Since we are still sheltering at home, and will be for the foreseeable future, we’ve been working hard on making our home space as enjoyable and functional as possible. We started this dining area project before the lockdown began, and I’m so excited to share it with you guys, finally.
All of the details are in the video above but I wanted to go ahead and put some notes and links here for reference.
Our apartment is laid out like a double shotgun, with the main living area being one long, narrow, open plan room. We worked hard to create separate areas for David and I to work, Asher to play, and us to have a nice living room… but we continued to lack sufficient seating for a big meal, and that frustrated me as someone who loves to host. Instead, we had a narrow yet open dead space that has held a giant beanbag, served as an unboxing and staging area, packing zone, etc. Through its varying levels of functionality, it was always a visible eyesore and left so much to be desired.
In order to widen the space enough to make room for a proper dining table, my antique china cabinet and hutch needed to go, and the bench needed to absorb all its contents and be functional, as well as comfy. Additionally, we wanted it to be both inexpensive and low damage, being that we rent and will either leave it or remove it when we eventually move.
For construction details- you’re gonna have to refer to the video I linked upthread, because transparently, I had minimal involvement in this. David and Marcus planned and executed, I just had a big picture idea, approved the design, and managed kids and provided snacks.
We used three IKEA cabinets, the ones made for overhead. These are the exact specs.
We wired this plug into it and it couldn’t be more convenient to have plugs and chargers built right in. We trimmed it out with crown molding to appear more built-in, and I used a piece of veneer Asher peeled off to colormatch an exact match in white paint to the Ikea Haggeby white.
My mom made the custom upholstery for us, using this fabric. We specifically chose a sunbrella indoor-outdoor fabric so it would be super stain resistant, and that’s such a relief for this messy family. My mom also made us some matching pillows, and I ordered some of these soft striped minky pillowcases as well. These are my go-to pillow inserts, soft and hypoallergenic, and I always size up for fullness (for example, I did 20″ pillows in 18″ cases). We used 2 inch thick high density foam, cut to size with household scissors, and my trusty staple gun to assemble the upholstery.
All told, the corner storage bench measures 50″ by 85″. It’s big enough to suit our oval modway lippa table (we have a 78″ on a gold base) nicely, and with the configuration of this bench, a few ghost chairs, and high chairs/boosters, we can sit as many as 10 adults and kids. In a world where we can have our friends and family over to visit indoors, we’re ready to welcome them! And the meantime, it’s another great space for Asher to play and cuddle.
Let me know if you have any questions about this project, y’all know I’m here to be a resource!
Love, Ravayna
