Good Morning! I’m so very excited about this latest project I just finished for our living room. One of my goals with our living room revamp is to brighten things up and add lighter pieces. I have also being dying to build something and upholster it and use upholster tacks. I love the look of them. They add a hint of vintage and sophistication to any piece.
I’ve been drooling over other tufted ottomans out there but the price tag on them is sometimes ridiculous. I think a good piece of furniture is definitely worth it but when you can make it yourself, it’s even better!
I had a little help from D’s cousin who put the frame together. I’m not all that good with a drill and saw yet nor does D really trust me alone with one. I suppose when I stop cutting myself every time I cook, then we just might see.
I wouldn’t say this was the easiest project and I didn’t get any photos of me tufting it because it took both D and I to do so but I will do my best to explain how.
As the photo shows above the steps went a little something like this:
But first…
Materials Needed:
A piece of Plywood for the top {I used a 33″x33″}
8 1×4 pieces of wood for the sides. I used 4 for the in to hold the frame together and the other 4 I covered with a layer of batting and fabric.
12 buttons
Fabric of your choice. I suggest something durable
3-4″ foam and enough batting to cover the foam and the outer pieces of 1×4′s
staple gun
Upholstery thread and 6″ upholstery needle
Upholstery tacks {Only if you want this detail}
1. We had to build out a frame for the ottoman that would potentially hold someones weight.
2. Then I found some legs at Home Depot and I stained them a dark walnut.
3. Joel, D’s cousin drilled holes in the wood where my buttons were going to go to make it easier to get the needle and upholstery thread in.
4. I used a 3″ foam and covered it all with batting (not shown).
5. I purchased a button making kit at JoAnn’s Fabric and covered them with the same fabric I used for the ottoman which was a natural muslin.
6. The outer 1x4s was covered in a layer of batting and then a layer of the muslin fabric.
The actually tufting required a lot of patience on my part. First I would string the upholstery thread on the 6″ needle and from the bottom, I would poke it up through the hole in the wood and through the foam. From there I would attach it to a button and have D hold it down while I used the staple gun to secure the thread on the bottom end. You ALSO have to use a hammer to get the staples deeper into the wood to actually hold the thread. This part was pretty fun!
Once all twelve buttons were in place D and I placed the outer fabric covered 1×4′s where they were suppose to go (Joel labeled each one so it would be easier to attach) and drilled them into place.
Lastly, the upholstery tacks. This part was not so fun. These little guys are pretty sensitive and I broke about one whole box before D helped me figure out a better solution. Prior to actually hammering in the tacks, I used a small nail and hammered that in to where the tack was going to go. I removed the nail and covered the hole with the fabric and hammered the tack into that spot. Made for a lot easier of a process. Trust me! I also just used a small piece of leftover fabric on all four corners to cover up the spot where the two pieces of wood met. It wasn’t very attractive and I love the way the corners turned out!
I love the way my ottoman turned out and it really brightens up our living room!
Stay tuned for more on our living room update coming soon!
I’m linking up at some of the following here as well as The DIY Showoff, The Girl Creative, Home Stories A to Z, Tip Junkie, Funky Junk Interiors,
This ottoman is gorgeous. What an inspirational post! I would love it if you share this awesome post at our What’s It Wednesday linky party. I hope you can join us!
Paula
ivyandelephants.blogspot.com
Thanks for stopping by! I’d love to come over and link up! Will plan on it
Love this! I’ve been crushing on tufted objects for awhile and was considering a diy but it looks like a lot of work! must be worth it though, it’s gorge!
It is a lot of work but so worth it! Thank you so much for stopping by!
Your ottoman is amazing!! I would love to have a piece like this in my home! The tutorial is fantastic also. Great job!
Ah, thank you! I appreciate you saying that so much! Have a happy 4th!
I love it! Great work!
Thank you and thank you for stopping by!
Oh, that is perfect! Visiting from Ivy and Elephants. Would love it if you would share this at my Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/make-it-pretty-monday-week-4.html Wishing you a grand day. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
What a great project! Saw this over at Hometalk! Thanks for inspiring me today!
blessings,
karianne
Amanda!!! This looks awesome! I love how it turned out, the color is beautiful and you did a fabulous job.
Hi Taryn! Thank you for the sweet comment!
This is beautiful I love all things tufted:) Great job!
Wow, that looks BEYOND awesome! I must say, I couldn’t even begin to attempt this. Way, way, way too advanced for me! It looks so rich…like something you would see in Ballard! Great job
Ah, thank you so much! You don’t know how much I appreciate you saying that. Hope you have a wonderful day!
Wow! Great job!
Great work! It looks awesome and professionally made!!
-Peggy
You are so sweet! Thank you so much for stopping by!
I. LOVE. THIS
Beautiful job – wow – the legs the fabric the nail head – everything
I’m your newest follower – would love to have you visit and follow back
: )))
hugs,
Suzan
Hey! Thank you SO much! I will definitely jump on over and take a look around
Have a great day!
That ottoman is fabulous! I tried to reupholster an ottoman once and the fabric kept puckering up. My mom called it “the mother pucker”. Ha! Epic fail in our DIY files. But this one is so classy!
I love this. I have been wanting to make one but I have to wait until we move. But yours turned out fantastically.
It looks amazing! super impressed… I’ve yet to try my hand at reuphostery, but you’ve inspired me to try
please consider linking up this & other projects at Heart&Home link up at mercyINkblog.com
have an awesome weekend!
lauren
I absolutely LOVE this! Thanks for sharing your tutorial…I’m pinning it right now!
Found you over at The 36th Avenue.
I’d love for you to link up to my party:
http://lovingthiscrazylife-melissa.blogspot.com/2012/07/its-piece-o-cake-linky-party-14.html
Have a great weekend!
Gorgeous- I love ottomans and love tufted ottomans even more!! Super charming!!
Love it! It’s gorgeous! Enjoy!!! Megan
Love the ottoman..I’ve wanted one like this but they are all so high priced..How much do you think you paid to make this? I want to try but get a confused a little with certain instructions (Step 6). Gonna try to do this one..
Hi Amelia!
Why don’t you email me at [email protected] and I can explain it a bit more
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Beautiful!!! I think we might try this ourselves. One question – Do you think it is sturday enough to sit on?
Hi there! Thanks for stopping by! It is definitely sturdy enough. I sit on it all the time! Hope that helps!
Wow! Love this Great job …
Thank you for linking up at Get outta my head please Show it Off party!
Hugs
Brooke
Hey there! Thanks so much for stopping by! Love your blog!
WOW! What a great creation! I love it! Impressive!
Thanks for linking up!
Stacey of Embracing Change
This is beautiful! What a great tutorial! Thank you so much for linking up with Uncommon! We are featuring this today on our FB page! ;0
Thank you SO much!
Gorgeous! It turned out so beautifully. The details are lovely. Congratulations on a job really well done.
This is so pretty–congratulations on a gorgeous project!
Mary
Great! job on this stop over and check out this weeks features from last weeks party !
http://www.getouttamyheadplease.com/2012/07/show-it-off-party-features/
Hugs
Brooke
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that is stunning!!! it looks like something out of restoration hardware!
Looks great! I can’t believe how expensive this looks and I love how you did it on your own and saved money! I’m a new follower and would love if you followed me back! www.iheartpears.blogspot.com
I tried to do a similar tufted ottoman and was generally successful, except for a recurring problem. I too tried a button kit from JoAnn Fabrics for the button tufting. Except now, 6 months later the buttons get coming off or the tufting gets getting loose. Any good ideas for solving this problem?
You know, one of my buttons just came undone. I wish I had a little advice for you but I will do a little research and hopefully be able to update you! Thanks so much for stopping by!