Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Reupholstered Benches


Moving forward to the next project for the master bedroom,
a pair of benches that sit at the foot of the bed.  I found these lovelies at Target. 
 They were fine as is, but it was fun to add some color and give them a unique look!
You can tell how long I have been sitting on this project by the color of the grass.
  I miss my pretty green grass!
Autumn from Design Dump picked out the fabric and the trim, and I purchased it online. 
 I would have never thought to put the two together, they look great together!
The ottomans that Autumn originally picked out were from Sears, I think you can still buy them online. 
They had more of a "box" look, so I definitely needed to add some more foam to my Target benches. 
To avoid wasting the original foam, I added layers of foam I had on hand. 
If I were to do it again, I would probably just use one thick piece of high-density foam. 
The look would have been much smoother, but hey, it was free!
When it came to upholstering, I wanted a clean look with sewn corners to create the "box" look.
 I flipped the fabric over, like you do when you make a slipcover, and pinned. 
Next, I used my quilting ruler to get the correct angle, and marked the fabric before sewing. 
I love the sewn look, and it was really easy!

 I finished it off with staples.  I have been using a power stapler with too thick of staples for years.  It was always a difficult chore to upholster, and I wasn't ready to take the step to an air powered stapler. I went to Home Depot and bought a semi-heavy duty stapler for 9.88.  The staples went in so easily!  Not bad for under 10.00. 
I finished off the ottomans by adding trim with a glue gun.
I am really pleased with how they turned out. This project gives me an itch to try some more upholstery. 
 It was so fun to take a piece of boring furniture and give it a little character!
Today I started the headboard! Yeah!
 It is a knock off of a headboard from Ballard Designs, and one of the more hefty projects left.
  I'll be back tomorrow with another project crossed of the list!


4 comments:

  1. Oh wow, these little benches are SO adorable. You did a really great job updating them! I'm excited to hear about your headboard! You've got mad skills. :)

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  2. Those turned out fabulous. I'm going to be on the lookout for a bench like that now :)

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  3. Beautiful job. I am pinning this. I love the sewn corners too.

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  4. LOVE your little benches! They look so much better. The fabric and trim are perfect, and I love the added thickness. That really made a difference!
    gail

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