Nancy Golden, host of DIY's Decorating and Design, shows how to convert a couple of battered old trunks into decorative blanket-chests that double as benches. Placed at the end of your bed, these chests make an ideal place to store blankets and bed linens. Materials:
Wooden trunk
Interior paint
Decorative fabric or pillowcases
Fabric gimp
4 drapery-rod finials
Hot-glue gun
Ribbon
Sewing needle and thread
- Once you've found a trunk of an appropriate size (figure A), prime and paint it in a color that blends well with the decor of your room. Attach wooden drapery-rod finials to the bottom of each corner to serve as feet. Paint the finials in the same color as the trunk.
- Select a fabric for use as a cover. You'll use this to cover the sides of the bench as well as the pillow that will serve as the bench cushion.
Tip: - Save money by using decorative pillowcases or linens instead of expensive tapestry material.
- Cut a square of fabric to cover the end of bench. Attach the fabric (figure B) with spray adhesive, being sure to smooth out any creases or bubbles. Leave about an inch of the painted end exposed all the way around. Repeat the process for the other three sides.
- Use fabric gimp (ornamental braided cord) as trim around the edges of the fabric. Attach the gimp using a hot-glue gun.
- Use a pillow of appropriate size to make a bench cushion. (In our example, we used a king-sized pillow.) Cover the pillow with your fabric. If you're using pillowcases, double up by placing one pillowcase over the pillow, then slipping the other pillowcase over both in the opposite direction. This ensures that the end of the pillow is concealed.
- Sew ribbon inside the corners of the end of the outer pillowcase. Tie the ribbons in bows to close the end.
Alternative: - Use upholstery fabric to cover the pillow. You may want to secure the pillow to the trunk lid by tying it with ribbon of a coordinating color (figure C).
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