The Reading Nook Project: The Bench

Basement renovation is now underway, and I figured I would start with this weird little nook. It sits underneath the staircase. I originally wanted this to be a piano nook, but the company that moved the piano refused to move it down the stairs, for fear they would wreck the walls. 

So, I decided it would be a reading nook.

As you can see below, it has been a place to stick junk. 

I had these bench pads from our built in eating nook in the kitchen. I originally had the backs and seats padded, but when we finished the kitchen, I recovered the seats in vinyl and replaced the padded backs with wainscoting.  So these have been sitting in the attic space for a year or so. 

They just happened to fit PERFECTLY in the basement nook!

I used cinder blocks for the bench base, because I knew it would be quick and easy. 

I recovered the "new seats" in some black outdoor fabric that I have had in my sewing nook for about 3 yrs. 

Don't know how this picture turned out so bad, but you can see how the seats sit on the cinder blocks. (the middle blocks are missing in this picture, but I did put cinder block under the middle of the seats too).

No sewing makes me happy! So I stapled and stapled and stapled, and even created a little bit of ruffle while I stapled. The skirt fabric I purchased at Walmart. I bought the end of a ream (probably 9 yards) for $3!

This is what it looks like when you turn it over.

We have 5 kids, military gear, outdoor gear, renovation saws and tools, and NO GARAGE! So, this little bit of storage space is a huge PLUS!

I think it turned out really good for a day's project and only around $30 (since I used things I already had).

Now onto lighting, curtains, hanging a large decorative piece on a wall with no studs, more painting and sprucing up the shelves (not shown)! 

--Katie


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