The thing about good design is that it tends to start with someone looking at something in a completely new and different way. Well, that's exactly what happened when expert DIY-er and content creator Dalia Emad Aly saw IKEA's ASKHOLMEN flower box.
Now, we're no stranger to an IKEA hack here at Livingetc, but honestly, most of the viral furniture flips these days tend to feel more like redecorating, rather than total transformations. Not this one, though. Turning a planter box into a design-forward ottoman with concealed storage is something I didn't have on my bingo card for this year.
And turns out, it's not that hard to do, either. To discover the ins and outs of this clever flip, I spoke to Dalia, and she shared everything you need to know, below.
How to DIY It
"The inspiration came from seeing the flower box online and immediately noticing the scalloped edges," Dalia tells me. "I always look at pieces through the lens of what design element I can tweak to fit current interior design trends, and in this case, the scallops were just asking for it."
From there, it's a bit of sanding, staining, and choosing a new fabric to upholstered it with, but all in all, it's an easy weekend's worth of work.
Below, find Dalia's step-by-step instructions to recreate this clever coffee table for yourself.
- Sand the Flower Box: While painting wood furniture without sanding is possible, it's not best practice, especially when working with wood stain. "I started by sanding all the sides of the box to prep for stain," says Dalia. You can use a mechanical sander, but sandpaper works just as well — and don't forget something like water as a pre-stain treatment.
- Stain the Wood: To recreate the rich, warm wood finish in Dalia's DIY, she recommends using a dark shade of wood stain paired with polycrylic top coat (like this Minwax finish from Amazon). If you want something a little more statement-making, you could also consider painting the flower box.
- Install Backing Panels: Because the sides of the flower box are made of slatted wood, after staining, "I painted a wood panel and cut it to size to add to the inside so I could hide the storage section and make the exterior look like one seamless, solid piece," says Dalia.
- Cut Cushion and Upholster in Fabric: Lastlyt, it's time to make the cushion top. It may seem intimidating, but Dalia says all she did was cut a cushion to size, wrap it in fabric, and staple it on with a furniture stapler (like this one from Amazon).
Honestly, the hardest part of this project is choosing the fabric to upholster it in, as that will have the biggest sway over the style of the finished piece.
"The color and fabric were totally based on intuition," Dalia says. "I was going for a deep, rich wood tone that felt high-end, and I wanted a fabric that matched that energy, something velvety and luxe, but still had contrast."
Once you've picked, it's also important that you take your time when upholstering the cushion top. "It’s what makes or breaks the whole thing," says Dalia. "A clean upholstering job instantly makes a piece feel more high-end."
Once you're done, she recommends using a quality fabric protector, like Scotchgard's Fabric Water Shield (available at Amazon) to keep it looking fresh.
What You'll Need
This IKEA flower box is made of solid acacia wood and coated in an acrylic stain (which is why the sanding step is crucial in order to re-stain the piece in a color of your choosing).
It's important to note that you can wood stain MDF, but it will absorb the stain differently than real wood, resulting in a slightly different texture or color. However, since this part of the DIY is only acting as a backboard (that won't hardly be seen) it should not affect the end result.
This wood stain is fast-drying, highly concentrated, and easy to apply. You can use this on both indoor and outdoor wood, but it's water-based and non-toxic, so you can feel safe incorporating this in your interior plans.
When it comes to styling your new coffee table, as with any other, creating contrast is key. Of course, you can create contrast in the piece itself depending on fabric color and the wood stain, but it's more important to consider how it will sit in the room.
Depending on the fabric material and color you choose, you can pair it with different color combinations and wood tones to make it pop. This flower-box-turned-ottoman-storage can act as an accent piece in a minimalist living room or simply stun as a clever, design-forward hidden storage idea.
And the real genius is that, "It’s super versatile — it could work as a coffee table, side table, or even just a statement piece in a corner," says Dalia. "The possibilities are honestly endless."
