Friday

DIYP #44 RePurposing & Recovering Furniture



I'm learning to see furniture in a new light. Instead of taking it at face value and current condition, I'm trying to take in the shape and lines and I'm wondering if I can find a new purpose for it.

Take this piece, for example. It's a TV stand. But I thought it would work at the end of my daughter's bead for a bench and storage.

I pulled off the thin piece of wood on the back and my hubby took out the shelves:


I bought some foam and adhered it to the top:


Some inexpensive red gingham fabric that matches the bedding is perfect for the bench cushion.


I simply stapled the fabric underneath and pulled it taunt. I tucked in the corners like wrapping a package:


I'm hunting for some baskets to fit in the cubbies at garage sales.  I love it as a bench, don't you?


39 comments:

Wifeof1Momof4 said...

Doggone Kristen .. you are SO creative! I would have never in a million years thought of this!!! Sooo cute! My favorite colors too :)

Baskets were on sale last week at Hobby Lobby, I bought several in a grouping @ WallyWorld and I have seen good sturdy ones in Ikea. All for great prices.

I for one am waiting on Hobby Lobby's sale again.

What color baskets?

GREAT JOB!

Unknown said...

Too Cute!!

Anonymous said...

Have you ever thought of consigning? I have a friend who owns a consignment store and she says a LOT of her consigners find things, repurpose them, bring them to her and turn a tidy profit. I'm thinking about doing it myself!!

Great bench :-)

pcb said...

I love to repurpose! Great solution; kids never have enough storage!

Wishing 4 One said...

Beyond fabulous! That is one of THE best transformations I've seen in a long time, just brilliant! I know your daughter just loves it! A bench, storage and cute too?

Unknown said...

Brilliant idea. My daughter could be doing with some more storage in her room too.

As could I, come to think of it:)

Anonymous said...

Love the idea and I love the red gingham!

elizabeth said...

Good idea, so creative! Do you give advice for pieces - regarding what to do with them. I have a dresser (used for little ones - a small little cupboard for hanging clothing, small drawers...) and I have never really liked it for its purpose - nor know really how to re-purpose it. You could have a business with this! ;-)

Thanks for sharing your genius! :D

Favaunt said...

You Go Girlie. Where do you find the time--three kids, hubby, blogging, crafting, etc. I am impressed.

Tonya said...

Very cute idea!

everydayMOM said...

That's really cute! Great idea!

stephanie h said...

very cute and clever! :)

RLR said...

Great idea! Thanks for sharing!

It Feels Like Chaos said...

What a wonderful wonderful idea! So cute, too!

Tina said...

Wow! That's awesome!

Niki Jolene said...

I love it! I wish I could train my brain to think more like this. I just don't have an eye for it.

bridget {bake at 350} said...

Very cute! I am a sucker for gingham! :)

Sharinskishe said...

Great find/solution. I love to look at things and try to get them to behave differently. I try to figure out at least one thing they could do that they were not made for.

This bench looks fantastic and is so functional. Thanks so much for posting!

Brandi said...

Super cute! Great idea. :-)

Beth said...

Really cute. My daughter would love this!

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

What a great idea, a nice place to sit and storage too. Looks great. Hugs, Marty

Innkeeper Seely said...

I love to repurpose things. I just turned a 36 by 18 in. baby changing table ($24 from Goodwill) into a bathroom vanity by reconfiguring the shelves, staining it black, and adding a preformed faux granite sink top. Looks very modern and hundreds less that the "real thing". (I like having a bathroom sink at the same height as a kitchen counter as it is easier on the back and keeps things up out of reach of dogs or small children.)

Muthering Heights said...

What an awesome idea! It looks great!

Melissa said...

ikea also has some very cute baskets for VERY cheap. i love that little bench shelf!

grannyann said...

Cute idea. When my kids were getting ready for college, I got two wooden foot lockers, painted them and made a cushion for each. That way they had a place to sit and a place to keep stuff in small dorm rooms.

Jaden Paige said...

I do love it as a bench! It dresses it up a lot... Great job! Have a wonderful weekend :D

Heather said...

Great idea! I'm surprised you didn't paint it black.

Nancy @ Live love laugh said...

What vision! I never would have "seen" that! It does look terrific!
~Nancy

Alexia said...

I love the stuff you come up with! I actually just snatched up a trunk (not those awesome old ones, but cool nonetheless) at Goodwill and am trying to think like you and come up with something creative for it!

joyh82 said...

very cute. Love the material you chose too.

Amy Jo said...

I love it! Great job with thinking outside the box!

Carol said...

Thanks for the great idea! I like re-purposing things, it's inexpensive and echo friendly!

~Allie~ said...

when i buy new furniture it is no where near as special and beautiful to me as when I find a junker and fix it up! It is just so much fun I can't contain myself! haha I love what you did here. I see a lot of repurposing furniture on here but a lot is not as creative as this. I know you must be proud! Hobby Lobby is the way to go on the baskets! They are half off a lot!

Nicole A. said...

Love it! It looks awesome! Love the red gingham! Thanks for Sharing!

Jen said...

i heart benches:) great job!

Dawn said...

That is perfect! Some pretty red baskets would be beautiful!!!

Janet said...

I love that. What a great way to repurpose the TV stand.

Anna said...

great idea and the gingham fabric looks really good

Roeshel said...

Great idea! It works perfectly for a bench! :)