Kitchen Bench

We have a window seat in the kitchen which the kids use to sit on when they eat. The table gets pulled up close so they can eat easily. It’s practically been a year since we moved into our house so we thought we’d give them something comfier to sit on. Here’s the before picture:

Derek started by cutting two boards into the needed size. The seat is 116 inches long so two boards were necessary.
Next we bought 4 inch foam from the craft store & spray adhesive.
The craft store used an automatic knife to cut the foam so we  decided to cut our foam this way too. Great idea until we realized we didn’t have an automatic knife. Turns out stores don’t carry these unless it’s Thanksgiving. We finally found ours at Dillard’s.
Derek is cutting the foam – I would have loved a chance to try but I think he was enjoying it too much.
Next, we put the boards on top of the fabric. We used a staple gun to secure the fabric on either side. We spent plenty of time trying to get the pattern on the fabric in the center.
Once the long sides were secure, we folded and stapled the short sides.

Here’s a shot of one completed board. (I originally bought a different fabric for the project but it was about 5 inches too short –  Great measuring from a math teacher!)
Close up of the pattern: Waverly Sun N Shade Parterre Indigo – I bought outdoor fabric since it’s described as durable, and in this family, we need durable. When we finished making the boards, we used scotchguard to further protect the fabric.
The final product! I love it and more importantly, I think the kids do too.
My next goal for this area is to figure out buy some artwork for the wall.
Have you completed any home improvement projects recently?

14 thoughts on “Kitchen Bench

  1. I love the finished look in the material…..just like the headboards…..if the thing moves…you can install “cletes” in the back….

  2. The bench looks awesome! I love the fabric you chose! My work bag has a similar pattern, only it is a bright green!

    To be honest…home ownership totally scares me BECAUSE of all the projects 🙁 Yikes! Maybe soon I will become a homeowner but for now, renting it is!

  3. Love the fabric you chose! You’ll have to keep me filled in on how it holds up. I need to do our bench too, but with the amount of gunk I clean off of it after each meal, I’ve not been feeling the need to complete this project anytime soon.

    We just finished our bedroom. We’re moving onto the hall bathroom. Going to reface the cabinets in there.

  4. Awesome, you did it the same way Mom and Dad helpéd me make my headboard!

  5. Smart thinking using the outdoor fabric – the more weather/kid-proof it is the better!

  6. This looks great!! I just refinished a table with benches…we could use some bench covers..hint hint 😉

  7. That does look great! Wish I could park my tush there and give it a test-drive myself! The fabric is really pretty.

  8. Love this!! I recently did a cushion for our entry way shoe cubby but it is much smaller. I love the color and pattern! well done girl!

  9. Lovely!
    I’ve been looking at outdoor fabric for indoor projects too. We have a house that gets used a lot by people on vacation (close to a river) so I need super durable, easy-to-clean fabric on EVERYTHING 🙂 I’m so excited about all the options out there now! Love the fabric you chose and am going to see what other colors there are! Thanks for sharing.

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