This Hack Makes an Ikea Bench Look Like It Costs Thousands

I wanted a fully upholstered bench for my front hall, without the big price tag. So with Ikea Bjursta bench
2 yards printed fabric
18 yards of 12/32-inch piping cord
2 yards white cotton fabric
2-inch-thick foam sheet
Mod Podge
Foam brush
Yardstick
Sharpie
Scissors
Bread knife
Hot glue gun
Glue sticks
Pins
White thread
Sewing machine
Iron

10. Brush a thin coat of Mod Podge onto the top lip of the long side of the bench. Press on a D piece, making sure it is centered and the bottom edge of the fabric just meets the corner underneath the lip. Press down the fabric and smooth out any air bubbles. Brush extra glue on the edges. Repeat with the other D piece on the opposite side, and then with the E pieces on the short sides of the top bench lip.

11. Hot glue the piping cord border around the underside of the bench lip.

12. Fold a one-inch border along three sides of the F and G pieces, and iron in place, leaving one long side of each unfolded.

13. Brush a thin coat of Mod Podge onto one of the long bench sides. Press on an F piece, making sure it is centered and the top hem is flush under the bench lip and the side hems are flush with the seams of the legs. Repeat with the other F piece on the opposite side, and then with the G pieces on the short side of the bench.

14. Fold a one-inch border along the top sides of the H pieces and iron in place. Brush Mod Podge on the outside sides of one leg of the bench. Press on an H piece, centering and making sure the top edge is flush with the lip of the bench. Fold a faux hem on each side at the top (along the bench sides, then once you reach the end of the bench side, cut a slit, and just wrap the fabric around the sides of the leg instead of a faux hem. Repeat on the remaining legs.

15. Flip the bench upside down, and Mod Podge or hot glue the piping along the outside leg edges and under the bench sides.

16. Fold a one-inch border along the long sides of the I pieces, and iron in place. Brush Mod Podge on the inside sides of one leg of the bench. Press on an I piece, centering and making sure the top edge is flush with the bottom of the bench side. Trim and Mod Podge any excess fabric or piping on the bottom of the leg. Repeat on the remaining legs.

17. Flip the bench right side up. Hot glue the bottom of the cushion onto the top of the bench to keep it from shifting around.

Related Links:

Make These Sweet and Cool Coffee Treats All Summer Long

Dress Up Your Walls With This Affordable Art

How to Throw a Summer Party in 5 Easy Steps

1. Assemble the bench according to Ikea’s instructions.

2. Use the bread knife, yardstick, and Sharpie to trim the foam to 14 by 62.5 inches.

3. Cut the fabric pieces using the yardstick, Sharpie, and scissors. You’ll need . . .
• For the cushion: (1) 16 by 64.5 inches [Piece A], (2) four by 64.5 inches [Piece B], and (2) four by 16 inches [Piece C]
• For the top bench lip: (2) two by 64.5 inches [Piece D] and (2) two by 16 inches [Piece E]
• For the bench sides: (2) four by 60 inches [Piece F] and (2) four by 10 inches [Piece G]
• For the outside legs: (4) six by 17 inches [Piece H]
• For the inside legs: (4) six by 14 inches [Piece I]

4. Cut the white fabric into two-inch-wide strips. Fold a strip around the piping cord, and loosely pin in place. Sew along the cord (as close as you can without sewing on the cord). Continue covering the cord and sewing until all the cord is covered.

5. Fold a one-inch border (like a faux hem) around all sides of the cushion pieces (Pieces A, B, C), and iron in place.

6. Pin the piping around the border of the A piece, so that the cord of the piping faces the front of the fabric and the seam and tail of the piping will be on the backside of the fabric. At the corners, cut a slit in the tail of the piping, so the cord can make a sharp bend. Sew in place, sewing as close as you can to the piping cord without sewing on the cord itself.

7. Sew the short sides of the B pieces and C pieces together with a one-inch border, so that the front side of the fabric faces itself and the seams will be on the backside of the fabric.

8. Pin the B and C sides onto the A piece with a one-inch border, so that the front side of the fabric faces itself and the seams will be on the backside of the fabric. Sew in place, sewing as close as you can to the piping cord without sewing on the cord itself.

9. Flip the pieces inside out and cover the foam cushion. Use pins to stretch the fabric as tightly as possible on the cushion. Flip the cushion upside down and hot glue the fabric in place on the underside of the cushion. Let the glue cool, and remove the pins. Set the cushion aside.