diy geometric step stool

You know pinterest? That addictive online website where people go to pin things that they will never make? Yeah, that one. I made something. Boo-yah!

A lifetime ago, I pinned this picture.

Someone {Unfortunately, I couldn't find where it originated} spent a great deal of time painting the inside of their closet a fun, geometric pattern. I have no idea what they did to create their look, but I can tell you how I accomplished the same end result {on a smaller scale}.

Like all good DIYs, it mixes bright colors and trash.

The step stool in question was saved from a trash pile years ago {Matthew has a good eye for "trash"}. I'm sure Mrs. Nowak gave it a thorough scrubbing when it first entered her home, but I gave it another wipe down before I started, just for good measure.

Next I armed myself with the things I needed.

• The step stool
• A perfect triangle
• A pencil
• A ruler
• Scissors
• A frosted flakes box
• Paint
• Paintbrushes

I started by cutting out the geometric triangle and tracing it onto the frosted flakes box {obviously, you may use any cardboard}. Next, I cut it out of the frosted flakes box, and wah-lah! I had my "stencil".

I simply traced out the area I wanted my triangle pattern to be in {using the ruler for a straight edge} and then used the cardboard triangle to make my pattern {one triangle up, one triangle down etc.}. 

Let the paint application begin! I started off just like the inspiration photo I was using, and stayed with it for the most part. I "messed up" a couple of time by painting a triangle "the wrong color", but I just let it be and continued. I did each color completely before moving on to the next color. Also, I did my best to let  the first color dry before I started the second {etc.}.

Not gonna lie, I'm pretty proud of that coral color. I mixed red, white, and yellow and got the color I was looking for on the first try. Color by color it continued, until the stool went from "that stool we saved from the trash" to "that stool we made entirely awesome."

I can now officially see my future little kids standing on the stool {still on their tiptoes} washing their pudgey fingers. Such a helpful little stool.

As a final step, I gave him a coat of valspar clear gloss finish to help protect the pattern from those tiny toes. Wanna see the finished product again? I just like it so much.

It's so prettiful. :)

So, have you recently realized your love for all things geometric? What about found an awesome color pallet somewhere unexpected? Painted a stool? Work with me here. ;)