Turn An Old Plastic Planter Into A Cute & Comfortable Ottoman With A Simple DIY

An ottoman can tie a room together. They don't have to be fancy or expensive, either. In a rustic setting, you can use an old crate, which costs nothing. You can also buy something a bit fancier. Does Aldi or IKEA sell the better storage ottoman? Mushroom ottomans are trending right now, and just one can set you back from $30 to over $1,000. However, with a bit of craftiness and a simple plastic planter, you can make one yourself for a fraction of that cost and enhance your home at the same time. Popular thrifty décor YouTuber Annika Hinds has created a tutorial for making a shroomy ottoman perfect for resting your feet. You can complete this piece of furniture within a day once you have the right supplies.

Before you head out to buy the materials, it's important to have an idea of what the final product will look like. This ottoman is shaped like a chunky, slightly fuzzy mushroom. That means you'll need a large, sturdy plastic planter, like The HC Companies 20 Inch Round Prima Planter for about $25; a wood round, like this RELIABILT 1 by 15 Inch Radius Edge Unfinished Pine Board that's almost $8 at Lowe's; a roll of GoTo 1 Inch Upholstery Foam for about $20; and some Short Plush Shaggy Faux Fur Fabric in white for about $17. Can't find the right-sized planter? A plastic bucket works, too. Finally, check through your collection of tools and supplies that every DIYer needs to own for a hot glue gun, some lightweight scrap fabric, tailor's scissors, and an upholstery stapler.

Cut out a circle of foam to fit the dimensions of your wood round. Use hot glue to secure the foam patch to the wood, and then cut the edges of the foam to round them off, creating the mushroom's cap. Tightly wrap the faux fur fabric over the foam-covered wood round, securing it in place with an upholstery stapler. Keep the plastic planter right-side up and line the inside with a light cotton fabric. Then, use the hot glue gun to attach the faux fur fabric to the outside, trimming the excess and gluing it to the lining. If you can't pull the fabric tight enough, ask a family member or friend to help. One person stretches the fabric tight while the other person staples or glues it in place.

If you've been dreaming of all the things you'd keep in your round storage ottoman, affix a piece of wood to the mushroom cap, which acts as a rim to keep it in place. This works best with a straight-sided plastic planter, otherwise you risk the whole thing toppling over. If you prefer to use the ottoman as a footstool beside the sofa or in a kid's room, upturn the plastic fabric-covered planter and secure the mushroom cap to the bottom (where the drainage holes are) using more hot glue. If that's not strong enough and the cap slips off, use a stronger adhesive or screw the cap to the planter using an electric drill and short wood screws. Don't like the idea of white fabric? Make the ottoman yours by changing color or upcycle old blankets or quilts.