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Flower power: Make your own colourful DIY stool

15 May 2025

You might have some old furniture laying around at home or have seen a dated gem at your recent visit to the local op shop, so why not give this piece a new life with some Resene paint and wood stain. This flowery stool can be used as a console table in your entryway, aside table or just as a decorative piece around the home! 

You will need: 

  • 2x Untreated pine boards, 90cm long x 23cm wide x 18mm thick 

  • 1x Untreated pine board, 90cm long x 18cm wide x 18mm thick 

  • Saw 

  • Table saw 

  • Sandpaper 

  • Resene Colorwood Walnut wood stain 

  • Electric drill and screws 

  • Wood glue 

  • Paintbrush 

  • Painter’s tape 

  • Resene Aquaclear satin 

Step 1: Start by cutting all your wood to size. From the two 23cm wide pine boards, cut two legs that are 42cm long. Cut the stool top to your chosen length – Fleur’s is 60cm long. To cut the three horizontal braces, use a table saw to cutthe 18cm wide board into three lengths, two of which are 5cm wide and the remaining piece will be about 7cm wide. Cut these to length. Fleur inset her stool legs 3cm in from each end of the top, so the three braces are about 51cm long. Sand the rough edges smooth and then stain with one coat of Resene Colorwood Walnut wood stain, or do two coats if you want a darker finish.  

Step 2: Assemble the stool using wood glue and screws. 

Step 3: Paint your stool in your chosen paint colours and pattern. Fleur did a flower pattern on the top and outer sides of the legs using Resene Butterfly, Resene Xanadu, Resene Tussock, Resene Bush, Resene Vesuvius, Resene Awaken, Resene Yuma and Resene Black. Fleur also painted stripes using painters tape on the inside of the legs. If easier, you can unscrew the middle bottom support for this. Apply the tape then paint on an ombre colour scheme, mixing the colours together where they meet, while the paint is still wet. Fleur used Resene Tussock, Resene Butterfly and Resene Xanadu for the stripes. Finish by painting on two coats of Resene Aquaclear in a satin finish.  

Top tip: If your furniture is already varnished and in good condition and you don’t want to strip off the varnish, use Resene Aquaclear mixed with Resene Colour Enhance to rejuvenate the timber colour. Then apply your painted design.  

Wall painted in Resene Carrara and trims in Resene Half Rice Cake. 

project and images Fleur Thorpe 

Published: 15 May 2025