DIY: Storage Bin Bench

After getting home from work yesterday, the weather definitely cleared up and all that was left from the rainy day was a wavy Lake Michigan. So I took a picture of my beautiful front yard before getting serious and knocking items off my to-do list.

Background/Recap Story:
So I bought a wooden storage bin for $1 at a thrift store and a few days ago, I stripped it down and painted it white. {Wish I would have taken a before picture while it was brown... but ohh well.} While it was drying, I got thinking about a lid for it… So boom, I knew I had to make a bench seat. I added braces into each corner of the bin to support the weight and got a board cut down to size to fit the opening. In the meantime, I asked my beloved followers which fabric to use and was ready to head to the fabric store to pick up the winning material… That was until my mom walked into my room yesterday and said “I got you some fabric for your bench. I thought the design and color was so you!” So needless to say, my mom altered the design a bit. But honestly I couldn’t be happier since whenever I look at it, I will forever think of her picking it out to surprise me. It’s really sweet!

1. Cut down foam to the dimensions of the opening of the bin.

2. Use spray adhesive to glue foam to wood 

3. Tightly wrap the fabric around the foam {kind of like wrapping a birthday present}

4. Use a staple gun to attach the fabric to the wood base

5. Put the bench seat into the opening onto the braces

I want to make a throw pillow for the bench to give it some extra height, but honestly I couldn't be happier. Right now it matches our kitchen perfectly... especially with the yellow fabric and bead board, so that is its home at the moment. I am hoping to incorporate it into our back porch once that space is completed.

I checked a lot of items off my to-do list last night! So expect more DIY projects the next few days. I am kickin' butt and taking names. Honestly, there is nothing better than standing back from a project and thinking "ahhh, I did that all by myself!"

Now I am brainstorming ideas to make storage compartments or dividers into the bin. Yeah, I am that anal and need things to be organized. But for now, I say its good enough to move onto the bigger things on my list.