Small Footstool Makeover with a T-Shirt

I needed a small footstool for my camper, and this thrift store find was just the right size. With a little paint, new batting, and a Happy Camper T-shirt, I gave it a fresh look for the camper.

This little footstool makeover is also my project for this month’s Thrift Store Décor Makeover!

This small footstool makeover perfectly fits the bill for me and for this month’s Thrift Store Décor Makeover!

Why this makeover works: A small footstool is a manageable upholstery project, and an old T-shirt gives it a personal touch. The drop cloth underneath provides a layer beneath the soft, thin T-shirt fabric.

I can’t even remember where I picked up this small footstool. The upholstered top was very dated, and I knew I would probably paint it. But it wasn’t until last week that I knew  I would keep this little gem for the camper. I got it out of the woodshed and tested it in the trailer, knowing it would work perfectly. On a recent trip to Nashville, I realized I needed something to put my feet on while working on the laptop. Many stools and ottomans are too tall for feet—but great for lounging with your legs up. But that isn’t what I needed. I needed a small footstool like this, just to bring my knees up a little. Does that make sense?

It was cheap enough!

Because it’s been so hot here, I’ve resorted to working in the basement shop.

Visit the My Repurposed Life Amazon Store to shop my favorite items.

Remove The Top From The Footstool

I used a screwdriver to remove the screws holding the upholstered top to the small stool.

Detach The Old Upholstery

The upholstery on this stool was attached with short upholstery tacks. I used a small pry bar and a hammer to pry the tacks out of the wood, working my way around the entire stool.

Inspect The Old Batting

The “batting” in this project was a ratty, worn, old (and stained) quilt. I often try to reuse materials, but I wouldn’t repurpose this nasty old batting for the new footstool.

Determine If The Original Top Can Be Reused

Although the old top had been repaired, I found it suitable to reuse for the newly improved step stool.

Sand Shiny Varnish On The Footstool

This small footstool had a very shiny finish. I used a 180-grit sanding sponge to remove the shine to help the paint adhere better. I also used the sanding sponge to help remove the sticky residue from the price label and Scotch tape.

Pry Off Metal Glides

My preferred leg glide is a felt round. To protect my camper flooring, I chose to pry off the original metal leg glides. This is a personal preference. If you’re okay with the metal glides on your footstool, you can skip this step.

Paint The Small Footstool

Remember when I said it was too hot to work outside? This painting job was a huge chore. I probably did four coats of paint on most of this stool. Generally, I love using cheap chip brushes, but I chose a lousy brush that didn’t cover well. After the first two coats, I switched to a better paintbrush. If the weather had been nicer, I would have preferred using my Homeright Super Finish Max Extra for this small footstool project.

Prepare Upholstery Drop Cloth Fabric

Drop cloth fabric is very durable and perfect for upholstering footstools. It does come out of the dryer very wrinkled. You might be tempted to skip this step, but drag out that iron and ironing board and press the drop cloth fabric to smooth it out.

Add Batting For The New Upholstery

I used several layers of cotton batting, trimmed to fit the top of the stool. The batting was already folded to about the right size, with just a little hanging over the edge of the board.

Trim Drop Cloth Fabric to Fit

Trim the drop cloth fabric to fit, leaving a couple of inches around the edges. The staple gun makes upholstery go faster than using tacks.

Staple Drop Cloth in Place

I set a few staples around the edges, then work my way around, adding more as needed. I do the corners last—stapling the fabric in place—then trim away the extra fabric on the other side of the staples.

The end result of all the tugging and stapling.

Dry Fit The Top Of The Footstool On The Base

Oops! How did I not notice that the original top didn’t fit the edges? I actually had to check my before pictures to confirm it! Luckily, this was just a dry fit, so I could get the paint back out and fix it.

Try Out The Ottoman In Your Space

So…. I took it out to the camper to see what I thought. It really is the perfect size. BUT! I think it needs a little something!

Honestly, I always intended to use this t-shirt. But I wasn’t sure it was going to work. My friend Leann and her husband Frankie gave this to me, but oh my-it’s way too small! Because the T-shirt fabric is thin and very soft, I knew I would have to put a piece of cloth on first. So, in the worst case, I would end up with the drop cloth fabric.

Test Fit T-shirt Cover

To test fit the t-shirt on the ottoman top, I used painter’s tape to secure it while I did the test fit. After placing the t-shirt on top of the ottoman/stool, I decided it would look better glazed. I tried to NOT glaze this project because of the off-white paint in the camper’s interior.

Add Smoked Glaze to White Painted Stool

It’s just such a great complement to the white-ish paint! I love this smoked glaze. It’s different with every paint I use. This paint was somewhat glossy, so the glaze tried to lay on top of it. That gave the glaze a lighter touch/look on the ottoman.

See more great glazing ideas in my post How To Glaze Repurposed Furniture

While the glaze was still a little wet, I used the chip brush to stipple it and remove brush strokes. That’s helpful where wood joints meet.

Attach Happy Camper T-shirt Ottoman Upholstery

Apparently, I was so busy putting the Happy Camper T-shirt onto the upholstered footstool that I forgot to take pictures. I started at the collar, stapled a few times, then cut away the extra fabric. Saving the corners for last, especially where the sleeves were—I stapled and cut away the excess fabric.

Attach The Ottoman Base to the Upholstered Top

I reattached the small footstool base to the top with the original screws, lining them up with the original holes.

The felt furniture pads come in many sizes; I chose the smallest circular pads for this small stool’s legs.

How do you feel about the top not fitting the stool’s corners? Is this normal? Would you have noticed it if I hadn’t pointed it out?

This little footstool turned out to be just what I needed for the camper. I love that I could use the Happy Camper T-shirt, even though it was too small for me to wear. And Lulu Mae seems to approve of the makeover, too!

Camping alone can be challenging because I don’t have a tall significant other to reach high cabinets. So not only does Lulu use this stool, but I use it daily too. See more camper-related projects here.

Have you ever used a favorite T-shirt for a project? I’d love to hear what you made!

See other footstool makeovers here.

Updated to add:

This is how it looks in the camper after I did a few updates, including Painting The Cabinets.

I would love for you to pin this project. Sharing is caring!

Before you run off, please check out the great Thrift Store Projects from my very talented friends! Click the links below.

Thrift Store Basket Refresh – Refresh Restyle

Copper and Burgundy Mercury Glass – Domestically Speaking

DIY Wall Art from Repurposed Architectural Salvage – Sadie Seasongoods

Small Footstool Makeover for Camper – My Repurposed Life

Repurposed Vintage Snack Set – House of Hawthornes

Embroidery Hoop Wreath – Our Southern Home

Rooster Lamp Makeover – Petticoat Junktion

DIY Magnolia Wreath – My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Which easy thrift store project is your favorite?

gail