Target Side Tables Turned Into A Leather Bench | Leather Hide Store Giveaway

I recently had the opportunity to work with Leather Hide Store on a DIY, which will also result in a giveaway for you guys. Jennifer from Leather Hide Store contacted me, (She was so nice!) and offered some leather, and asked if I would do a DIY project for them. I have long dreamed of having some caramel leather in my living room or bedroom -- so the answer was obviously yes, I just had to figure out where it was going to go! Leather Hide Store provides both wholesale leather for sale, and leather remnants for DIYers like you and me :) 

I thought about a chair for our living room (would be awesome -- just never found a perfect one to upholster), an ottoman for our living room (ditto), or a bench of for the bedroom. I settled on the bench, because I thought it was a piece I could use forever, in many places and it would always be stylish and easy to decorate with. Yes! I asked Jennifer if it was ok that it be half-DIY and half-professional -- she said yes, so I got to work. I wanted to find a vintage bench to have reupholstered, but after a long time of searching, I never found one with the right legs. I wanted metal legs. One day this winter, I had a lightbulb moment and realized that these Target tables that I had would be perfect for the bench. They were the exact leg I was looking for, and the size was even just right. Yes! I bought them last summer on clearance (I think they were part of the back to college stuff) when they were only $5. So, I paid $10 for both tables, and they were just sitting around, not really being used. They were a little low for side tables, so I had two of them sitting side by side in front of the futon in our office upstairs, but that room and space isn't even really being used, so I wouldn't miss them when they were re-used. 

I decided to use a beautiful caramel colored leather in a color they call "Nevada Distress". It seems to wear beautifully. I know that it will get a little dinged up and worn, but I think it'll only be more beautiful with time. 

Here's what I did:

First, drew a picture of what I wanted the bench to look like:

I figured out the right length and width dimensions, and had a piece of particle board cut to size at Lowe's. I guess a lot of people don't know that they will cut lumber and wood for you there -- they will! I have done it a million times. After that, I had the wood professionally upholstered with my leather from Leather Hide Store. I asked them to tuft it, and told them how thick I wanted the seat to be. I was so excited to pick it up when it was done, but then I knew I still had work ahead of me. I bought another piece of particle board for the legs to attach to. Ultimately, I attached both pieces of particle board to each other, creating a nice thick, heavy seat.

To finish, I built the base. 

My Target tables looked like this, originally. I took them apart and had the legs ready to reconfigure.

(removing the legs)

I bought a drill bit that is used for metal, and some screws in different lengths, along with a few washers. I knew Id need screws to screw in the legs, and also screws to screw in the particle board. 

After I figured out where all four legs should go, I drilled pilot holes into my legs. I used the old table tops as a drilling buffer. :)

If I were my dad, I probably would've measured and drilled all the screws in the exact same spots on all four legs, but I just eyeballed it instead. They don't really show on the final product.

After I drilled all the pilot holes, I measured where the legs go, and made little marks on my particle board. I forgot to mention that I painted the perimeter of the table white, so that it matches the legs. 

Then simply screwed the legs in with a washer and a screw meant for particle board. 

voila! a base!

I took the base upstairs and screwed the upholstered leather top into it. 

You can kind of see the screws here. I did five in each little area. 

It felt really sturdy, and the four base legs makes it nice and durable. I like to think the washers help with that, but not positive! I have learned from my dad it's better to go above and beyond in projects and do them the right way, than to slack. :)

And here is my final result, which I am more than happy with.

I didn't want the bench to be the entire length of the bed. Some people might do this, but I have a tendency to get up and use the restroom in the middle of the night, and I just KNEW that if I had bench legs sticking out, I would stub my toe on them. And be mad. So! It's a four foot bench. :) Weird reasoning, I know.

here you can see the pretty leather:

(I ended up putting the old screws that attached the legs to the original tables back into their little holes, and hot gluing them in place, so that I don't have ugly black holes staring at me. )

Leather Hide Store is sponsoring a $50 dollar giveaway, on this blog. To enter, all you need to do is "like" both our Facebook pages:

Leather Hide Store's Facebook page

Kristen F. Davis Designs Facebook page

and leave a comment on this post, saying what you think you might want to do with some leather of your own. Get creative! 

The contest will close one week from today, July 10th at midnight. Open only to US and Canada residents. 

(by the way, to see what other bloggers are doing with their leather, check out the hashtag #leatherhidestore on Instagram -- I hashtagged my project, and saw some cool stuff! If you care to follow me on Instagram, my handle is @kristenfdavisdesigns)

good luck with the contest!