Repurpose a Bar Stool Into a Unique Table
Repurposing furniture is one way to make clever and wonderful little changes to our home’s decor to update our lives using things that we already own.
By transforming or combining a few pieces of furniture together to come up with an ideal piece designed exactly for your unique needs and style while staying on budget can be very rewarding.
I just finished my latest piece of living room furniture by repurposing two unrelated items – an old bar stool and a tray. No paint needed for this easy counter or bar stool to accent table upcycle needed.
Old bar stools or stools in general typically follow three fates. They get trashed when no longer needed. They get sold at a garage sale or donated to a thrift store. Sometimes they become treasured heirlooms that get handed down to family members.
The latter is where I got this decorative metal stool from my husband’s grandparents.
The vintage metal stool used to sit next to the sideboard/cabinet in the kitchen in my previous house. When we moved to the lake house, I had no place to put use the stool, but it was unique, so I kept it.
When I rearranged my living room a few months ago, I got an an idea on how I could use the stool once again.
With the new furniture layout, I needed to create a slim space saving accent table to place between the two comfy chairs in my living room.
Since placing the stool between the chairs and using it daily, I love the fact it fits so nicely and is neutral in color, but the top was just not functioning as I wanted it to be slightly larger to hold a bit more.
So I have been searching for something to attach to the top. At first I wanted to use a round wood top that you can buy at the home improvement store. I used one of these for the big wicker basket side table I made that has hidden storage, but the smallest one was too big for the narrow space between the chairs.
While browsing through HomeGoods to see if I could find something, I did. I came across this small woven round tray with handles.
It was the perfect size and color that coordinates with my two tier white and woven side table I added a few weeks ago to the room.
The repurposed bar stool transformation can be done on any stool. Since my stool had a round top, I chose to go with a round tray. If you have a square or rectangular stool, look for a tray in the same shape.
That is the fun of repurposed furniture makeovers… you get to be the designer and create something useful to fit your style.
The item combination possibilities are endless by what items you choose to combine. Adding a new coat of paint or fabric can take it up a few notches that will give a new use to anything you own into something new, pretty and functional for your home.
Keep reading to see how I securely attached the tray to the stool.
How to Repurpose a Bar Stool Into a Unique Accent Table
Making this accent table from a stool and a tray is very easy. I used Velcro and hot glue to secure the tray to the stool top. As an option, if you don’t mind drilling a hole in the top of a stool, you can use a screw and wing nut to secure the tray.
supplies needed:
- Bar stool or any type of stool
- Round tray – I bought mine at HomeGoods.
- Strips of Velcro
- Hot glue and gluegun
- Ruler
- Marker
- Optional: Scissors and Straight pin
Time needed: 15 minutes
How to Attach a Tray to a Stool to Make a Unique Table
- Find a Round Tray
Use an existing or purchase a new round tray in a size that will be in proportion with the stool and that also fits your decorating style.
My woven tray had handles that I didn’t want for the table, so I used sharp scissors to remove them. It is very easy following the steps in this removing a basket handle post.
- Cut and Attach Velcro
Connect the hook and the loop pieces of Velcro together.
Use a ruler or measuring tape to mark the center of the stool.
Cut the Velcro to fit the top of the stool as shown below. I used 3 cut lengths.
- Attach Velcro
With Velcro hook and loop sides still connected to each other, use hot glue to attach bottom strips of Velcro as shown to the top of the stool.
Press down with your hands and then smooth to make sure the Velcro is securely attached to the top of the stool.
To help align my tray that has a hole in the center, I placed a straight pin at the mark I made in the center of the stool. The pin will act as a guide to help me center the tray on the stool. - Attach Tray to Stool Top
Place a line of hot glue on the top pieces of Velcro.
Immediately, center and place the tray over the top, lining up the pin and press down hard to make sure the hot glue is connecting with the bottom on the tray.
Let hot glue cool.
- All Done
Once the hot glue is cool, the table is ready to use.
If you ever want to remove the tray to use the stool as a place to sit again, simply pull up on one side of the basket tray to zip it off.
See how easy the accent table made by repurposing a bar stool was to create? It could even be used as a nightstand alternative.
I hope it inspires you the next time you need a piece of furniture to function in a certain way that you shop your home first to find a few items to combine to create just what you need.
More Furniture Repurposing Ideas:
- Repurposed Mirror Coffee Table
- Repurposed Furniture: Acrylic Side Table
- Trash to Treasure Furniture Makeover
