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How a $50 Rug Can Turn an Outdated Ottoman Into a Statement Piece

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, on purchases made after following an affiliate link. See my full disclosure here.

June 3, 2013 By Jackie

Checkout my new ottoman…it’s big, graphic, and only cost about $50!

DIY Rug Ottoman

I have long loved the pretty patterned ottomans at West Elm. Recently, I discovered the gorgeous rug ottomans at Company C. But, I could not justify the expense, since we already have an ottoman for the new family room. Only downside is it is a large dark leather ottoman…not really our style anymore.

ottomanbefore

Then, the lightbulb went off. Why not cover my ottoman with a rug? The trick was to find a pliable enough rug to pull it off. Thankfully, HomeGoods usually has a good selection of printed cotton rugs.

I brought home two to try out in the space. The rugs we chose between were both 5′ x 7′ printed cotton rugs.  Each was $49.99 at HomeGoods.  I bought them on two different trips.  I found a navy and white Ikat one first, but when I got it home I was not sure it was the one.  On another trip to HomeGoods I found a geometric white and charcoal gray rug.

This is how the final decision making process went down via text. The hubby and I had this brief conversation.  And, I got schooled.

designdecisionsbyphone1designdecisionsbyphone2

Gray and white graphic print it was! The “Pendleton-y” style rug went back to HomeGoods. My how I have my blinders on sometimes to other decorating styles…I had never heard of Pendleton blankets. But, I agreed with my husband the graphic print was much more our style.

Recovering my ottoman was relatively simple. I unscrewed the legs and base trim from the ottoman.

DIYrugottoman9

DIYrugottoman10

I laid the rug face down and centered the ottoman on top. I started in the middle of each side and used my staple gun to staple the rug to the ottoman.  I worked from the centers out to the corners.

DIYrugottoman11

To avoid sewing, I used the same rounded corner technique that I used on my upholstered banquette.  I folded the rug neatly at the corners and stapled in place.

DIYrugottoman12

DIYrugottoman13

DIYrugottoman14

DIYrugottoman15

I cut all the excess bulk out of the corners.  I cut back far enough to re-insert the ottoman legs.

DIYrugottoman16

DIYrugottoman17

This is what the finished rounded corner looks like.  It was easy to get crisp folds with the rug.

DIY Rug Ottoman

I bolted all the legs back in place.  I decided not to reattach the wood trim between the legs.  I prefer the simple, more open look.  I cut the excess rug off all the way around.  I folded the edges under and stapled for a neat finish.

DIYrugottoman18

The ottoman now sports this fantastic geometric pattern.

DIY Rug Ottoman

The old leather ottoman was always a great fit with our large, low sectional.  The recovered version fits just as well.  The height and size are perfect.

DIY Rug Ottoman

I borrowed some pillows from the game area to style the sectional for these shots.  I have not gotten around to making pillows for this room, yet.

DIY Rug Ottoman

I am not ready to accessorize the family room just yet either, so I borrowed some favorites from around the house to style the ottoman for this shoot.  I will definitely be adding a large tray, so the ottoman can double as a coffee table.

DIY Rug Ottoman

The graphic charcoal and white patterned ottoman looks beautiful with our yellow armchairs.  Gray and yellow might just be one of the awesomest color combinations ever…well, next to teal and lime, of course :)

DIY Rug Ottoman

I adore our new ottoman.  Adore is probably not a strong enough word…I am completely obsessed.  I want to just sit with my feet up and stare at my amazing ottoman.

DIY Rug Ottoman

This $50 transformation was easy and impactful. Wouldn’t you agree this ottoman has so much more personality than the dark leather version?

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Comments

  1. Pudel - design says

    June 3, 2013 at 7:35 am

    Great! Love it!;)
    Thank you for sharing!
    Lydia

  2. Julia says

    June 3, 2013 at 7:38 am

    This looks so amazing! I am sitting here incredibly jealous that I don’t have an old ottoman sitting around, because the size, height, and pattern would be PERFECT for our family room.

    I’m a long time follower but this might be my first comment. :) I have followed several of your tutorials-I made the topiaries that you posted, my son and I made our own modern bird feeder after you made yours, and I have used your envelope pillow tutorial for some throw pillows in our family room. Love your blog and your style!

    • Jackie says

      June 3, 2013 at 8:21 am

      Thanks Julia. Look at thrift stores and garage sales for ottomans that need some love! I hope you find one and can use this tutorial, too.

  3. [email protected] says

    June 3, 2013 at 8:13 am

    Well done! I love the rug you chose for the ottoman.

  4. taylor says

    June 3, 2013 at 8:15 am

    LOVE LOVE LOVE! What a fabulous idea!

    • Jackie says

      June 3, 2013 at 8:22 am

      Thanks Taylor!

  5. Jessica W says

    June 3, 2013 at 9:26 am

    this looks soo beautiful! I love it!

  6. jenn says

    June 3, 2013 at 9:50 am

    Looks awesome! I’ve been thinking about doing this with a Mexican blanket that I bought on a study abroad trip 13 years ago. I can’t bear to part with the blanket and I think using it as an ottoman would be fun.

    • Jackie says

      June 3, 2013 at 11:26 am

      Jenn, Sounds like a great way to incorporate your blanket into your decor!

  7. Noel M says

    June 3, 2013 at 10:07 am

    I love this! It looks great! What do you think that the clean-ability is going to be? (I’m sure you haven’t had time to test this out yet, but maybe you could revisit at some point in the future and weigh in?)

    • Jackie says

      June 3, 2013 at 11:25 am

      Noel, We have had a few similar printed cotton rugs around the house and they have held up really well to normal foot traffic. I am hoping this rug will hold up as well on the ottoman with less foot traffic…more foot resting. We are a shoes off, food only in the kitchen kind of family, which I think helps are furniture stay cleaner.

  8. Anne says

    June 3, 2013 at 10:21 am

    Looks great! And a professional finish. My mom loves Pendleton’s clothes. I’m pretty sure she has kept them in business for the last 20 years.

    • Jackie says

      June 3, 2013 at 11:23 am

      Anne, The clothes is the reason my hubby knew of them.

  9. [email protected] says

    June 3, 2013 at 10:47 am

    This looks so good! Nicely done. I don’t know that I would have ever thought to use a rug, but that is such a great idea.

  10. Misty says

    June 3, 2013 at 12:05 pm

    Fabulous!

  11. Patrina says

    June 3, 2013 at 12:11 pm

    You are brave! I would never have thought to do this. This looks FAB. I would have been to afraid I wouldn’t like it and would have already distroyed the rug too. LOL I too have one of those huge leather ottomans just sitting in the garage. I will be on the look out for a rug now. Thanks for sharing the step by step photos!

    • Jackie says

      June 3, 2013 at 12:31 pm

      Patrina, Don’t be afraid. I decided spending $50 to try to rehab the ottoman was worth the risk vs. spending hundred of dollars on a new ottoman.

  12. Becky says

    June 3, 2013 at 12:14 pm

    Amazing! I have an ottoman that the fabric has seen it better days! Hate to throw it out but now no worries. You gave me inspiration! :-)

  13. Diana says

    June 3, 2013 at 4:23 pm

    Amazing!! So creative!

  14. Lisa R says

    June 3, 2013 at 4:42 pm

    Absolutely love it! You gave me a great idea for fixing up an old piece that I have of my grandmother’s. I am not good at thinking outside the box and visit your site daily because you give me inspiration:)
    Thank you
    Lisa

    • Jackie says

      June 3, 2013 at 8:31 pm

      Thanks for the sweet comment Lisa. I am sure whatever you recover in a rug will be amazing! It was such a simple and rewarding project.

      • Lisa R says

        June 4, 2013 at 12:14 pm

        Thanks Jackie!
        I can’t wait to start :)

  15. Lisa says

    June 3, 2013 at 8:25 pm

    I love the choice in rug you and your husband made. It looks great with those yellow chairs.

  16. Yusra says

    June 3, 2013 at 11:31 pm

    I have one of those boring ottomans and have it stored away now. Maybe ill bring it back ad do this with it!!! Mine is slightly larger though so I hope I can find a large enough rug!

  17. Michelle says

    June 4, 2013 at 9:36 am

    Great idea! Your finished ottoman looks fabulous.

  18. Kelly says

    June 4, 2013 at 10:07 am

    Agree. It looks fantastic! Love the text conversation too…

  19. fdl says

    June 6, 2013 at 10:23 am

    I love this! What a great job – btw, where did you get those awesome chairs? I love them too. Your entire room is gorgeous!

    • Jackie says

      June 6, 2013 at 12:42 pm

      The chairs are the Anson chairs from Room & Board. They are totally retro fun! They have a couch in the collection, too.

  20. Cheryl says

    June 7, 2013 at 9:53 pm

    I love all the colors you’ve used! Especially the curtains! Did you DIY or buy them? Your ottoman looks so professional!

    • Jackie says

      June 7, 2013 at 10:28 pm

      Thank you and welcome, Cheryl. The curtains are an Anthro knock-off that I purchased on a flash sale site. You can read about that here: http://www.tealandlime.com/2013/01/my-first-flash-sale-site-buy-anthro-inspired-curtains-for-35/

      If you are looking for DIY curtains, check out these beautiful embellished ones I made for my studio: http://www.tealandlime.com/2012/10/diy-embellished-curtains/

  21. Camilla @ Something Is Done says

    June 7, 2013 at 10:56 pm

    Wow! Impressive! It totally looks like something you’d get at West Elm, but for a fraction of the price. I also now find myself wishing I had an old ottoman lying around. I may have to troll Craigslist. Thanks for the idea!

  22. ashleigh burchard says

    June 7, 2013 at 11:37 pm

    I lived in Pendleton for a while :) so this made mw laugh.

  23. [email protected] says

    June 8, 2013 at 1:56 pm

    looks great! that’s exactly the sort of thing I want for my den to replace my coffee table. Now if only I had a not-my-style-anymore ottoman sitting around to recover :)

  24. Christine Crowley Welby says

    June 11, 2013 at 3:17 am

    Great idea, Jackie! The new ottoman looks great! You chose the right rug; I love the colors. It works great with the rest of your room! It’s the piece that stands out. I’m looking forward to see you next DIY projects.

  25. Sarah @ Just The Bees Knees says

    June 12, 2013 at 9:15 am

    Such a great idea! It turned out wonderfully! I saw the EXACT same rug at Home Goods and I had it in my cart, took it out of my cart, put it back in my cart, then ended up leaving the store without it. I just LOVED that rug, but really had no place to put it. So wish I picked it up….

  26. Brynne says

    June 14, 2013 at 9:20 am

    Visiting from Miss Mustard Seed’s link party – I LOVE the way the ottoman turned out! It’s fabulous! Love your style in this room – I’m off to check out the rest of your blog :)

  27. the cape on the corner says

    June 14, 2013 at 10:50 am

    you make this look easy! and good choice with this one.

  28. Maureen says

    June 15, 2013 at 11:49 am

    I have a wooden coffee table. Any thoughts on how to make that work with a rug?

    • Jackie says

      June 15, 2013 at 12:26 pm

      Maureen, Try adding some foam first like I did for my slipcover bench (http://www.tealandlime.com/2011/11/easy-bench-slipcover-tutorial/). Depending on the thickness of the foam, you may need to shorten the coffee table legs to get your new ottoman to the desired height.

  29. Anneke says

    June 15, 2013 at 12:16 pm

    This looks SO good! I’d love to do this with our leather sleeper ottoman which may be more tricky but probably worth it!

  30. Tiffany says

    June 15, 2013 at 5:11 pm

    It looks fabulous! We have one similar but its all cloth and no legs. It needs some work. Thanks for the inspiration!

  31. [email protected] says

    June 17, 2013 at 8:41 am

    Fabulous! What a clever solution.

  32. Angela @ CreativeBlossoming.com says

    June 20, 2013 at 12:37 am

    Clever idea repurposing a rug for the ottoman! Probably much easier than buying upholstery fabric too. Great job and very cool pattern!

  33. Jessica says

    June 21, 2013 at 11:27 am

    Have to ask – the sectional and chairs are fantastic, they still available somewhere? Anywhere? :)

    • Jackie says

      June 21, 2013 at 11:31 am

      Jessica, The chairs and sectional are from Room & Board. I belive both are still available, but may be stocked in different fabrics.

  34. Cindy says

    July 20, 2013 at 12:11 am

    I was just just wondering what type of staple gun you used? Mine doesn’t ever work that good.

    • Jackie says

      July 20, 2013 at 8:20 am

      Cindy, Details on all my DIY Upholstery tools are here. I used my electric staple gun. I also use a small tack hammer to pound the staples in super tight. Hope that helps.

  35. Kathy says

    August 14, 2013 at 3:46 pm

    You’ve inspired me. It looks fabulous!

  36. Shelley says

    September 3, 2013 at 1:22 am

    Stunning! This gives me inspiration for a small sitting bench that needs reupholstering ! Thanks so much.

  37. Koko says

    April 28, 2014 at 11:11 am

    Lovely!!! Room looks much lighter, funkier and modern than dark brown ottoman.
    I’m currently looking for material for my damaged ottoman, so it was inspiring! Only differnts yours to mins are, I need wipe able material since 7years old always spill and my ottoman is storage as well so I have to do box area as well…
    Maybe you could share your genius idea for me?? ;)
    thanks!

  38. Chrissy M says

    August 10, 2014 at 11:05 am

    Thanks for the tutorial! I have a similar leather covered ottoman and planned on removing the original leather to avoid any unwanted lumps against the new fabric. Do you think it’s better without removing the leather? Thanks!

    • Jackie says

      August 10, 2014 at 8:44 pm

      My rug was thick enough that I don’t notice the leather underneath. If anything it probably gives it more strength, then just the foam underneath the rug.

  39. Lori says

    October 24, 2014 at 3:36 pm

    This is absolutely amazing! I’m inspired enough to try it myself! Thanks for sharing!!

  40. Renee says

    December 13, 2014 at 10:49 pm

    Beautiful job! I just found the inspiration for the ottoman my daughter needs for her new apartment. We’re going to Home Goods tomorrow to find a rug! I’m curious, what are the dimensions of your ottoman?

  41. magen smith says

    January 19, 2015 at 1:10 am

    I have this exact same ottoman! I was just now looking online for some fabric to recover it and I came across your idea to use a rug. I love this idea! What size of rug did you use?

Trackbacks

  1. Inspiration Gallery Features 6/15 - Design, Dining + Diapers says:
    June 15, 2013 at 6:01 am

    […] DIY Rug Ottoman via Teal and Lime […]

  2. DIY Home Projects and Reveals! | Crafty Scrappy Happy says:
    June 15, 2013 at 6:03 am

    […] DIY Rug Ottoman via Teal and Lime […]

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