The Commitment Phobe’s Guide to Reupholstery

Hello!

Hard to believe this week is coming to a close already.  With snow days making for an abbreviated school week, I still haven’t gotten my mojo back completely.  

I bought this ottoman awhile back at the Ballard Outlet, and it was originally upholstered in a burlap fabric. 

It was nice, but the fabric didn’t hold up to our daily living, and I ended up pulling it off of the top portion of the ottoman, where it was left, naked, for longer than I care to admit.  I had every intention of redoing it, but I have such a hard time deciding on fabric, that it brings progress to a screeching halt.

I tried to dress it up during my indecisive phase.  I wrapped it with ribbon during Christmas one year…

I’ve moved it around to several spaces in my home, and it’s settled in the media room, where my boys spend a lot of time.  It looks fine here, but with two boys – it’s gotten yucky.

I have even rigged fabric to look like a stripe in the middle of the nakedness.  No photos, but I promise, it’s true.

After a couple of fabric shopping trips, I settled on this fabric – I love all of the colors, and thought it would work with the current colors in the basement, and allow me to pull in new colors if I was in the mood for a change.

Did I mention it was looking yucky? (Hanging my head in shame)

I was all prepared to staple this fabric to the top portion of the ottoman – I removed the hardware and remnants of the old fabric, including the cording.  I even made a special shopping trip to buy the right staples for my staple gun.  

Then I started having second thoughts.  My fabric commitment issues kicked in again.  So it sat there – until it was time for a party, and this commitment-phobe had to make a decision.

Enter Gorilla Tape.  A commitment-phobe’s best friend.

Tape it up, and call it a day.

No one will ever have to know.

If only I could use Gorilla Tape to reupholster a chair.

Works for now – until I change my mind.

I will say that I didn’t put the hinges back on with this method, but it’s still working for us.  I’m just happy to have that ugly eyesore covered with something that looks a little more intentional.  

Perhaps someday I will make a fabric commitment and pull out the staple gun.

3 Comments

  • Reply
    Kris @ Driven by Décor
    January 10, 2014 at 3:52 pm

    I'm a decorating commitment-phone too so totally get it but I love that fabric – it gives you so many fun colors to work with!

  • Reply
    Julie Bee
    January 11, 2014 at 3:56 pm

    Looks good!! That's exactly what I do on my outdoor cushions, they fade out from the sun and I like to change things up every year anyway so it's a good solution! Cheaper and so much easier that way too.

  • Reply
    Lisa @ Shine Your Light
    January 12, 2014 at 1:57 pm

    You are cracking me up with the naked ottoman top and how it got moved around the house – that is exactly something I would do! Your solution is perfect, so easy to change up, but that fabric is perfect for taking a lot of abuse from kids! Great idea.

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