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How To Paint A Piano Bench And Recover The Fabric Seat

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Today we’re continuing with the master bedroom makeover saga. The bedroom is slowly coming together.

I found a piano bench to use as the clothes catchall. Everyone has a clothes catchall in the bedroom. I painted the piano bench and recovered the seat and it looks awesome.

piano bench paint makeover and new fabric for the seat

The fabric is from the thrift store skirt I used to recover the seat on the boho chic dresser stool. The print is so pretty.

piano bench or stool needing a makeover

This is how the piano bench looked before the makeover. Not too stylish but it’s what I was looking for to replace the trunk that usually sits in front of the bedroom window. I would guess the mustard yellow seat is from the 50’s or 60’s.

bedroom trunk

This isn’t the trunk we had in the space just before the bedroom makeover but it’s one of many in a long line of trunks that have inhabited the space. Trunks make great clothes catchalls and are great for storing everything from clothes to home decor.

piano bench makeover or piano stool paint makeover and seat recover

I chose the piano bench for the space because it’s small and the legs (instead of a solid wall of wood such as the trunk) make the space more open and thus look larger. Our bedroom is on the small side and in choosing new furniture and decor I’m using various techniques to make the room look larger.

That’s one reason I went with a new headboard only instead of a headboard and foot board. Just a few inches can make a difference and when we walk into the bedroom our eyes land on the window across the room instead of stopping at the foot board. 

piano bench with storage area

Anyway, let’s continue with the piano bench makeover process. As you can see the piano bench or piano stool, whichever term you prefer, has a storage space.

how to remove the padded seat from a piano bench

Before painting the bench I removed the padded seat and the little thingie that holds the lid up and keeps it from flopping backwards.

how to tighten legs on furniture

The bench was a bit wobbly and all I did was tighten the leg screws and no more wobble.

custom mix paint color

The paint color is the same special mix I used for the nightstands. I promise to share the formula soon. I have a cedar chest to paint and it’s going to be the same off-white color. The cedar chest will be going to the shop to sell.

one coat of paint on furniture

This is how the piano bench looked after one coat of paint. I brushed on two coats and then started distressing the paint.

how to distress paint by hand

It’s more time consuming and difficult to distress paint by hand but you have more control this way.

how to distress paint with a power sander

For the piano bench I gave up on doing the job by hand and pulled out my handy dandy battery powered Ryobi sander.

clean old fabric seats with bleach

Okay, all done with the painting and time to recover the piano bench seat. The seat smelled a bit musty so I cleaned it with a mix of bleach and water. The red arrows you see on the fabric are pointing to the screw holes where the seat attaches to the bench.

Sometimes the screw holes get covered up with the new fabric and I have to hunt for them. Also this way I can tell which is the front and back of the bench which will help with me when I am placing the fabric so the design is just right. 

fabric and polyfill to recover a piano bench seat

You might have noticed the vinyl covered seat has a welt cording around the top sides and bottom edges. I planned to cover the seat as is and in order to cover the cord so there isn’t a big lump under the new fabric I found a roll of polyfill sheeting in my stash of stuff.

cover a fabric seat with extra poly padding

I  wrapped the poly sheeting tight around the seat and stapled it along the edges.

centering the fabric design before recovering a fabric bench seat

Next I turned the seat face up and placed the fabric just so-so and flipped the seat over to start stapling the fabric to the bottom of the seat.

how to recover a fabric bench or stool seat

I have a complete tutorial on recovering a chair, cedar chest, or an anything seat here. Recovering a padded seat is ridiculously easy.

how to refresh a padded seat with new fabric

The extra padding around the original seat made the piano bench so cushy. The seat was a bit squashed. I bet it saw a lot of use over the years. 

how to mix custom paint colors to paint bedroom furniture (2)

How pretty is that old piano bench now. You wouldn’t guess it was the same one would you?

How To Paint A Piano Bench And Recover The Fabric Seat 1

Love that distressed white paint. The fabric might not be perfect against the graphic design in the curtains but it works for me.

piano bench makeover

I still have one more perfect furniture piece to find before the bedroom is complete. I’ll take pictures of the whole room when it’s done….hopefully it will get done soon.

That’s all for me guys. How do you like the bench? If you have time please leave a note. As always thanks for spending time with me, Kathy

Kathy Owen founder of Petticoat Junktion

Author: Kathy Owen
Kathy Owen is the founder of the home decor blog Petticoat Junktion where she shares tutorials on painting furniture and upcycling thrifty finds into unique home décor. Her DIY projects have been featured on the Home Depot Blog, Plaid Crafts, Behr Designer Series, and in numerous magazines.

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21 Comments

  1. Lola Fields says:

    I love this bench. The fabric is great!

  2. Marie-Interior Frugalista says:

    Oooh nice fabric, love the colors and the pattern. I’m admiring your curtains in the background too. I ordered similar ones in dark grey for our living room last week. Can’t wait to see the room reveal! Pinned

  3. Yes, I’ve used curtain panels, shirts, anything pretty!

  4. ROSE LEFEBVRE says:

    I never would have thought of using clothing pieces as a recover fabric! I have seen such lovely fabrics in skirts! Cute piece!

  5. No, I’ve never painted an enamel table top. Maybe try an exterior spray paint?

  6. Lovely. I just did a vanity chair. I have a question. Have yo ever painted a enamel top table? Just wondering what type of paint to use. Thanks

  7. I like the bench fabric with the curtain. Great Job!!

  8. Ellen Lehrter says:

    I love the fabric…. and you’re very neat when upholstering. An old picnic basket would look great beneath it.

  9. Barbara Summins says:

    Marvelous! I have saved several outdated cotton printed skirts, etc., for just a thing. I wish I could send them to you as I cannot any more do such things as u do. God bless.

  10. Glynace Kloock says:

    Perfect look! Before I even got to your tutorial, I really loved the 2 fabrics together! Great pick and great savings!

  11. Stephanie C says:

    Great job! The fabric is perfect. I have the exact same piano bench. It may be time for a makeover.

  12. Thanks Chris. I purposely covered the seat so the brown would be near the curtains instead of the turquoise. Seemed to flow better.

  13. Thank you Nancy. The drapes came from Walmart. A very thrifty purchase.

  14. Thank you! It’s the second project I used the thrift store skirt fabric to recover a seat. So worth the price.

  15. I love your fabric choice! The project looks amazing! Thanks for sharing!

  16. The piano bench looks great. I love your drapes in that room too.
    I’m making a piano bench cushion this week too.?

  17. It looks really lovely and I agree that your choice of fabric is good the brown in the stool goes well with the curtains and the blue a good accent colour

  18. Anne Sands says:

    Looks amazing. A fabric correctly chosen can really make or break a finished piece. Well done and Enjoy.
    Anne Sands