The last
time we talked about the entryway, we cleaned up the room by
adding new Tarkett flooring (this whole area is temporary as part of our
phase 1 upgrade). This time we’re going to show you how we accomplished this $0
project by converting a free table into a corner bench and using supplies left
over from various projects.
We’re huge
fans of using
roadside treasures, freebies, or salvaged pieces and this project was no
different. We ended up spotting this table (complete with 4 chairs) with a
‘free’ sign on our way home from work and could hardly get home quick enough to
switch vehicles and throw that bad boy in the back of our truck. We decided to pass
on the chairs, since we already have more than we know what to do with.
Admittedly,
the beau was a little skeptical at first as he didn’t quite understand my
vision. After explaining that we could rework the piece into an L-Shaped bench
with a little sketch, he was up for the challenge.
Besides
being sturdy, we had three more requirements. The corner bench needed to:
- Be removable (we’d like to reuse it elsewhere someday, remember our entryway is only in phase 1).
- Fit our existing white shoe shelves (the beau picked them up from a big box store years ago) underneath.
- Be constructed as close to free as possible, you know the ‘use wacha got’ mentality.
- Free table
- White paint (left over from our painting marathon) + painting supplies
- Sand paper, left over
- Wood putty, left over
- Shoe Shelf (we bought this years ago) like this one from Target
- Shoe tray (also bought years ago) like this Yaktrax one from Amazon
- Screws, left over
- Wood glue, left over
- Kreg Jig
- Handsaw
- Clamps
- Miter saw
We took a
couple rough measurements in the entryway including the total length on each
side and the approximate height. The measurements ended up being similar to an actual
“L” with a long side and a short side. Then we just dug right in and disassembled
the table by popping off all the screw covers, unscrewing the legs, and removing
support bar.
He then cut
the table top and legs in half and dry fit the pieces to see where additional
cuts needed to be made. He overlapped the table top and marked where they came
together. Then flipped each board over and drew a line where the 45 degree
miter cut needed to go. He also used this time to decide how high the seat needed
to be by holding the bench at various levels. We decided that a couple inches
below our electrical box cupboard was perfect.
After triple
checking his measurements, he made a 45 degree cut with his miter saw and attached
the corners together using his Kreg Jig and wood glue. To secure them, he used
long clamps and let them dry overnight.
Since the original
leg feet were made to support the table at its full width the beau had to
reduce their size by doing a little reconstructive surgery. Picture really long bench feet jetting out
into the walking area, can you say cursing-as-you-stub-your-toes- hazard?!
So he cut those
feet in half then trimmed each side until he was comfortable with the size. One
side was cut shorter than the other to accommodate the wall + trim. We didn’t
mind a tiny gap between the wall and the bench as it provided stability,
achieved the standalone requirement, and reduced the chance that we’d need to
drill the bench into the wall.
He then
drilled holes using his Kreg Jig again to piece the feet together:
The very
last piece needed for assembly was to support the corner of the bench. He
achieved this by measuring the gap between our shoe shelf and the bottom of the
bench. Using the wood piece from the center support bar, he attached again
using his Kreg Jig.
By the end
of all the reconstructive surgery, he had successfully reused just about every
piece of wood from the original table.
He again
brought all the sections to dry fit the entire bench. Ahhh…. Perfection.
With all the
pieces finished, he drilled pilot holes in both the legs and the table and left
them un-attached for prep and paint.
It was now
time for me to take over and prep the piece for painting. All the major holes
were filled with paintable wood filler and dried overnight.
A quick palm
sanding, wipe down, two coats of primer, and one coat of heavy duty cabinet
paint was all it took to cover up the patchwork.
Then we
ended up with this beaut:
Of course we
had to snazzy that corner up a bit with some pretty pillows.
Don’t mind our door, it only has one coat of
primer on it at this point.
When our DIY’ed
outdoor pillows aren’t in use, they make the perfect accessories to soften
up the area. The lime green, peacock teal, and navy blue leaf pattern are
perfect all year round.
Oops there’s a little sneak peek of the
finished cabinet.
We had no idea how much convenience this tiny addition would bring to our
entryway. I mean besides shoe storage (our #1 requirement) it also provided the
perfect space to set our shopping bags. Let
me tell ya, our pup expects appreciates a full-on petting/slobber/excited
tail-wagging greeting every time we come home (as if we’ve been gone FOREVER). So
having the bench there really helps us so we don’t end up dropping everything,
or worse hurting her (remember
she’s half moose).
We’ve surly
come a long way since the beginning
and still have yet to spend a whole lot of cash. All that’s left? Adding shelving
+ storage to the little nook (on the left side of the entrance), then finishing
the cupboard doors.
Not bad for
free materials we had lying around, eh?! What freebies have you reimagined
lately? What do you think, better after?






P.S. We were not paid or perked from any of these vendors; we just happily used our supplies and tools we already had on-hand to finish the job.
Want to follow along with the Entryway progression? Here’s the $5 Drum Shade, Intro/Plan, Doorway Removal, adding storage using creative materials, the magic of paint, and installing the floor.
Linked at: The Scoop, Get your DIY On, and Tutorials & Tips.
Linked at: The Scoop, Get your DIY On, and Tutorials & Tips.
Remember...



oh wow- that came out awesome!! great job! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic! The best projects are creative ones like this using found items... Congrats!! Erin @ diypassion.com
ReplyDeletePretty genius idea!! Looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteWow, that is such a great transformation and cute idea.
ReplyDeleteFantastic! What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness!! You guys are brilliant! I absolutely love this...gotta pin pin pin! ox Thanks for linking up to Twirl and Take a Bow! ox
ReplyDeleteHow innovative are you two?! What a great way to upcycle and repurpose a table! It was great meeting you this last week! Congrats you have been featured this week on Creative Spark Link Party. Check it out here and make sure to link up again this week! http://bit.ly/1t2Ohhl
ReplyDeleteThis is so clever! Thanks for linking up to The Creative Exchange! xo, Laura
ReplyDeleteSuper cute idea, Trisha!! Thanks for sharing at Project Pin-it! I will be featuring you this week.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Denyse