Flotaki Rug Turned Ikea Hack

1 Flotaki rug + big black dog that loves it as a bed + NC orange soil = not good

2 cheap Ikea stools + sitting for more than 5 minutes  = not good

But . . .

1 Flotaki + 2 Ikea stools =

 

The MARIUS stools were an inexpensive ($5.99 each) temporary solution last year to seating for the computer desk.  In addition to not being very comfortable, the stools were the cause of much late night cursing as toes were stubbed on the black legs as they sat on a dark rug in an unlit room.

The rug was purchased at Italian home store Ovvio.  It lived in the guest room of our previous home but didn't have a place here.  Plus, I never really took to it.  Which is why it lived in the guest room.   I like the idea of a big thick plush natural wool rug you can lounge on.  The reality of a difficult to clean floor covering in which small items get forever lost wasn't fun.  And any attempt to lounge leaves you in dire need of a lint roller.   

I had materials left over from other projects so I grabbed some scissors went to work.

Here's is how it went down:

Cut circle of rug with a diameter 6 inches larger than seat.  The carpet wasn't very dirty but since the pieces were now a manageable size, I decided to wash them (by hand, like a wool sweater) and start with nice clean material.

Gather pieces of foam and cut to fit.

Line up the pieces and mark them so you can go outside with toxic spray adhesive and glue it all together.

Wrap foam with a layer of adhesive-sprayed batting to help it hold the right shape.

Sort through needles until you find one with a large enough eye to be able to pull a piece of ribbon.

Weave ribbon around perimeter of Flotaki circle about 1 inch from edge.  Leave about 12 inches of extra ribbon at start and finish.

Remove seat base and place on top of cushion.  Pull the ends of the ribbon up snug around the seat and tie.  Have your daughter congratulate you for making a hoodie for the stool.  Tuck the ends of the ribbon under.  The covering can be easily removed to wash or change out for something different.

 Reattach legs.

Decide that it needs "a little something" and search the stash of leftover canned and spray paint for inspiration.  Didn't find what I was looking for so I settled on using an oil based gold Sharpie...

to do this:

Debate whether you prefer them brushed-and-fluffy or more natural-and-course  Remain undecided.

Now that we have "real" chairs for the computer desk these stools don't really have a home but they still get lots of use.  We move them around where ever they are needed and they no longer get kicked in the dark.