These “Serena and Lily Dip Dyed Stools” are so simple and pretty, but a bit expensive! I wanted to build a DIY version of this and searched for some hacks. In the end, I used tips from Shanty 2 Chic on cutting circles and others for tips on attaching the legs and House Becoming Home for tips as well. This is the inspiration picture! Isn’t she pretty?
The materials for this were not expensive, apart from the tools, which I consider an investment. I used a single 2 x 4 x 8 (less than $6); a 2 inch dowel (~$15, but was much longer than I needed) and mounting plates/hanger bolts ($9).
I cut the 2 x 4 into smaller pieces using a miter saw and cut off the rounded edges using a table saw. Wood glue and pocket hole screws were used to attach the pieces together. (I have heard I may have just used the glue which would have saved a step and I would have avoided an issue later on.)
I cut the dowel using 5 degree parallel cuts on each end. The pieces are 17 inches long. I taped and painted the ends with Sherwin Williams Snowbound which I had on hand.
I created a jig to use with the router to cut the circle. Shanty 2 Chic’s blog post gave some good instructions on this. And, sanded all the surfaces.
When I make one of these again, I would re-think the placement of the pocket holes. As I was making the circle, the pocket holes showed on the two end pieces. I used plugs to fill them and sawed the excess. (Apologies for the poor photo.)
I had several stains on hand and tested them out on the wood.
The stain is a bit lighter than below. It was dark outside and poor lighting in the garage.
I used these hanger bolts to attach the legs to the seat. I followed House Becoming Home’s blog post for instructions on hardware placement.
