2015-08-27 · 17 Comments

Coffee Table to a DIY Cushioned Bench

One of the things I have wanted to add to our master bedroom is a bench at the end of our king size bed. Instead of purchasing a new bench, I decided to re-purpose an old coffee table my father built me for my first apartment many many years ago in to a DIY cushioned bench.

This coffee table has been through several transitions already, mostly because one of our dog keeps chewing the corners of it.

Because of a dog, I have recreated this coffee table multiple times.

My dad built this coffee table out of basic 2 x 4’s and it was perfect for my first frugal-minded apartment. The two matching end tables are used in a spare bedroom in our basement. (They have also been chewed on the corners by a dog and repaired.)

Currently, it now has rounded corners and has been painted it to try to deter any more chewing. Hopefully by giving it a home in the Master bedroom, it won’t see any further damage. To make it into a bench, the only thing it needed was a soft cushion and I have just the no-sew DIY project for it!

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Coffee Table Converted to a Cushioned Bench

For this project you will need:

Coffee table of your choice
Foam upholstery cushion
Fabric of your choice
Fabric Glue
Safety Pins
Anti-skid gripper fabric
Adhesive Spray
Xacto Knife

To make the new cushion to convert this coffee table into a bench, I simply used 2″ foam cushion, outdoor fabric, and a very simple DIY technique that didn’t require any sewing.

The foam cushions came in 22″ x 22″ x 2″ pre-cut sizes which were slightly too wide for the bench. So I had to measure the bench and cut the cushions to the correct size to fit the top of the bench. This was easy to do with a Xacto knife and my T-Square to keep the cut straight.

After ironing the fabric for a wrinkle free look, I simply just wrapped the foam cushions in the fabric like a present. I secured the edges with safety pins and used fabric glue to seal the seams.

The glue needed to dry for a couple of hours so I put books on top of the seams to hold the seams down to allow a more secure seal.

Since I used outdoor fabric which tends to be a little more slick, I decided to also add a non-slip treatment to the bottom of the cushion to keep it from sliding off the bench when you sat on it. I found an easy solution in the sewing department at JoAnn’s and that was Anti-Skid Gripper Fabric for children’s sleepwear.

It was easy to attach this fabric to the bottom of the cushion the same way as I wrapped the foam, with safety pins and fabric glue.

Making a DIY cushion for a bench is just that simple – as simple as wrapping a present.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” Matthew 6:21

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Comments

Emily says

2017-05-07 at 9:20 pm

That is great to be able to reuse something your dad made you! #HomeMattersParty

Reply
- Donna says
  
  2017-05-08 at 8:04 am
  
  Thanks Emily. I plan to keep this coffee/table bench and pass it on to my kids one day.
  
  Reply
Sara @ finditfixitorbuildit.com says

2017-05-02 at 11:36 am

Great project! I love when people refinish or repurpose something instead of just throwing it out. The anti-skid material is such a smart idea. Thanks for sharing:) #HomeMattersParty

Reply
- Donna says
  
  2017-05-03 at 1:11 pm
  
  Thanks Sara.
  
  Reply
Amber Harrop says

2017-05-02 at 9:30 am

I too have a coffee table made by my Dad for my first place I love it and like your’s it has been through many a makeover I love the idea of the cushion I might try that next Donna as it looks fabulous

Reply
- Donna says
  
  2017-05-03 at 1:10 pm
  
  Thanks Amber. In a few years I might change it out again, but will never get rid of it.
  
  Reply
Leanna says

2017-05-01 at 12:22 am

Hi Donna. This is such a simple and wonderful project. Perfect project for new home owners. Love the material its really bright and cheerful.

Enjoy your week.

Reply
- Donna says
  
  2017-05-01 at 8:11 am
  
  Hi Leanna. Thanks for visiting.
  
  Reply
Stephanie Abbott says

2017-04-30 at 12:45 pm

Perfect as a bench. Thanks for sharing at To Grandmas House We Go.

Reply
- Donna says
  
  2017-04-30 at 1:30 pm
  
  Thanks Stephanie
  
  Reply
Nicole says

2017-04-29 at 9:14 pm

A coffee table would be the perfect thing to turn into a bench. What a great idea. That’s hilarious about having to recreate the table so many times because of the dogs! LOL They must love this table, too. #HomeMattersParty

Reply
Chloe Crabtree says

2017-04-28 at 6:26 am

Great job on transforming this into a pretty padded bench! I chuckled at the bit about your dog trying to help you re-style this. I hope with the padded cushion has finally deterred the chewing. I am all for no-sew projects and you gave us a great tutorial on accomplishing this project without bringing out the sewing machine! Thanks for sharing at Celebrate Your Story!

Reply
- Donna says
  
  2017-04-28 at 11:53 am
  
  Thanks Chloe. I still have to turn one corner of the bench towards the side of the bed so she doesn’t see where she had started to chew again. Love these dogs but they are a lot of work. Thanks for visiting.
  
  Reply
Sandra Garth says

2017-04-27 at 6:56 pm

Nice makeover and what a nice way to preserve it. Thank you for sharing with us at Celebrate Your Story, and I hope you’re having a great weekend.

Reply
- Donna says
  
  2017-04-28 at 11:51 am
  
  Thanks Sandra
  
  Reply
Carol ("Mimi") says

2017-04-25 at 9:00 am

Looks great! The non-skid fabric was a brilliant idea. The piece looks like it’s custom upholstered, but you can easily remove the cushion anytime you want to go back to the original coffee table look. Nice addition at the foot of the bed.

Reply
- Donna says
  
  2017-04-25 at 9:29 am
  
  Thanks Mimi. You never know where I might put this coffee table next.
  
  Reply