Thursday, November 17, 2011

Trash to Treasure - Living Room Ottoman

When we moved and gained more space I knew right off the bat that I wanted a round ottoman for our living room to use in place a traditional coffee table. We shopped around at a few home décor/furniture stores such as Arhaus, Ethan Allen, etc. but I refused to spend $1,000 on a coffee table that wasn’t e.x.a.c.t.l.y what I wanted. So I started watching trusty old Craigslist and after a couple weeks I found this eyesore.
Although the fabric was hideous, it had great bones and was from a smoke-free environment and was in excellent condition, structurally. It was listed for $60 but I low balled the seller since they were moving {and I assumed eager to get rid of things} and snagged it for $40. I knew there was endless potential to reupholster.

I started searching for a fabric and scoured the interwebs for local upholstery shops, reading reviews and getting estimates. I stumbled upon a super nice, older man with a little shop that offered free pick-up and delivery AND was a third of the price as the other two estimates I received. Even better, the few reviews I was able to find online claimed he did great work and the clients were thrilled with the outcome.
I decided to take a chance. Mr. Upholstery Man picked up the ottoman and two weeks later delivered what looked like a brand spanking new ottoman.
I am more than thrilled with the quality of work and the way it turned out overall. So pleased, in fact, that I’m considering buying two used accent chairs and having them reupholstered instead of buying brand new in order to achieve exactly what I want. I’ve been giddy like a kid on Christmas morning every time I walk into our living room and see it. It is by far my favorite piece in our house.
If you live in the DC Metro area and are looking for a great upholstery shop please email me and I’ll be more than happy to share the info with you. 
In the end we ended up saving about $600 and ended up with a custom piece.

Total Cost: $450
Breakdown:
Ottoman $40
Reupholster $290
Robert Allen Fabric (5 yards) $120

I'm thinking a cute tray is the perfect finishing touch.

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