The Red Counter Height Swivel Stool

Modernized Solid Pine Hand Crafted Heart Wall Shelf

Bringing New Life to a Country Classic. We’ve all seen them: those solid, well-built pine shelves from the 80s and 90s that have a lot of heart (literally) but are stuck in that unmistakable "orange" stain era. While the craftsmanship is top-tier (this one was hand crafted by my father in law), the color can often feel a bit too retro for a contemporary home. In this tutorial, I’m showing you how to take a vintage 9-cubby wall shelf and transform it from a dated relic into a bolder, fresher, and more current statement piece. By applying a rich chestnut brown stain , we’ve traded that brassy orange hue for a deep, sophisticated tone that highlights the wood grain. Follow along as I walk you through the prep, the staining process, and how this simple color shift completely changes the vibe of the piece—making those iconic heart cutouts feel intentional and chic rather than just "country."

Red always makes a statement right? And these two beauties look fabulous in red!

The before of this solid wood counter height stool was lacking pizzazz but was well made and solid, and it was the perfect height the customer was searching for for their kitchen desk area.

Flash forward to the finished chair in its new home! PERFECT!! Can you see the solid maple tray in the kitchen too?

First step in the makeover was a thorough scrubbing then taken apart for ease of painting after the stainless steel footrest was removed too.

Not wanting the white to pop thru the red, it was spray painted a few quick coats of matte black spray paint. Spraying outside provides lots of ventilation too.