When it comes to DIY-ing home decor, there are some pieces you usually just leave to Upcycling projects. Maybe it's the size, or the need for power drills, but it can be daunting to DIY a piece of furniture from scratch.
"Um, no!" I say! The bigger the project, the better the fun! That was my attitude anyways when it came to this velvet tufted bench we made for the Hello Room of the new office. It is a challenging project in that there's lots of supplies and it does take a few hours BUT the results are soooo pretty and your BUTT will love it!
Check out the tutorial for this tufted treasure above and some pictures of its pristine state (as of yet unbesmirched by our tired booties) below!
Prep It:
Wood cut to the size you'd like your bench to be Wooden peg board Velvet Velvet-covered buttons (or buttons you can cover yourself!) Thick foam Batting Spray adhesive Razor Tape measure Upholstery needle Button thread Basic 4-hole buttons Scissors Marker Hot glue gun and glue sticks Staple gun Hairpin legs Power drill Screws
Do It!:
- Get your wood cut to the size of the bench you'd like, or, if you're handy with a saw, cut it yourself! We put an extra plank down the middle for stability, as well. Place the peg board over the wood, then using the holes in the peg board to measure, decide the placement and pattern of the buttons you'd like to be on your tufted bench. Mark the holes where you'd like the buttons to be with your marker.
- Use the power drill to drill holes in the spaces marked!
- Measure the foam to the size of your bench and trim it to size using the razor. When you're ready to stick the fluffy stuff in place, uncap that spray adhesive and apply it to the bench.
- When the adhesive has dried, drape the velvet and batting over the foam-topped bench. At this point, it's important to prop the bench up so you can get underneath it to sew on the buttons. At this point, if you haven't already covered your buttons with velvet, it's time to get those pieces done!
- To prep for your first button, cut a long piece of string and thread it through a long, sturdy upholstery needle. I found it easiest to start with the center button and work out, but you can start wherever makes sense to you and your design!
- Beginning at the bottom of the bench, run the needle and thread up through a hole. Make sure you leave a long tail of thread under the bench as you pull the needle through to the top of the bench, thread a covered button and push the needle back down. You've now created a tuft! Play around with how tight you want your tufts to be and make sure the fabric is puckering in a way you like before you tie each button up!
- When your tuft is nothing short of terrific, thread the needle underneath the bench through a simple 4-hole button. Use this button as a stopper you can tie the ends of the string together around! During this step it's helpful to have a friend pushing down on the covered button on the top of the bench so you keep it as taut as possible. When your ends are tied together, trim the tails.
- Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the rest of the buttons on your bench, making sure to move the fabric around and get the patterned puckering you like best! I again recommend working from the middle towards the edges, but as long as you're getting it done, you're doing a great job!
- When all your buttons are in place and your bench is properly tufted, turn the bench over and use the staple gun to secure the batting and velvet around the edges of the wood. Cut the excess fabric and use your hot glue gun and make sure all the edges are down nice, even turning them over to get a proper-looking hem if you'd like.
- It's important in step 8 not to go too far into the bottom of the bench with the fabric because you still need to turn this from a tufted board (perfect in its current state as a headboard!) to a bench. Decide the placement of your hairpin legs and use the power drill to screw them into place.
- Turn the bench back over, smooth the fabric out, and plop down on your brand new seating! You made this whole bench, you deserve to take a rest on it!
