Turning My Ottoman into a Psychedelic Patio Storage: A Wild DIY Adventure
So, I moved into this tiny studio apartment that couldn’t even fit my ottoman. It was a sad day, let me tell you. If you’ve ever lived in a small space, you know the deal—you’ve gotta get creative with storage. I do most of my work out on my patio, so I needed somewhere to stash my tools and supplies. But here’s the kicker: my building doesn’t allow visible storage boxes. Yeah, fun, right? So, if I wanted anything outside, it had to be sneaky.
That’s when I looked at my 6-foot-tall, 3-foot-wide ottoman and thought, “Hey, maybe I can use the frame inside.” I already had an idea of what it looked like because I’d hacked apart my couch last year (long story).
The Disguise Dilemma
Next, I had to figure out how to disguise it. I was wandering around my favorite craft store in downtown LA, and they had these fake plant backdrops on sale for $86 each. Of course, I needed like 12 of them minimum 😩.
It was early summer, and everyone was talking about the Meow Wolf exhibition coming to LA. I’ve always loved their art spaces, so I thought, why not lean into the craziness? Go all out with colorful leaves, metallic trees, hanging beads—the works!
Materials I Used
Stuff I Already Had:
- Ottoman
- Glitter, All Of The Glitter, So Many Glitters, Never Enough Glitters
- Acrylic paint
- Hot glue gun
- Duct tape
- Hammer
- Carpenter’s knife + blades
- Screwdriver
- Nails + screws
- 2’x4’ wood planks
- Storage boxes
- Zip ties
- Fake plants + leaves
- Metal pole
- Newspaper + scrap paper
- Sewing pins
- Cardboard boxes
- Beads
- Printer table
- L shelf brackets
- Foil
- Feathers
- Embellished lemons
- Embellished water bottle
Stuff I Bought:
- Spray foam
- Neon light
- Disco Tile Bananas
- Black Spray Paint
- Midnight Blue Spray Paint
- Metallic Silver Spray Paint
- Hot Pink Spray Paint
Going Full Dr. Frankenstein on My Ottoman
First things first, I took off the legs with a screwdriver and cut out the fabric from the bottom of the ottoman. Once I did that, I realized there was no turning back!
Next, I sliced through the fabric on the sides to get rid of the cushion. When all was said and done, I was left with the springs and the wooden frame. The springs seemed useful for something, so I set them aside and focused on the frame.
My Not-Exactly-OSHA-Approved Shelves
These shelves were just for me, so they didn’t need to be perfect—just functional. I had some 2’x4’ planks lying around, so I checked if they’d fit inside the frame. With some random shelf brackets I found (definitely not to code), I screwed the planks into the frame.
I also had some old drawers I wasn’t using, so I thought, why not use them as the base of the shelves? Trigger warning for perfectionists: It’s about to get ugly. I used duct tape to hold the base in place because, honestly, that tape is stronger than most of my relationships.
The frame needed some support, so I picked up some fancy brackets from Home Depot, made sure everything was level, and screwed them in. The frame was finally stable enough to stand upright, so I moved it to its new home on the patio.
Springs, Shelves, and a Printer Table
To stabilize the shelves, I repurposed an old printer table as the base to hold up the springs. I attached the springs to a metal pole and secured it (again, not OSHA-approved) to the printer table and wall.
Then, I connected the springs to the wooden frame, creating a little shelf shelter. Everything was starting to come together, and it was time to go full Meow Wolf with the disguise.
Building My Psychedelic Mini Forest
I grabbed everything from Amazon boxes and tape to foil, old plastic boxes, and fabric to create the base of my trippy design. I even recycled some of the cushion from the ottoman. Wall spackle? Check. Cardboard? You bet.
I’d been dying to try spray foam for ages, and this was the perfect chance. It’s great for making prop trees, so I knew it would add the right texture.
Finishing Touches: Adding Color and Texture
I spray-painted some areas black to give the metallic paint more depth and spent what felt like hours untangling a volleyball-sized knot of beads.
Finally, it was time to put everything together. I used sewing pins to attach leaves to the red cloth. The side with spray foam was easy—I just stuck in the fake flowers and feathers.
To top it off, I added some stone-embellished lemons, disco ball bananas, and a half-embellished plastic bottle. And, of course, the neon light was the cherry on top.
And there you have it—a once-bulky ottoman turned into a psychedelic storage solution. Sure, it might not be up to code, but it’s definitely up to my standards. If you’re thinking of repurposing something at home, just embrace the chaos and get creative!
What I Learned
This project taught me that with a little creativity (and a lot of duct tape), you can turn anything into a functional piece of art. So, what’s your next DIY adventure?