How to Make a Basic Ottoman Look Custom and High-End
This furniture makeover has been a long time coming, and I’m excited to finally share it with you today! Back in January, I thrifted an ottoman I knew had potential for our basement living space. For $50, it was the right size and shape for our floor plan. The only problem? It was boring, stained, and had seen better days. After a complete makeover, I’m happy to report- it now has designer appeal… custom details, beautiful performance fabric, and it’s anything but boring. Click through to see how to make a basic ottoman look custom and high-end. It was a fun design process!
This post is sponsored by Calico. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow us to create unique content while featuring products we actually use & enjoy!
When Calico reached out and challenged me to find something interesting to reupholster, I jumped at the opportunity. We had just started renovating our basement media room and I knew we would need an ottoman for the space. I was struggling to find a pretty vintage option and many of the readymade ottomans felt boring and cheap. I determined the easiest way to achieve my vision was to buy the basic and boring ottoman from Facebook Marketplace that best fit my space and criteria, then customize it to my liking. Here’s what that process looked liked…
Choosing a Basic Ottoman
The first thing I did was search for secondhand and vintage ottomans. It’s an affordable and easy way to reuse an existing piece of furniture- giving it new life. An alternative is to search local furniture stores, hunting for a budget option in the right size. What exactly was I looking for? A used or old ottoman that had a nice sense of scale, had a pillow or padded top, wooden legs, and casters (or legs I could attach caster to). I knew I could add high-end details to a piece with good framework.
I landed on an option from marketplace that was sized perfectly for our basement living room. However, the ottoman top had seen better days, the sides of the ottoman were also crushed in certain areas, and there were quite a few deep set stains. I didn’t love the existing fabric anyway, so rather than attempting to clean it… I decided reupholstery was in order. I already had a vision of what the perfect ottoman looked like for our space, and I was convinced I could turn this ottoman into something special. Cash had already taken a liking to it- a good reminder that it also needed to be pet-friendly.
Choosing Fabrics & Trim at Calico
My next step was to visit my local Calico for upholstery fabric. I went in with two totally different fabric ideas… brown leather or velvet. As I perused their fabric library, I pulled samples for both. Ultimately, I landed on their performance velvet Banks fabric in cognac with a contrast welt in the same performance velvet Banks fabric in the color oatmeal, pictured above (against my ottoman).
Next, I searched for trim. Since the beginning, I envisioned an ottoman with box trim. It was a detail I noted at High Point a few years ago, and hadn’t forgot. I pulled two neutral options that both felt timeless, and decided on the one that was more tightly woven- for added durability.
Details & Tips for a Designer Look
Once I had my fabric and trim selections (ottoman body fabric, welt fabric, and trim) in the store, I needed to specify measurements and details. I measured and specified the placement of the box trim, the size of the welt, and discussed areas that needed additional padding or upholstery foam in areas that had been crushed.
Additionally, I decided to order two bolster cushions for our reclining homebody sofa. An easy designer trick for a customized look is to repeat the fabric elsewhere in the space. Just like the trim on the ottoman, I opted for matching trim wrapped around the edge of the bolsters in a straight line. I also specified the trim placement and cushion size.
Here are some additional details you could try for a custom designer look when having a piece reupholstered:
- Piped or welted edge
- Trim or appliqué (box trim, in my case)
- Flange edge
- High-end fabric
- Designer patterns
- Upgraded fill (down, down alternative, poly, pillow top, extra padding / foam, etc)
- Matching accents (bolster pillows, in my case)
- Upgraded furniture legs (or the addition of casters)
Upholstery Before & After
Here’s a closer look at the newly upholstered ottoman! I brought it upstairs to photograph, so you could see the details and color more accurately in natural light. Quite the difference, right? I love the new fabric.
Project Cost
As always, I know full transparency is appreciated when I share the project budget. Of course, the price is dependent on your fabric selections and project size. You can always contact Calico for a reupholstery quote– that’s what I would recommend! Here is what my ottoman makeover cost…
- Facebook Marketplace Ottoman – $50
- Performance Velvet Fabric (6 yards) – $300
- Extra cost for Trim – $42
- Bolster Pillows with Inserts (2) – $490
- Additional Foam & Upholstery Padding – $202
- Ottoman Reupholstery Labor – $548
- Delivery / Handling – $100
- TOTAL… $1,682
I definitely feel this custom project (one ottoman and two pillows) was worth the invested budget. This is now a gorgeous, quality piece of furniture we’ll enjoy for many years to come!
Styled Ottoman
The last step was to style the ottoman in our basement media room. The new look beautifully fits our aesthetic, it’s the perfect size for our floor plan, while offering plenty of room for the sofa to recline. The casters also make it easy to shift out of the way, if needed.
Be sure to check out the Basement Media Room Reveal and Basement Bar Reveal, if you missed them! I shared the finished rooms back in April and we’ve really been enjoying both areas downstairs. The bolsters also look lovely and tie in the brown velvet…
FAQ
I absolutely love the trim on the top of the ottoman. I’ve been wanting to add box trim to something for ages. This felt like the perfect opportunity.
They told me 6-8 weeks upon making selections and dropping it off, but it will vary based on your local Calico shop.
It primarily functions as a coffee table or extra seating. Given our Homebody sectional already has reclining foot rests, we don’t really use it for that… but it could certainly function as a foot rest as well. It also fills the negative space in the center of our U-shaped sofa, making it an aesthetic component for our floor plan.
Being a larger piece with a very specific vision for this one, I knew I should leave it to the pros. I also wanted to invest in performance fabric, nice trim, and matching bolsters, so it felt like the perfect job to outsource while we finished installing hardwood flooring and renovating.
Related
Looking for more furniture makeovers and upholstery posts? I’ve shared many over the years! Here are 10 favorites…
- My Animal Print Chairs – A Quick Makeover
- 10 Tips for Identifying Quality Furniture
- A Bar Cart Furniture Makeover
- Small Coffee Table Makeover
- A Brass Chiavari Chair Upholstery Makeover
- The Last Piece of Our Dining Set Puzzle
- 5 Ways to Score Quality, High-End Furniture On a Budget
- Demilune Table Makeover
- Patio Chair Makeover
- How To Upholster a Bench
I hope you enjoyed this one! I think it’s a nice reminder to think outside the box when it comes to standard, boring, or basic furniture. I love a good furniture makeover! Think about what would work best for your space and how you could insert new life into an existing piece. Or- leave it to the professionals and contact Calico for a complimentary interior design consult for any of your spaces or furniture. I’m always impressed with their selections and quality. Leave your questions for me in the comment section below!