I Transformed a Fragile Glass Coffee Table into a Cozy, Sturdy Ottoman
Credit: Ashley Poskin Credit: Ashley Poskin
Credit: Ashley Poskin Credit: Ashley Poskin
Credit: Ashley Poskin Credit: Ashley Poskin
ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER
HOME TYPE: Apartment
PROJECT TYPE: Furniture
STYLE: Colorful, Eclectic, Maximalist
SKILL LEVEL: DIY
RENTAL FRIENDLY: Yes
Nothing satisfies me more than being able to create something that I need out of something I already have. This was the case recently when I thought I was going to have to get rid of the cute coffee table I’d bought on Facebook Marketplace because my daughter kept sitting on the glass top. Even though I loved the style of the table, I realized it wasn’t really a fit for my family’s lifestyle.
I didn’t have the budget to replace it, and to be honest I didn’t want to — it was the perfect size and really cute. Instead of scrapping the whole thing, I decided to keep it and make a few changes to the design that would work better for our family’s needs.
First up, I removed the glass top.
First, the 75-pound piece of glass had to go. I’m not generally a huge fan of glass-top tables, but I liked how this one showed off the cute wavy design of the coffee table. I assumed my almost-9-year-old would know better, but walking in and seeing her sitting in the middle of it on an almost daily basis sealed the deal: It was not meant for our house.
Instead, I wanted to turn the delicate coffee table into a sturdier ottoman. In other words, I leaned into turning this table into a seat! Once the glass top was off, I painted the legs a pretty light pink.
I used leftover supplies to transform the tabletop into a cushion.
Next up, I gathered my upholstery supplies and added jute webbing to the top side of the coffee table. Then I headed to my basement to find an IKEA foam mattress I’d been saving for the perfect project.
I flipped the coffee table over onto the foam and traced the outline, which I then cut out with my jigsaw. An old sheet worked perfectly to tack the foam in place and gave me a good idea of what it was going to look like so I could decide on fabric.
A thrifted blanket makes for the coziest upholstery.
For upholstery, I’d considered a thick cotton duck canvas or even a vinyl that would be easy to wipe down. I’d thought about possibly tufting it, but remembered how cumbersome tufts are with kids and pets — it’s nearly impossible to vacuum all the snack debris and dog hair out of the tiny crevices! Knowing my daughter would perch there while watching shows and eating snacks, and that our feet would eventually find their way up after long days, I decided to go with a really simple flat top.
Even though vinyl would have been the most practical fabric to use, I didn’t have a budget and really wanted to use something I already had, so I went to the basement to see what was in my stash. I came across a gorgeous vintage plaid alpaca wool throw that I had purchased at a thrift store a few years ago for $6.99 and knew it would be perfect. I don’t make a habit of destroying lovely vintage linens, but in my defense it had been machine washed and shrunk a bit, and it wasn’t really big enough anymore to use as a blanket. The greens worked perfectly in the room, and it was soft enough I knew my daughter would love to snuggle up on it.
Did it break my vintage-loving heart a little bit to put staples through a gorgeous blanket and cut the excess? Of course. But I also believe that home items are made to be used, and now this old blanket gets used every day. The total amount I spent to make over this coffee table was a whopping $0, as I relied on leftovers for the whole project.
I’m so absolutely thrilled with the final product, and the fact that I was able to use only things I already had for this redo is just the cherry on top!
Inspired? Submit your own project here.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Ashley — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
