DIY Plans to Build an Upholstered Ottoman

An Easy to Build Upholstered Ottoman with Storage

I saw a leather upholstered ottoman in a catalog and fell in love with it – especially the color of the leather! Of course, I wasn’t going to spend the money on the ottoman in the catalog so I set out to make my own thinking the ottoman would be a fabulous addition to the Carlsbad Chair I built… The DIY plans to build an Upholstered Ottoman feature angled legs with storage inside making it the perfect place to store blankets or magazines!

Materials:

• 1-1/4″ brad nails
• 3/4″ screws (<– affiliate link!)
• 4 – 2″ bun furniture feet with mounting plates
• Wood glue
• Sandpaper (100, 150, 220 grits)
• Spray paint
• Duct tape
• 1″ upholstery foam
• 2″ upholstery foam
• Fabric of choice (I used teal vinyl)

Lumber:

• 1 – 1×2 at 8′
• 2 – 1″ square dowels at 3′
• 1 – 4′ x 4′ sheet of 1/2″ plywood

Cut List:

• 2 – 1/2″ plywood at 11-1/2″ x 17″ – Sides
• 1 – 1/2″ plywood at 17″ x 23″ – Bottom
• 2 – 1/2″ plywood at 11-1/2″ x 24″ – Front & Back
• 4 – 1″ square dowels at 11″ – Inside Corner Supports
• 1 – 1/2″ plywood at 18″ x 24″ – Top
• 2 – 1×2 at 17″ – Lid Stops
• 2 – 1×2 at 18″ – Lid Stops

Click on the drawings for a larger view!

Step One

Cut the pieces for the bottom and the sides. Secure the sides to the bottom using glue and 1-1/4″ brad nails.

Step Two

Cut the pieces for the corner supports. Secure to the bottom and the outer edges of the sides using glue and 1-1/4″ brad nails.

Step Three

Cut the pieces for the front and the back. Secure the front and back to the sides and the corner supports using glue and 1-1/4″ brad nails.

Step Four

Install the mounting plates according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions. Install the feet. You can also make your own furniture feet.

Step Five

Cut the pieces for the top and the lid stops. Mark the position for the stops, apply glue, and clamp in place on the underside of the top. Secure the stops in place using 3/4″ screws through the top.

To Upholster the Ottoman:

I did not take photos of the upholstery… I thought I did but they are missing!

I spray painted the feet dark brown prior to installing them on the underside of the ottoman. Cover all of the edges of the ottoman with duct tape. This will soften the sharp edges and keep them from wearing the fabric.

Cut a piece of 2″ foam to fit the top, and cut a piece of the fabric large enough to fold over the foam and the sides of the top. Fold the edges of the fabric over to the underside of the top (just short of the lid stops), securing in place with staples. The fabric should be pulled snugly without distorting the foam.

Wrap the 1″ foam around all sides of the base. Cut a piece of fabric large enough to go around the entire base, and to fold over the top and bottom edges. Secure in place using staples on the top and bottom of the box.

For optional tufting on the top, I used a few large washers and screws like this example. I used a covered button kit to make buttons then glued them over the washers screwed into the top of the ottoman.

Replace the lid, put up your feet and relax!

The DIY plans to build an Upholstered Ottoman are an excellent choice for all skill levels. The upholstery is super-simple, and the entire ottoman can be completed in a day. Have any questions about the ottoman or the upholstery? Leave a comment below!

Originally posted 2015-06-12 08:00:42.