DIY Easy Ottoman Hack

Ottomans are a fun embellishment in any room, as the photo above shows. And by making your own, you can get just the right fabric and colors into your space. They’re shockingly easy to make. You basically just need a base of some sort, some foam, a staple gun, adhesive, some batting, and the fabric itself. Learn how to redo an ottoman below.

  1. Start with a small table. That’s right, a table. It’s a popular ottoman hack. You can either buy one, reuse one you have or make one by screwing some table legs to a piece of plywood.
  1. You’ll need some thick foam that’s at least two inches high. Measure the foam so it covers the top of the table and cut.
  1. You can measure and cut some foam strips for the side of the table, as well. This is an optional step if you want extra padding on the sides.
  1. Use a spray adhesive to secure the foam to the table.
  1. Now flip the table onto a large piece of polyester batting. Measure and cut the batting edges so you have enough to fold around the underside of the table. Staple the batting in place with a staple gun. You may want to trim any excess batting, if applicable.
  1. Now flip the table over so it’s facing right side up. You’ll have to position your fabric the way you want it, especially if it has a specific pattern. Use temporary fabric tacks to keep the fabric in place. Make sure you have an extra few inches on the edges of the fabric to fold over the sides of the table. Then carefully upend the table again.
  1. Fold the fabric over the ottoman and staple in place. Make sure to fold straight seams, and trim away any excess fabric. This is what the underside seams should look like as you’re folding, from Make It and Love It:

  1. Now you can add optional embellishments, like lining the edges of the ottoman with decorative nailheads or sewing buttons onto the top.

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