Ottoman Makeover

We bought this storage ottoman shortly after my daughter was born a few years ago and it has been one of the best investments.  It wouldn't be my number one choice for a coffee table/ottoman, but it's functionality far outweighs the lack of style.  We don't have a playroom so pretty much all the toys stay downstairs in the living room in this ottoman.  It also has a great little tray for diapers and wipes.  It's soft and I don't have to worry about her hitting or head on the corners.  I also really like that it's wipeable.  That's a pretty big deal this days.  The one thing I wasn't fond of was the color.  It was brown.  There's nothing wrong with brown, but I wanted something that didn't feel so heavy.  

It actually didn't look so bad before and has held up really well for the amount of abuse it's taken.    

But I wanted lighter and brighter.  So I went with a faux ostrich fabric that has a really nice texture and happens to be wipeable.  I bought it from this seller on ebay.  It was the cheapest price I could find.

I hate that I didn't take more pictures of the process, but I kind of got in the zone once I got started and forgot to snap a few.  I started by cutting four rectangles to cover the sides and then I put the right sides together and sewed seams where the corners are. (see below)    

Then I removed the feet and stapled everything underneath and then stapled everything on the top.  The fabric was a little tricky to work with because it's so thick and not super pliable.  There was a lot of pulling and tugging going on.  If you did a lighter weight upholstery fabric it would be much easier, but the fact that it's wipeable is a huge deal for me.  For the top I followed a similar process.  I cut one large rectangular piece and then sewed seems down the corners so I fit over the top like a slipcover would.  Then I turned it over and stapled it.  

The texture stands out much more in person and that's one of my favorite parts about it.  It still looks a little plain to me, so I'm planning to add some oversized nailhead trim eventually.

My mom has this huge rose tree type thing in her yard and it is going crazy this year!  I grabbed a few blooms when I was there the other day.  Pink roses are one of my favorites!

It really does make a difference in how open the room feels.  The lighter color works so much better.  

p.s. Have you guys checked out the rooms for The One Room Challenge yet?  I'm constantly amazed at all the talent that is out there!  Can't wait to see the rest tomorrow!