The nook at the end of our kitchen was wasted space. I had hopes the kids would use this corner as a spot to do homework and that I’d use it as an office. It turns out they don’t get much homework (yay!) and my office is mostly the sofa, my laptop and Netflix playing in the background. Because we could really use more storage, we partnered with my go-to spot for DIY projects, Home Depot Canada, to build small shelves and a storage bench. It’s now the coziest little spot to snuggle up with a book.
Here's what it looked like before:
It's a huge transformation that adds to much function and style to our kitchen! It was really easy to build. We opted to make ours portable, because we rent out home, but you could anchor it to the wall if you'd like. I've added to-scale drawings below with the exact measurements of the bench, along with every piece you'll need.
MATERIALS
- 2x4 lumber
- ¾ MDF panels
- 1x5 MDF
-1x4 MDF
-1x3 MDF
- screws
- hinges
- nail gun
- wood filler
- sandpaper
- primer
- paint
- paint brush
- roller
- bench cushion
Once you decide the the size bench you'd like to build, (see drawings below for ours) make a list of the pieces you’ll need, including measurements. We had every single one cut at Home Depot Canada which saved soooooo much time, effort, and, quite possibly, our relationship.
HOW TO
1. Build a frame using 2x4 lumber. We added two pieces across the middle at the top and bottom for additional support.
2. Add MDF panels to the front and sides, securing in place with a nail gun. Don’t worry about the corners, the trim will cover where the pieces meet.
3. Build the top with one ¾ inch by 2or 3-inch pine strip across the back of the top, screwed in place. Attach a ¾ pine board cut to the size of the bench tip, using hinges, so the larger piece will open and give access to the storage space inside. The drawing below lists MDF for these pieces, but we opted for pine because it was a lighter lighter in weight.
4. We wanted the bench to look like it was designed with the cabinets, so we added trim to look similar: 1x5 MDF for the base on front, 1x4 MDF across the top and 1x3 inch MDF for the vertical trim.
5. Fill all visible holes with wood filler and sand.
6. Prime everything and then paint.
7. We had a custom French tufted cushion custom-made by Jamie’s incredibly talented mom, using the prettiest Jolie Marche fabric.
This project was completed in partnership with Home Depot Canada.
Photos of the completed space by Angus Fergusson.