You may remember Kara from Kara Paslay Designs from a memorable house tour she shared with us. When she sent photos of a stunning DIY ottoman, we asked if she would write a guest tutorial for YHL. Happily, she said yes. Below Kara walks you through how she built and upholstered this beautiful, surprisingly doable ottoman.
Hello Young House Love readers! I’m so excited to share the details on how I made this tufted ottoman. Follow these steps and you’ll have a lovely piece for your living room.
Step 1 – Cut a piece of wood or MDF to the coffee-table size you want, or reuse an existing table top if you prefer. If building from scratch, 3/4″ plywood or MDF works well to prevent sagging. Mark the locations for your button tufts (six, eight, or more, depending on your design) and pre-drill small holes through the top where each button will be secured. Spread contact cement on the top and press a 2″ piece of foam (cut to the same dimensions) onto the glued surface. Foam can be found at craft stores.
Step 2 – Cover the foam with extra-loft batting and attach it underneath the tabletop using a staple gun. Trim any excess batting so the underside looks neat.
Step 3 – Lay your chosen fabric over the batting. If the fabric has a pattern, make sure it’s straight before stapling. For a rectangular or square top, start by stapling a few staples on one side, then pull the opposite side taut and staple there. Repeat for the remaining two sides. Keeping an even tension around the whole piece prevents bunching or bulges and gives a professional result.
Step 4 – Tidy the corners. Start by folding them as shown in the photo, then pull the left flap toward the right and staple. Next fold both flaps to the left and staple, smoothing any lumps or humps as you go. Proper corner folding creates a clean edge and a finished look.
Step 5 – Prepare your tufting buttons. Purchase a button cover kit from a craft store and follow the kit instructions to cover the buttons with your fabric.
Step 6 – Thread a very strong, heavy-duty thread through a large upholstery needle. Don’t cut the thread; you’ll need a long length for tufting.
Step 7 – Push the needle through the underside of the tabletop (back to front) at the pre-drilled hole where you want the button. You may need pliers to pull the needle through from the top.
Step 8 – Thread the covered button onto the exposed thread and push the needle back down through the top toward the underside. It can take a few attempts to locate the hole from the top, so be patient and persistent.
Step 9 – On the underside, thread a washer onto the two ends of the thread and tie a secure knot so the button stays in place. Have someone press the button inward on the top while you tighten and knot the thread to ensure consistent tuft depth across all buttons.
After completing all the buttons you’ll have a beautifully tufted surface. You could stop here and hang it as a headboard, but to make an ottoman we built a simple base using reclaimed 2x2s.
Step 10 – Cut the wood for the base: six pieces at 12″ (2x2s), three pieces at 19″, and four pieces at 22″. The arrangement shown in the photos includes a side view and a bird’s-eye view to guide assembly.
Step 11 – Assemble the base. If you have a pocket-hole jig (Kreg Jig), you can use that; otherwise, Liquid Nails plus finish nails or screws work fine. Apply adhesive and secure the joints with nails or screws. Once the adhesive cures the base becomes very sturdy.
Step 12 – Attach the base to the upholstered top. Use construction adhesive and then toe-nail finish nails (diagonal nails) to firmly secure the pieces together. If you use screws, pre-drill to avoid splitting the wood.
Finished, the ottoman looks great in our living room and functions as both a coffee table and a comfortable surface for resting feet or extra seating.
We’re thrilled to have a functional, low-cost piece made mostly from reclaimed materials. Our final cost was very low; here is the budget breakdown:
- Top from former coffee table – FREE
- 2″ thick foam – $27 (with coupon)
- Contact cement – already owned
- Fabric (scrap piece) – FREE
- Tufting buttons – $5
- Reclaimed wood legs – FREE
- TOTAL COST: $32
You can replicate this by upholstering a table you already own, using repurposed fabric like an old curtain panel, or sourcing wood from thrift stores or local reuse centers. With a little creativity you can build a charming, budget-friendly ottoman that suits your space. Good luck and happy building!
Doesn’t this DIY ottoman look great? Thanks to Kara and Tim for the photos and the clear step-by-step guide. If you try this tutorial, you’ll have a beautiful custom piece for a fraction of store prices.