Have you ever seen a stool like this before?
My husband brought it home from his grandmother’s house one day. He carried the stool in with the proudest look on his face like he had discovered the Hope diamond and was delivering it to me on a silver platter.
He knows me well.
He knows I’d rather have a really good vintage find than all the fancy jewels on the planet.
And just when I thought I couldn’t love this stool anymore I discovered the amazing thing about this stool.
It’s kind of a transformer.
One day it’s a stool.
And then?
It turns into this.
It’s a stepladder.
Isn’t that the cutest?
There’s a built-in part that swivels on a dowel rod when you pull it down and two steps appear.
I have no idea how old the stool is, but it looks like someone hand-built it.
The wood is a little mismatched and it’s nailed together and the dowels look like someone drilled holes just for them.
And all those things?
They make it even cuter.
My husband told me that it used to be the extra seat that they pulled out when they played cards.
He and all his cousins would get together at his grandparent’s home for the holidays and they’d play spades and gin rummy and contract rummy and a zillion other card games gathered around his grandparent’s kitchen table with mismatched chairs and extra seating including this stool.
When he handed it to me, I could imagine him when he was perched on the top of this stool. His curly brown hair wet from fishing, feet barely able to touch the floor, brown eyes twinkling with anticipation and holding a hand of cards bigger than he was.
Watching and hoping that the Queen of Spades didn’t come his way.
I wanted to actually use the stool.
Seriously.
What is more practical than a stool and a ladder all in one? But the challenge? In practical news, the stool had most of its best years behind it. It’s rickety and a little off-center and precariously attached together.
Taking a step up this ladder is taking your life into your own hands.
So instead of using it, I was decorating with it.
I couldn’t get the idea out of my head at how much I needed to actually use something like this. I’m short and forever pulling up stepstools and chairs to climb on to reach things my arms are too short for.
So I searched online to see if I could find a stool that turns into a ladder and I FOUND THIS STOOL’S TWIN.
Are you ready for this stool version 2.0?
Hello beautiful.
I see you.
Same stool.
Same principle.
Same amazing genius fold-up part that turns a stepladder into….
A stool.
And then back into a stepladder again.
It’s 24 inches wide and super sturdy and so cute and it was on sale for $10 off and I couldn’t resist.
You can see it here.
The stool also comes in a wood color as well as a pretty green.
I photographed it in the living room, but I’m actually putting it in the kitchen right next to the hutch.
And there it will sit.
Ready to transform into a ladder for me when I can’t reach something.
But more importantly?
Ready for all that extra seating.
See we play cards here, too.
Spades and Gin Rummy and Speed and Hearts and Canasta.
The house is full of card players and we are adding new players around here all the time.
No worries.
That stool and I will be ready.
PS If you are looking for a stool just like mine? You can find it here.
disclosure: affiliate links are used in this post. If you make a purchase through these links, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Thistlewood.
Both my mother and grandmother had this stool! I want to say it was connected either to “green stamps” or Stanley parties! Loved them - and wore them out! Lol!!
Omgoodness this has taken me back to my head shop. She had a very similar one and we all sat on it too, haha, She would be serving sometimes and couldn't find it because we were using it, she never found it as funny as we did haha. How I wish we still had that little piece of history. So glad you found yours plus a new model, enjoy making memories.x
That should say grandmother not head...sorry one of those days. X
Karianne, Question: In your sweet T-Rex post, the fireplace has the loveliest floral garland, which I've fallen in love with and NEED to replicate with artificial florals...can you give me any info about this particular one please (and I get it if you don't have the time!!!). BTW, that stool is great...almost as great as the fact that your hubby brought it home to you! Thank you sweet woman!
Cute stool. It would look great open with plants on its steps..
What white paint (details). please are you using? How do you determine what paint to use on all the white furniture you show? Does all the furniture in a white wall home need to match I have your white wall paints!
What a great stool. How thoughtful your husband is to bring you something so practical and filled with great memories. Thank you for the link, I could use one of these! :) Karen B.
This warmed my heart! Also, I think your husband’s step-stool would be adorable as a plant stand! (Possibly even an herb garden, with a different herb on each step).
I could see this on a porch with planter pots on it. Need an extra seat? Remove the planters : ) You never fail to make me smile.
That stool transformer is the cutest thing. I wish I wasnt so..ummm.."strict" about the layout of my house because I would get one. But I would be so anxious knowing it was sitting out and not tucked away. But its adorable. Have a great day.
I have an antique stool like the one twinkling eyes brought you! Mine is sturdy. I keep it in my clothes closet to reach the items on the shelves. Because, I am vertically challenged 😂🤣😂🤣.
This is just what I have been looking for!
Love that you found a new one of these stools. I'm an Antique/Vintage dealer and have bought and sold a few of the Vintage versions over the years.. I kept one and my grandchildren use it around out dining room table when we have big family dinners.
Did you ever see Top Gun?
My sis and I grew up in the 50s with a combo highchair/ step ladder / children's low play table. It went away many decades ago. Thanks for bringing back the memories.
We had one of those high chair “transformers” growing up and now my brother’s grand children are using it!
Very cute and meaningful! My Mom had a red metal stool that worked like this- wish I still had it.
Why can't more people appreciate the beauty and ingenuity of our ancestors. Such a beautiful tribute to your husband's grandmother.
My dad built a stool very much like yours. This story brought back fond memories of Dad's meticulous building skills. Happy Day to you! It is finally raining here, and my gardens and I are full of joy.
We had one of those when I was a little girl! ( over 60 years ago!) Ours was chrome, like the old chrome kitchen table and chair sets back then. Some kind of vinyl seat on it. I sat on it so many time watching my mom cook in our old kitchen, sitting right next to our wood stove. Good memories!
Yes I have seen these stools before, but it's been awhile. They are so cute and usable, and even better it's has great memories.
That's a wonderful stool. We had a small stepladder in our kitchen when I was growing up. It was used for odds and ends and became an extra "kid seat" when we needed it. Not as cute as this one but I still have fuzzy and warm memories of it.
Love your new/renewed stool! Just goes to show what a little work can do. We use to have one that operated like this but it was from the 50's but metal, my sister still has it today.
I've seen them!! Very cute and helpful!!!
Such a great stool I remember it well with my grandmother. You have made it fit right in. You are always so cleaver. Happy 4th
My brother purchased one in southern Minnesota built by the Amish. The finishing on it is amazing. Such a beautiful piece of furniture.
We (my sister & I) have 3 metal versions of that in our home now. We had a house fire and went looking at antique stores for replacements and found the 1st one. Then we got lucky at a couple other shops and found 2 more. All 3 are different in look and color but work the same way. Since we can/freeze/dehydrate our garden goods, the chairs are on one side of our kitchen island, the stoves (yes, we have 2 full size stoves because my sister is a cook-a-holic - hahaha) and sink are on the other side. We become harvest processing fools every fall. I have to admit that our mom turned us on to them when we were kids (many moons ago) because her parents had one. She was an major Antique-er and we love carrying on that tradition. Thank you for a great share!!
I have the same type stool that I got from a flea market about 15 years ago.
We also called it a step stool. Very nice vintage treasure and fabulous new usable find! Brava!
KariAnne, I love these stool ladders and I really need one. I'm so glad you found one that is functional.
How sweet to be able to keep the vintage stool for decor purposes! I had no idea they were still made. They are pretty useful. It’s funny, I just picked up a vintage one from a guy we went to buy something else from on Offer Up. I saw it in his garage amongst all the furniture he’s restoring. So cute, it’s painted light blue and white and just the perfect amount of chippy-ness!
We have one of those stools! The Mister's grandfather made it himself. It's the orangy wood color and I want so badly to paint it white but the mister says nope. Any ideas on how to convince him it would be soooooo much cuter in white? I plan to show him this one but I bet he'll need a lot more coaxing!
My family had a very similar stool. We called it the “step up stool” ….. thanks for reviving the memories :)