Monday, April 13, 2009

Make a sofa table for under $20. (For real.)

First of all, I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! We had a great one -- lounged all day. Well, I did. Hubby did some work outside and I napped, blew bubbles with the Bub and ate all day. A wonderful day with all of us at home, which is my favorite kind of day.

As promised, I'm going to share how I made our sofa table in the living room I showed you here. Before I do that, I have to get on my soap box about getting your furniture away from the walls!!

I've done this where possible in our home and love how it makes spaces more cozy, more intimate. In our family room, it would have been easy to put all the furniture against the walls:

But instead, I moved them away and created the sitting area. Sometimes it can be a pain...I mean, I have to walk a whole extra five steps to get around the sofa. But it's worth it.

In our living room, I wanted to do something similar and tried a few layouts, but with only one wall in the whole room, I had to end up placing the sofa there. I told you how I wanted to add more height to the sofa...so I knew a sofa table would be the perfect solution.

Have you ever seen an eight foot long sofa table? Me either. I knew I had to make my own if I wanted one. So I did, for under $20. Here's what you do --

Measure the length of the sofa. Measure how tall you want the table to be.

Go to Lowe's, have a board cut to the length you need it. I chose one that was nine inches wide, but you could do whatever you want. Then get more of the same board cut to the height you need. Depending on how long you want it, you'll want enough for each end, and at least one support in the middle:

Get some "L" brackets like these:
They usually come four to a package for around $3. Then just use a drill and use the brackets to put the "legs" on the bottom of the table. You're done! Mine is a little wobbly, but when you push the sofa up to it, it secures it perfectly.

I needed a little more height on my table, but didn't want to make the table taller, because you would see the unfinishedness of it (word? OK.) sticking up over the back of the sofa. Instead, I got a few more pieces of wood and made a little pedestal. I painted everything in chocolate brown:

You don't have to leave it exposed...for a long time, I had fabric over the table. You could even stain it. There are unfinished edges all over the place on mine, but no one would ever notice.

I'm not lyin' when I tell you these projects are easy. Have Lowe's or Home Depot make all your cuts and all you need is a drill and the brackets. The whole table will take you less than 30 minutes to make. Swear. For reals!

81 thrifty chicks said (comment here):

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

W-O-W!!! That's all I can really say. Wow. That looks, well, wow. ;)

Good job, chicky! ;)

Anita's Journal said...

I'm speechless! I really am! I'M SO GONNA DO THIS! Thanks so much!

Ashley said...

That is amazing!

Victoria@WhimsybyVictoria said...

Such a great idea!! I too believe in not always putting all your furniture agains the walls. Thanks for sharing with us Sarah! I too get all my cuts done at Lowes or HomeDepot. Most of the time they are happy to do it and don't charge me after so many cuts. Have a great week!

Hugs to you,
~Victoria~

DomesticDivasFancy said...

Wow...that really looks amazing! What a fabulous idea!

Melissa Miller said...

Very,very cool!

I love the look and it does seem easy. :)

Sunshine said...

Love it! I am going to make one this week! I will post the before and after! Thank you!

Vivienne said...

That is awesome! I'm going to go through the house right now and make sure all of my furniture is away from the walls!
:)

AnNicole @ OurSuburbanCottage said...

OK - love this. I love to see how you came up with such an ingenius solution to a problem. Talk about thinking outside of the box!

Valarie Lea said...

Genius Pure Genius.....:)

Trica said...

I love it! Definitely gonna try it!

Emily@remodelingthislife said...

Looks great! I guess I could see if hubby could make that custom to fit our entry way. would it look as good exposed though and without a couch next to it? We shall see...

I'm even going to paint it chocolate brown to match my newly painted coffee and end table that are chocolate brown.

Michelle Bebe said...

I am sure you've heard it before but: HOLY CRAP. You're a genius!

Mrs. Petrie said...

I've been using 2 tv tray tables as my sofa table and they are pretty dorky. I like your idea. I think it could work at my house. :)

Rachel said...

Oh wow, this is AWSEOME! I could totally use this in my house. Thanks so much for sharing, I'll be linking to this. I think Apartment Therapy would love it as well!

Xazmin said...

Looks awesome! I have been looking all over the classifieds and thrift stores for a cheap sofa table...Now I'll just make my own!

Xazmin

Kathryn said...

Great idea! This is going on my projects wish list. This would be great to make and put behind the couch my son uses as the seems to think the area behind the couch is his closet and throws all his clothes behind it - building this would deter this.

I would probably make mine with more depth and store my Christmas bear collection underneath and put a lamp of two on the back as he does his homework on the couch (despite having a perfectly well lit desk in his room).

Melly said...

wow!!! you are amazing!!!

bj said...

This is just about the smartest thing I've seen done in a long, long time. You did a fabulous job...

C Maisy said...

you really need to be up there with einstein, newton...you get my drift.
when are you writing a book...seriously!!!!!

Puva said...

Awesome! That's really easy and awesome!

Marcy said...

What a great idea - and you did a fantastic job putting it together and showing us how. (I love the kitty sitting under it before the sofa is put in place.)

And your point about placing the furniture away from the walls is well taken - and you've given us a good example of it.

Thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas!

the pleasures of homemaking said...

Very clever! Since you can't see it anyway it doesn't matter what it looks like and I love that it's narrow! Most sofa tables are so wide and take up valuable space! Great idea!

Manuela

Betsy said...

That is just innovative...great work.

Betsy said...

That is just innovative...great work.

Lamp Tramp said...

That's is a perfect sofa table and for $20! Amazing...

Kimba said...

That's awesome! I need a sofa table for my family room and I was trying to figure out how to make one like this since it will be up against a wall!

You're brilliant!!!!!
Kimba

Kelly said...

Girl, that is genius!! Seriously!

Marsha's Mpressions said...

Very clever idea! I'm a first time visitor to your blog. Enjoyed it very much! Hope to come back for more ingenious ideas!
Many blessings, Marsha

marty39 said...

What a great idea and so perfect for a space that doesn't have enough room for an end table, you can still get a lamp for some reading light. Love your ideas, so great. Hugs, Marty

HomeSpun Threads said...

Awesome! Did you get the cat out before you moved the sofa back? LOL have a good one!

Kimm at Reinvented said...

SIMPLY FABULOUS!!! What a great idea to solve a common problem. That pedestal is too cool.

Lorie said...

Gotta love L brackets! It looks great!

lani said...

You are sooooo amazing!!! I love that you can make things look soooo good and be made in 30 minutes!!! It's unreal!!! I am sooo going to try this! Thanks!

Girly Stuff said...

It turned out great!! And it makes a big difference. I like how your other living room looks also. Nice job!

mamamia said...

wow, this is so inspiring! I have wanted a sofa table, but thought it would cost my firstborn. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

She forgot to mention her sister was lounging with her on Easter! Ok Bu-Bye.

MJMILLS said...

Im so doing this!~ and I own a lumber company so this $20 project will cost me $3! wahoo!!! lol.

Please tell me you got the cat outta there before you put the sofa up next to the table?!?!! I saw it snuggled up in a picture! LMAO

Stacia Howard said...

Thanks for visiting my blog! It was a nice surprise!
I think I want to try this but any type of power tool scares me! lol But I think I NEED to try this one... Thanks for the post!

Swan Family said...

I LOVE YOUR BLOG! What a fantastic idea. Thanks for posting all of your awesome ideas..I love it!

The Thrifty Trendsetter said...

I LOVE this! You are so creative! I am definitely going to try this! :)

Kari said...

Your blog is fabulous! You are so talented!

Jennifer said...

What a great idea--thanks!!! =)

kathi said...

What a great idea! I thought I didn't have room behind my sofa for a table. This would work!
Thanks for the "how to!"

Farmgirl Paints said...

You go girl! That really looks very nice. I'm loving your blog:)

Dawn said...

Wow! That*is*amazing!!!! I never would have guessed this is how you did this!

Hugs from Eventually Cottage!

Jen r. said...

Very cool! Jen

The Nester said...

genius my dear, pure genius.

the cheap chick said...

Seriously? Not because I love you or anything (altho I DO), but you are a TOTAL INSPIRATION! That is fan-freakin'-tastic, and cheap to boot! My two favorite things in the whole world.

Mandi said...

Amazing. So amazing. Every time I read one of your posts I am inspired to run to Home Depot and start a new project. The hubby hopes you will stop writing soon, HA! How does he always get roped into these ideas? I may be able to do this one on my own.

Kristi said...

OMG! I am SO doing this this weekend! I knew there was a reason I love your blog so much.

Kelli said...

Positively perfect!!

Amber said...

Just wanted to say Hi! You have a blog that inspired me to start my own...thanks :)
http://amberwabisabi.blogspot.com/

Amber said...

LOL with the slump construction is in around here, he just might!!!

Julia @ Hooked on Houses said...

Sarah, this is brilliant! I love it. Such a simple but clever solution!

Lauren said...

Oh!! It is looking wonderful!! Home Depot provides really amazing things!! Love your room!!

Liz Casstro said...

I did it!!! I printed a picture and took it home to my husband the night you created this post-and when I got home from work the next day, it was done! http://zilskin.blogspot.com/2009/04/thrifty-decor-chick.html
Here's a link to my post and I promise, I gave you all the credit. Thanks for the great ideas!

Amanda said...

now that is just too awesome! but please tell me the cat out before the couch got put there. hee hee :-)

Anna See said...

Wow! I thought there was NO WAY I could get my sofa away from the wall b/c I have only a tiny slice of space. Your table idea may have just solved this problem!

Mel said...

Thank you for this very inspiring idea. My husband had a board in the garage, and I pulled out our food storage cans, created a "table", threw a curtain over the top and I am so happy with the result. I will post pictures on my blog and make sure my friends know where I got the idea from. Thanks again!

Leigh of Bloggeritaville said...

FAB-U-LOUS!
You should link this up to my thrifty Thursday post! It is perfect. I am inspired!

Susan (Between Naps on the Porch) said...

Genius! How cool is this...I love it! Thanks for the great detailed pics! This would make a great Metamorphosis Monday post! Mr. Linky goes up at 8PM if you would like to link it. :-) Susan

Courtm said...

I love your blog! So great!!!! Please give me tips if you have any!

J.J. said...

That is pretty cool! Now I have to go get my furniture off the walls, to see if I have to leave a sofa on the wall, so I can build one of these :)

Lisa said...

ABSOLUTELY LUV-ER-LY!!!

jennifer said...

you are so good!

i'm gonna have to get me some tools!

Down Comforter said...

What a great project! I can't believe it only cost $20 - awesome :)

Mary @Boogieboard Cottage said...

I think I have a new project for my hubby! This is really a great project, It looks great when it's all finished and it's so easy and affordable. Thanks for sharing this. :O)

Kammy said...

Great job once again ! Lauuve it !
I want one ! Thanks for sharing ~ Hugs, Kammy

susan said...

It would take YOU thirty minutes--me about 3 months to figure out the brackets and tools :) Great and thrifty!!

Misti of Studio M Designs said...

Genious idea! You smart woman you! As much as I love this idea, I would be buying new accessories everyday! Between the boys and the cats...yikes. I believe the cats would push everything off just for a cozy hangout, and the boys...well no explanation necessary.

You should join my first linky party on Thursday! I am celebrating our old childhood bedrooms. It should be a great big bloggy slumber party!

~Misti

Kelly said...

I love this. Really, truly, and seriously. In fact, Hubs has a project to help me with this weekend, LOL! Great idea!

Your Frugal Friend, Niki said...

Awesome!

:)

Lindsay @ Peacock Blue said...

Looks great! I just wanted to say your blog is so fun!

Melanie said...

Great job! I have to make one of those as soon as I figure out how to get my furniture off the walls of our living room. I just don't know how it'd work but I'm going to try it. Thanks for the idea!

Jennifer DeDonato said...

That is flippin great...I am totally going to do this with my sofa!

Sarah Robbins said...

This was my Labor Day project. It was so easy! Start to finish, one afternoon. I am going to post my pictures tomorrow, and I will make sure to link up to you!

Deena said...

Thank you, YOU ROCK! I have a large Ikea Lack shelf that we purchased for another home, since we've moved I have had no place for it, but now I am going to add some legs and make myself a sofa table. LOVE IT!

Amanda said...

I was going to go out and look for a table to go behind my couch since we just moved the one behind to a WAY better spot. This is PERFECT!!!! Just what I was looking - and I LURVE (hehe) the chocolate brown!!!! I will be copying you, your exact idea but I need more than nine inches. LURVE, LURVE,LURVE it!!!!

~ RM said...

Just stumbled across this, and I might have to copy this idea. I need a 'safe' place to put up some frames and what not, and this looks PERFECT! Glad you thought of it! ;)

Nicole said...

I love this idea! I think I'm going to try it. I live on a military base in Korea and while there is no Lowe's or Home Depot, there is a self-help store with free wood. I wonder if they have something that could work for this? Anyway, fantastic idea for a table that doesn't need to be seen except for the top section!