How to make a diy bench ottoman out of a rug and hairpin legs

Hello there! Our ottoman / bench in the family room was getting pretty dingy -- not sure what I was thinking with the cream and feet going on it but it was time for a change.

 I loved the storage in it but the blankets now go on the blanket ladder or in a basket by the piano.

 

I wanted something with texture and that hid dirt easily and I figured what would be better than a rug, right? But I needed one that wasn't too thick so I ordered this Safavieh Montauk flatweave cotton rug that folded over the edges easily.

   

Then some 16" hairpin legs from Amazon -- they come with the screws.

The piece of plywood (it is actually attic decking) was from Home Depot and I had them cut it in store for me to 17" X 48"

We did some bed/room switching around here so I had an extra twin foam pad. I remembered seeing that electric bread knives are perfect for cutting foam and I saw one at Goodwill years ago and had kept it. It truly sliced through like butter, so keep that trick in mind if you are doing any upholstery projects!

 

Center the rug over the foam/board, And then just turn it over and staple with a heavy duty staple gun. I would actually attach the legs first (I didn't!) and it was a pain cutting out the fabric around them. I think it would have been easier to just pull the fabric around the legs and staple. Note: to make it even more polished without strings hanging down, you can use fray check on the edges

 

It's a good bench/ottoman for in front of a sofa, end of a bed, or entryway for about $60. You could also use a cool piece of reclaimed wood with the hairpin legs -- oh, the possibilities!

 

Dreary winter days call for some fun indoor projects. Good luck with yours -- let me know if you have any questions or find any great rugs that would work well!