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The Frugal Homemaker

Your guide to turning your house into a home... one DIY project and yard sale find at a time

DIY plant stand from upcycled thrifted bar stool

February 15, 2020

I am so excited to be participating in the At Home DIY challenges this year where each month we are challenged to complete a project with a particular theme.  This month’s them was to upcycle something either from around your home or something you got at the thrift store.  You know I love a good thrift store makeover so here’s what I created!

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I LOVE having plants in my home year-round – they add life and greenery and the extra benefit is they are healthy too for the oxygen in your home.  I had wanted to add some different types of plants but needed to have something to elevate the smaller ones a little bit to help them fill the space.  I love little stools and knew that I could take a basic bar stool that you see often at thrift stores and turn it into a plant stand!

I picked up this wood bar stool for $5.99 at Goodwill.  I see them often at thrift stores or yard sales and you even may have an old one hanging around your house that you could upcycle. 

DIY plant stand from upcycled bar stool-10

It was a 48-inch stool and I basically cut it in half making 2 sections that were 24 inches tall.  In hindsight, I wish I had varied the heights and made the top portion more like 30 inches tall and the bottom part 18 inches tall.  I ended up having to trim a few more inches off the bottom portion to make it shorter than the top portion to make them be varying heights.   I just made a mark and used my handheld circular saw to cut the legs but you could use a jigsaw, table saw, or even a handsaw.  

DIY plant stand from upcycled bar stool-11

If you are wanting to use both portions of the stool, you’ll now need to create a new top of the bottom portion. You could cut a circle out of a sheet of plywood or MDF if you are going to paint your stool, but I decided to do a simple planked square top instead. 

DIY plant stand from upcycled bar stool-12

I just attached all the planked parts together in the back by using another scrap piece of wood and screws and nails.  I should have predrilled my holes for my screws which is why the wood cracked but I was just in getting this project done fast mode.  So definitely pre-drill your holes for your screws first or even use a Kreg Jig to join them.  I was just going for super fast and easy and don’t plan on this supporting lots of weight. 

DIY plant stand from upcycled bar stool-13

I sanded the old finish off and then applied a coat of Varathane Classic Penetrating Stain in Special Walnut. 

DIY plant stand from upcycled bar stool-14

Once the stain was dry, I decided to do one more thing to make them look a bit more aged.  I mixed 1/2 water and 1/2 Rustoleum Chalked Linen White paint and just wiped it on and then off with a rag.  I rubbed against the grain intentionally trying to get it to go down into all the cracks and grooves in the wood.    I love how it turned out!

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And here’s how I am using them! 

DIY plant stand from upcycled bar stool-3

I have this corner in my dining room that I really wanted to add a plant and these stools were perfect to add a little height to the plants.  I recently bought my first Snake plant and I am loving it!  Hoping to find some fun baskets for them this spring at yard sales or thrift stores, but for now these galvanized containers I used for mums back in the fall are working fine. 

DIY plant stand from upcycled bar stool-2

I may have to find another bar stool to make a 3rd one for this little corner.  Smile  These little stools would be cute to use as a stool in the bathroom for your kids or next to a bathtub for extra towels, etc. 

DIY plant stand from upcycled bar stool-4

DIY plant stand from upcycled bar stool-6

Do you like having houseplants?  This Golden Pothos and the Sansevieria (snake plant) are very forgiving and easy to care for plants.  Both of them would be great plants for a beginner.

DIY plant stand from upcycled bar stool-5

Where would you use a short stool like this?   Upcycled anything from the thrift store lately?  I’d love to hear about it!

Make sure to check out all other upcycled projects done this month at the link below!

See More Upcycle It Projects
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11 Comments LABELS ~ DIY projects

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Comments

  1. Lia White says

    February 16, 2020 at 2:48 AM

    I love them both! Great upcycle project!

    Reply
  2. Stephanie says

    February 16, 2020 at 9:11 AM

    This is such a great idea!! And what an amazing idea to cut enough of the first stool to make a 2nd! I love this idea! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Christine Cook says

    February 16, 2020 at 4:25 PM

    Oh my! What a great upcycle!! Now I will be on the hunt for a bar stool!!! Thanks!!

    Reply
  4. Vicki Clem says

    February 17, 2020 at 10:52 AM

    Those are super cute! Such a clever idea to cut the tall bar stool in half and add a new top, and I like the mix of the round top and the square one. I agree a third taller one would look great! I have a couple of old similar stools with padded tops, I may have to remove the cushions and concert them to plant stands?. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  5. Jenny says

    February 19, 2020 at 8:11 PM

    These are so cute. I think my kids would try to steal them from the plants. lol! What a great idea to use the bottom part of the stool you cut off to make another stool.

    Reply
  6. Marty Walden says

    February 19, 2020 at 8:59 PM

    I loved watching your stories on this project. You are such an amazing DIYer!! Thanks for letting me share in the fun with the roundup!

    Reply
  7. Sally says

    February 21, 2020 at 12:11 PM

    They look so so so good!! What a terrific idea!! Thanks!

    Reply
  8. Wendy says

    February 21, 2020 at 3:10 PM

    What a great idea!!!! You are so creative and clever with your DIY!!!

    Reply
  9. Rebecca Celhar says

    February 26, 2020 at 1:39 PM

    These came out so well! They look totally vintage!

    Reply
  10. Meegan says

    February 27, 2020 at 1:39 PM

    I never would have thought of this creative idea! So smart. I love it.

    Reply
  11. Lone Muchow says

    March 3, 2020 at 7:23 AM

    how did you attach the new top to the bottom of the second stool

    Reply

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Hi!  My name is Christina . . .

I love doing simple, frugal things to make our house feel like HOME! Come learn along with me how to have a beautiful home on a budget.

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