Recycle old rugs into charming footstools

We all need a place to put up our feet up and relax. Footstools allow us to do that, while adding a homey feeling and a vintage charm.

I picked up my footstool at a flea market; they can also be found at secondhand stores and shops that sell unpainted furniture. It may be surprising to know that I covered the top of my footstool with an old rug that was ruined, except for some small areas. Instead of throwing the rug out, I saved those sections and tossed the rest. Happily, I still have some pieces left over for future projects.

Here's how I did it:

Gather:

Wooden footstool

Fabric adhesive

Heavy-duty craft scissors

Newspaper or tracing paper

Piece of old rug

Permanent marker

Coordinating buttons

Matching tassel trim

Create:

1. Place stool upside down on newspaper and trace the shape of the stool. Make allowances for the width of the top, and add a half-inch for adhering underneath. Cut out the template.

2. Use the template as a guide to pick a pretty area of the rug. Trace the template onto the bottom of selected area and cut out the rug section.

3. Apply fabric adhesive to the top of the stool. Place the rug over the adhesive.

4. Cut half-inch slits approximately every 2 inches into the area of the rug that hangs over the stool. Adhere rug to the sides of the stool, then turn the stool over and glue the slitted pieces to the underside of the stool.

5. Glue the trim around the edge of the rug, then glue the buttons on, spacing them evenly around the stool.

Old bits of rug, needlepoint pillows or other heavy fabrics are excellent covers for footstools. You'll want something sturdy that can take a lot of wear and tear. If you like, before you cover your wooden footstool with the rug, paint the legs a color to complement the rug.

You can ask Dena Fishbein design questions by visiting her blog at denadesigns.com.