Quick Footstools You Can Make Yourself
Cut 7 pieces of quarter-inch foam and wrap them around each can. Glue into place then wrap cloth around each can and glue. Use spray adhesive on one side of the foam to attach it to the side of the cans that have the lid still attached. Now use hot glue to put the cloth shape over the foam and secure it. Use the spray adhesive, once again, to glue the bottom rubber matting to the side of the cans without lids. This makes a cute footstool that stays in place. Make a mini version of this for kids by using seven vegetable cans. The designs can hold some body weight but not extreme weight.
Using two squares of wood and four wooden dowels you can build a footstool complete with magazine rack. Stain or paint the bottom piece of wood and nail, screw or glue the four dowels into the four corners. Paint the dowels if desired. Now use nails, screws or glue to affix the top board to the four dowels. Cut a piece of quarter-inch foam and glue it to the top wooden piece. Use hot glue or a staple gun to cover the foam with fabric or vinyl. Use the bottom portion to hold books and magazines. A similar design can be done using circular pieces of wood. Just be sure to space the four dowels evenly around the circle. This design is not suitable for sitting.
If your home is done in Early American a log might make a nice footstool. The log piece should be short and large in diameter. Use as is or make a cover for the top by gluing on a piece of foam then vinyl or cloth. The log will hold foot or body weight.
Old hat boxes can be turned into beautiful footstools with little effort. Stack and glue the boxes, with lids, together until you have the desired height. The lids should be facing downward with the box bottom facing upward to make it more sturdy. The boxes should be exactly the same size around but some can be more shallow than others. Cut a circular piece of 4″ wide foam and use spray adhesive to attach it to the top hat box. Cut a piece of fabric into a large square and hang it over the creation. Position the cloth where you can no longer see the hat boxes. This design will hold foot weight only.
A large pot, used for potted plants of small tree size, makes for a perfect footstool. Turn it upside-down and wrap the outside with quarter-inch foam. Cut a circular piece of foam, 3″ thick, to use for the top of the footstool. Cover the sides with fabric and glue into place. Be sure to wrap the material completely under the lip of the pot, then glue it to the inside – out of sight. Glue it to the top edge of the footstool before placing the large round foam piece on top. Glue the foam piece on then cover in fabric, using hot glue to hold it quickly. Use decorative rope to outline the circle perimeter and cover the raw edges. This design should hold body weight as well as foot weight.
An empty popcorn tin is one more way to make a quick footstool. Make sure the lid is attached and wrap the can with quarter-inch foam. Cut a 3″ thick piece of foam, in a circular pattern to use for the top. Wrap the sides of the popcorn tin in fabric and glue to the top and bottom of the can. Next, use spray adhesive to attach the circular piece on the top. Use hot glue to attach fabric quickly to the top, over the foam. Use decorative rope to hide the raw edges. This design will hold foot weight but not body weight.
You’d be surprised at how many things can be turned into a quick footstool, and with little effort, you can make yours very unique. Consider wooden crates, thick cardboard boxes, or cut the legs from an end table to make a footstool. Whatever design you choose – make it, then kick back and relax.
