
- Pick up one of Ikea's classic fluffy flokatis, which comes in both small and large sizes.
- Clean your bench well (you can stain, paint or strip the legs but we're currently liking the contrast of rough legs with a glamorous top). You can leave the upholstery as is (give it a good shampooing) or rip it off. Lynn-Ann took her upholstery off.
- Lynn-Ann took off the legs but we'd probably just trim the flokati to work around them.
- Lay your flokati on the floor, fur side down, center your bench seat on top of it, seat side down, and wrap the flokati around it.
- Use a heavy duty staple gun to staple the flokati in place underneath your bench. Be sure you pull your sheepskin taut.
- Turn it over and voila! A fabulously glam seat for your bathroom, your living room or your bedroom.
Images: Lynn-Ann Bruns, from the Apartment Therapy LA Group Pool
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Oh! This is perfect. I made a bench a few years ago in a woodworking class. I love it, but it's just not really my style, so it's been sitting around unfinished. But upholstered! In fur! THAT I can get into!
It doesn't seem super useful (like it'd get wet or dirty or whatever in the bathroom), but the look is great!
The bench is fun, but I LOVE that mirror! Does anyone know the source?
This will sound completely tacky but I wonder if this could be made as a removeable option... like a shower cap? :) Hmmmmm..... I'm going to work on that. :) I like this idea but I'd like to be able to wash it & even change it down the line when it starts to look a bit... manky. :) I have children and pets. :)
That's so perfectly froufrou and wonderful! I wish I had room in my bathroom for one of these.
Wow, that bathroom is gorgeous. If the rest of the house/apartment is that nice, can we have a house tour?
Wow, love it. I'd like to do this on an accent stool in my living room!
PS -- I think part of why this works so well is the contrast between the prim queen-ann feet and the wild flokati. I don't think it would be nearly as cool on a parsons bench, for example
@elecat, I don't see why not. Could you just use 4 heavy-duty snap buttons, inside of each of the four corners? Or 8, now that I think about it--especially with children and pets, you would want heavy duty...
Ha ! Totally fabulous. I did that same look with a similar bench but with a sale $15 rug from Bed,Bath&Beyond. See it in this room:
http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2010/04/grown-up-girls-room/
You could always use a fun fake fur (maybe yard goods, maybe a pre-made throw) instead of a real flokati, to make something more cleanable. Velcro could attach it (sewn to the fabric, stapled to the bench). Or, for those who are really concerned, how about a lush high quality terry cloth?
I have seen similar mirrors at Home Goods, cammmit.
hey all, glad you like it! the mirrors are from pottery barn, still available. you guys are right -- it's not particularly practical (we have four kids and two dogs) but this is the master bath (we remodeled it, along with other areas in this 40 year old house) and we use a stool in here primarily to put clean clothes on (there's very little storage as it's an old house -- and this bathroom is quite small). if you want to see more, there is an AT house tour at http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/house-tours/the-bruns-breathtaking-bucolic-colonialhouse-tour-119471#comments. thanks abby, thanks all! lynn-anne
I did something similar to cover my scratched up piano bench. I was at Walmart and found a cheap-o ($18) white furry rug, folded it in half and just put it on top of the piano bench. It fit perfectly!
I have a lot of white in the space my brown-stained piano is located in, so putting the white fluffy rug on the bench helped to tie it in to the space better, soften the hard lines of the bench, and cover the ugly scratches.
I didn't use a staple gun to make it permanent though since the bench needs to open up.
@elecat and @krl2876:
It's entirely possible, and looks slick - they make chair covers that do that, and my mom has them on her basement chairs. Works great.