I love taking furniture meant for different purposes and upcycling it into another use. That is exactly what Jess and Monica from East Coast Creative did with this IKEA Lack table. At $10 for the table it makes it a very affordable option for a custom ottoman.
Hey there! It’s Jess and Monica from East Coast Creative! We’re back with another super simple, easy-on-the-wallet project that is cute, functional and totally customizable. Gotta love that.
We’re both huge fans of Ikea. I mean, really, who doesn’t love cheap, Swedish, hard-to-pronounce and even-harder-to-put-together furniture? I purchased this chair for the my living room, but the scale of it just wasn’t right. It really needed something to help fill the space, and I thought an ottoman would do the trick nicely. While at IKEA, I came across this LACK side table which is only 10 bucks (depending on the finish you choose), and knew it would work as an ottoman that could fill the void in my living room. Round up the following supplies supplies and let’s get started!
Lack side table
1 1/2 yards of fabric
1 1/2 yards of quilt batting- Look for a coupon or a sale on this!
Foam (mine is 2 inches thick)- Don’t buy without a coupon!
Staple Gun
Spray adhesive
Paint (optional)
Chop saw (optional)
1. Lay the table top upside down on the foam and trace it using a Sharpie.
2. Cut the foam with an electric carving knife. I saw the girls at JoAnn’s doing this, and let me tell you, the foam cuts like butter when you do it this way! If you don’t have one, try an X-acto knife or razor.
3. Spray one side of the foam with adhesive and press it firmly onto the table top.
4. Grab your helper and lay the foam-covered table top onto the quilt batting and trim the excess. Make sure you leave enough batting around the edges to cover the sides of the table. (Adorable little helper is optional.)
5. Using your staple gun, fold one corner in towards the middle of the table and staple into place. Work your way around the table pulling tight on the batting and stapling as you go. Use a hammer to wack any stubborn staples into place.
6. Iron your fabric so you don’t have to deal with any annoying wrinkles. Or ignore this step if wrinkles don’t drive you nuts. If they don’t, I envy you. Please tell me your secret.
7. Determine the placement of your fabric and trim the excess, but be generous with your cuts so that you have enough to go all the way around. Working the same way as with the batting, start with the corner and fold towards the middle upholstering the table top. Staple in place. Work your way around, pulling the fabric tight. Every once in a while, flip the top over so you can make adjustments to the placement of the fabric if necessary (and it will be necessary, trust me!)
8. This step is completely optional, as well. I wanted the ottoman to be a bit lower than the height of the seat of the chair, so I used a chop saw to cut about 3 inches off of all four legs. Surprise! Ikea table legs are hollow! I guess that’s how they keep the price at $10. *Wink*
9. To achieve a similar finish to the chair, I used two coats of Annie Sloan Chalk paint in French Linen, then lightly spray painted them with Valspar Satin in La Fonda.
That’s it! For under $25, I have an adorable ottoman that helps ground the chair in my living room, adds additional seating (yes! You can sit on it!), and a comfy place to put your feet up at the end of the day. I call that a win-win.
To see these other projects in the living room, click below:
We’re also sooooo excited to announce that we’re hosting Creating with the Stars this year, and have rounded up an amazing group of sponsors and incredible stars (including the fabulous Beckie!). Have you dreamed of partnering with your favorite blog star? Do you have what it takes to win? Come check out all the details here!
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