Piano Bench Makeover

This piano bench makeover is done, and I love it so much! This was such an easy little DIY project.

Before:

This vintage piano I found on FB Marketplace was in really great condition, but the bench wasn’t in the best shape. The corners of the seat were really worn. But also the dark bench against the dark piano just felt a little too heavy.

After:

The lighter color really allows the curves of the legs to shine, and I can’t love the cowhide seat more!

This makeover process was really simple, but it did take a few steps.

The DIY Details:

1. I started by spraying the legs with Citristrip to remove the dark stain.

*Little tip for speeding up the stripping process – use Citristrip in combination with plastic wrap. Just spray and wrap. Let sit for at least 24 hours. Then unwrap and sand. The dark stain will come off so easily!

2. Then I used a power sander to bring the base back to a raw wood state.

3. I was going for an aged, weathered look. So I layered these three different stains, flagstone – sunbleached – golden pecan. I brushed on one coat of each stain, allowing for each coat to dry completely then lightly sanding with a fine-grit sandpaper before applying the next stain.

4. I upholstered the seat with a small cowhide I scored at a local antique mall using my trusty staple gun.

5. Then, to finish the base, I applied one coat of Polycrylic in a clear matte finish.

And voila! My first furniture stripping project was done!

I just love this bench so much now!