Turn An IKEA Stool Into The Vintage Piece Of Your Dreams With A Simple DIY

From country kitchens to cottage core living rooms, there's something cozy and comforting about the rustic decor vibe. While you can pick up pieces from thrift stores and estate sales, you can also modify items you own to fit the aesthetic. A stool upcycle is a great example of a simple but impactful farmhouse flip. The IKEA MORTFORS is a cushy mid-priced pouffe, marketed for use as a footrest or side table, and it's a perfect choice for a makeover.

The thick seat and solid beech legs make this pouffe a great candidate for a new color and a little creative tweaking. By wrapping the wood pegs in rope and brushing the seat with a mix of brown paint and fabric softener, you've got a DIY that makes a basic wooden stool look like an antique treasure. You could also do a little switcheroo and put the twine on top and the paint on bottom to change things up. However you modify this IKEA classic, you've got yourself a solid foundation for some vintage country furniture.

To get started on this new-to-vintage flip, you'll need a few supplies, starting with an IKEA MORTFORS stool. Next, pick up a can of beige paint and a tube of dark brown craft paint like FolkArt Multi-Surface, fabric softener, a spray bottle, and 15 feet of rope such as Clever Delights' jute twine. You'll also require a hot glue gun and a screwdriver for this project. With materials gathered, it's time to get to work on your antique furniture DIY.

Use the screwdriver to remove the seat from the legs of the pouffe and set the cushion on some paper or a drop cloth to keep your workspace clean. Mix one part fabric softener and one part water in the spray bottle and use it to dampen the material. You'll also want to add one part softener to one part paint in two containers, drizzling the darker color into one for depth (some brands might require a little experimentation to find the right ratio). Apply to the fabric with a brush, switching between shades to obtain the weathered leather look. Wrap twine tightly around the legs, using the hot glue to secure it in place. Once the top is dry, screw the posts back on and now you know how you can transform a basic IKEA stool into an adorable statement piece. This hack is completely customizable, with plenty of ways to personalize it to your taste and space.

Making this creation your own is half the fun of a DIY. Recovering the seat makes a big impact, and a furry material makes a fun touch for a log cabin or hunting lodge aesthetic. You could also leave the pouffe intact and enhance the rustic wood vibe with faux rivets. Simply glue an accessory like PONGJA's 1-inch half wooden balls around the sides. Alternatively, you can wrap the seat with rope instead of the legs to flip the original design. Of course, if paint is where your creativity is heading, there are plenty of options for that, too.

A distressed finish is a classic way to maximize the farmhouse potential of any furniture. As the legs are already dark, a coat of white paint left to dry and then sanded is a quick way to antique them. You could also use fabric paint around the rim of the padded top for a touch of country florals. This IKEA flip is a great start to a wide range of furniture ideas for a rustic-inspired home. Buy several MORTFORS chairs and use a different country-chic revamp in each room of the house for a dreamy vintage look you won't find in a store.