The bench

We acquired a bench some time ago. It was cute in the beginning, good for extra outdoor seating, etc. However,  after 2 moves and some serious rain in Kentucky for 4 years, it was looking pretty rough. The concrete top was ruined (and we threw it away before moving), so we were left with this rusty metal frame. Our bedroom in this home isn't as big as our old one, so the ottoman we used to have at the foot of our bed was too big to use in this room. We don't really have any seating either and we wanted a place to be able to sit, put on shoes, etc. So...the project began!

First step was to scrape off the flaking paint (which doesn't sound too fun, but with the ocean breeze and sunshine, work was pretty pleasant)

Waited until Grant got home for the painting phase. He's a master of spray paint and did a great job! We used a hammered metal look paint.

  Next, we attaching the foam to the plywood and then wrap and staple. My first upholstering experience! Luckily Grant's parents came for the weekend and gave us a quick tutorial and gave some much needed help.

 Corners were definitely the hardest part, but with a little bit of teamwork, we succeeded.

 The leather we used to cover the top. I love the grey/tan color and the pattern. Leather was a bit of a challenge to work with, but we owned it by the end!

 The finished product!

And now we have this awesome stool where we can sit and put on our shoes while looking at this...