It's not hideous or anything, I've just never really had a place to put it...in fact, for years and years it has lived underneath a casino table we had (yeah, we never used that either). Well, I finally convinced him to get rid of the table...mainly by constantly stacking my things on it and then reminding him that flat surfaces are dangerous places that my things like to congregate....
Anywho, after unearthing it, my husband happened to move it in front of the couch and I kinda liked the way it looked there. I've been wanting a storage ottoman for a long time.
So, of course, for the base of it I decided to go with (what else) cardboard. A few pieces glued together to make a nice, thick, sturdy base.
We measured out and pre-drilled the holes, making sure the bolts we intended to use weren't too short or long.
I cut some foam slightly larger than the base and used spray glue to keep them together while I upholstered.
And then I went nuts with the staple gun....
For the corners, fold carefully and staple to secure until you have something you like at the corners, then attempt to remember what you did on the first one to make it look that way and repeat with the other 3.
Trim off excess fabric.
Now, poke through the holes from the back and use a razor to cut a small hole in the fabric for your bolt to go through.
After all my holes were poked, I shoved the bolts in, then took it upstairs to attach it to the chest. Make sure to use washers or eventually your bolt heads will probably just tear through the fabric.
Ok, now, rub your lucky rabbits foot or something and pray that your holes all line up well....
Mine were a bit off from the upholstery, but with a little finagling I managed to get them on and secured with a washer and nut from inside the trunk.
Whew.
Oh, pro tip, if you are having trouble getting the screws lined up and you happen to have a two year old that is EXTREMELY interested in anything you do where you don't necessarily want their help....grab a flashlight and have them hold it up to the hole from the inside of the trunk. It actually was super helpful to have that little light, and it certainly kept the kid busy and out of the way for a minute.
Next, pick something to cover up the tops of the bolts with. I considered buttons but then I realized I didn't have any. So my choice....
Accent gems from the dollar tree.
After a bit of super glue....
It's super comfy, has a ton of room to store games and blankets and I made it using leftover drapery fabric so it matches my 70's style room. And no, the fabric is not my first choice, but the drapes came with the house and for now, I don't HATE it. Plus, I did it all with materials I had on hand so my out of pocket cost was $0...I LOVE that!
Happy Crafting :)
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