How to Turn a Coffee Table Into an Ottoman

Then glue on your top piece of foam. I used 4 inch thick foam cut to the exact measurements of my table and used plain old Elmer’s.

After that, secure 1 1/2 inch foam to the sides. My table had a little bit of an overlap so the 1 1/2 inch foam fit nicely on to the sides. I glued that on and let it dry overnight weighted by my large assortment of paints and stains. This table also had part of the side missing where a drawer was so we just covered it with a leftover piece of hardboard. Again, it won’t be seen so it doesn’t matter how you cover any parts.

Once the top and sides were foamed, I wrapped the whole thing in two layers of batting. I just stapled it on with my electric staple gun and wrapped it underneath.

Try to make it as flat as possible, you don’t want any bumps in your upholstery. Here is a view from underneath, not pretty but it doesn’t have to be. Staple away!

Now on to the upholstery part. I envy the people who put on their fabric right over the batting, that is a tough job to get it all lined up and flat and tight. Pfew! It’s exhausting just thinking about the muscle that goes into it.

I did mine a little different. I used a piece of less expensive fabric to cover the batting and made a slipcover with the “good” fabric. Since I knew I wanted to change out the fabric on the ottoman for the seasons or in case it got dirty, this was the best option for me. Otherwise you can staple your fabric right to the frame over the batting. Here is the less expensive fabric. You could also use a flat bed sheet or something similar if you are going to make a slipcover.

And underneath. I always try to double fold the end of the fabric for more sticking power. Who knows when it could rip? I wanted that thing to stay on, hence the staples.

And now the good stuff! You can tell by my inspiration photos that I was in a blue mood for this project. I was lucky enough to find this blue velvet at a fabric department closing sale for, wait for it, $8 a yard! I mean that is unheard of and this is thick, heavy, canvas-backed velvet upholstery fabric. It is good stuff. I wish I had bought more 🙁 Two yards was what I estimated for this project and for a 4 x 2 foot table, I was right on.

Ohh, ahh, blue velvet. I feel like Elvis. Oh wait, that was suede!

This is not a how to by any means, but I sewed a cover and put on white piping along the bottom to give it a fresh modern edge. And to contrast with both the dark wood legs and blue fabric. I didn’t cut this and sew it together, I put the fabric on the table upside down, pinned the corners closed, sewed them down on the machine and then just hemmed the bottoms to the right length to cover up the under fabric. I hope that makes sense.

Here is one of the corners. If you put a piece of fabric over something upside down, you can fold and pin it where you need a seam. Then sew on that line, it will be square once you turn it right side out.

And the piping went along the bottom. Again I did it inside out so I could see better.

Let’s not wait any longer and get to the good stuff, the after!

I absolutely love it and my husband told me today it’s a favorite project of his.  I’ll stop chatting so you can enjoy the pics.