www.lovesissy.com
  • Home
  • Walls
  • Accessories
  • Furniture
  • My Story
  • Asher
  • Olivia
  • FreeArtFriday

Repurposing: SEATING WITH STORAGE

7/16/2012

0 Comments

 
If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. -Alice, Alice in Wonderland
Picture
A good DIY project solves a problem & saves money. Repurposing inexpensive items (or items we already have) opens up a whole new world of possibilities. You can't have too much seating or too much storage. When you take a dresser or cabinet and turn it into a bench, you get more of both! You can fit this seating option in slim spaces, including entry ways and shoes, toys, or other visual clutter can be put behind closed doors or drawers. If you don't have a separate mudroom, a storage bench is the perfect solution. You can put one at the end of your bed in a bedroom or as built in seating in a dining room. When done in neutral colors, a dresser bench can move from room to room or place to place with you. Use outdoor fabrics, paints, & sealers and they work outdoors too!
Check out these ideas for seating with storage & a "HOW TO" at the end of this post.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

HOW TO!

Step 1: Find the right starting piece

You'll want to find a dresser or cupboard that is bench height or a dresser that has legs. Legs are easy to remove (they generally just unscrew--those are the easiest). Remove the legs & you have a bench height furniture piece.
Here are a few BEFORE pictures of good starting pieces...
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Step 2: Paint & hardware

Remove old hardware & prime & paint the piece.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Step 3: Create upholstered top

Cut a piece of plywood the same size as the existing top of the bench. Then, spray glue padding & a layer of batting to the top.  Finally, use a staple gun to upholster the top.  Here is a great tutorial from The Little Green Notebook on upholstering a bench top & on how to do the corners (which can be tricky) UPHOLSTERING A BENCH TOP + CORNERS

Step 4: Attach top to bench

After the top is upholstered, position it on top of the piece's existing top, remove the drawers (or open the cupboards) & screw it in from the underside/inside with screws long enough to go through both layers, but short enough not to poke through your upholstered bench top.

Step 5: wheels or felt

Picture
For indoor benches add felt to the bottom to protect the floors. For outdoor benches, add short casters or wheels to make them easy to move.  You just screw these wheels right into the bottom of the dresser. 
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

    THanks!

    Thanks for visiting. Hope you're enjoying the blog. Visit me on facebook if you have a minute. I love new friends.

    Archives

    July 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012

    Categories

    All
    Chairs To Stools
    Dresser To Storage Bench
    Fabric Flowers
    Headboard
    How To Age Wood
    Mod Podge
    Particle Board Redo
    Plank Pipe Leg Tables
    Reclaimed Dining Table
    Repurpose Crates
    Repurposed Furniture
    Repurposed School Desks
    Restoration Hardware Copy
    Rock Lamp
    Rustic Tableware
    Suitcases
    Tee Pee
    Tree Branch Slices
    Tshirt Bag

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.