Sunday, September 6, 2015

Eighties Paper Towel Holder Turned Vintage Hat Stand

I can't remember the first time I saw this done, or the first time I did it.  About this time of year I am starting to dig out all the old black hats I've been collecting (a lot!)  Each one will painstakingly become a gorgeous Halloween hat with a vintage vibe.  And most are displayed best on a hat stand. 

Not many of us can afford real vintage hat stands.  But ALL of us can afford to makeover the slightly outdated wooden paper towel holders that used to grace so many countertops in the 1980s. 

I am working on an estate sale now that is using many of these "as is" as hatstands.

But, with just a little work (the fun kind!) they can look very authentic.

Fortunately, many start out as oak.  First remove the little stick on the side.  That will leave a small hole that will need to be filled with wood putty.  After that is dry, sand the putty smooth and give the whole thing a quick sanding.


For mine, I gave it two thin coats of my favorite chalk paint. Let dry. Then a quick sanding to distress.  If it doesn't look old enough for you, a little light brown wax will do the trick.  Even though I mainly use them for Halloween, I generally paint them a lighter color to help accentuate the black hats.

2 comments:

  1. I love that idea - so smart.

    You could leave the smaller stick and use it as a ring stacker. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great idea and so much less expensive than some of the hat stands I see. Thank you for sharing at Vintage Inspiration Party.

    ReplyDelete

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