The way to Upholster and Tuft the Backing Board

When one room has to serve a number of capabilities, creating zones is among the greatest methods to maintain issues streamlined. You can divide an area in all types of how — a rug, a standing display screen, strategic furnishings placement — however utilizing a dresser or shelving unit as a divider is particularly sensible since you additionally get storage. And when quite a few issues are occurring in a single house, storage is crucial.

The catch? When a dresser lives in the course of a room, that ugly brown again board is all of the sudden very, very seen.

This intelligent DIYer used a set of IKEA MALM chest of drawers as a room divider however couldn’t make peace with that naked, boring again going through the room.

They determined to offer it a extra polished look by including some upholstery with a couple of ornamental particulars. If you’d like to offer it a go, right here’s what it’s essential to know.

What You’ll Need

• IKEA MALM drawers (or related)
• Fabric
• Tacks
• Shank buttons
• Regular buttons
• Bias
• Batting or wadding
• Strong nylon thread
• Cable twist ties
• Rubber mallet
• Staple gun
• Crochet needle
• Sewing needle
• Pen
• Ruler

Jazz Up the Backing Board of a Dresser

1. Remove the Dresser Backing and Make Some Holes

If you’re working with an assembled set of drawers, rigorously take away the again, then mark and drill the place you propose to position the buttons. It’s price mentioning that you simply solely want to do that step when you plan so as to add tufting. If you favor a straight, seamless end, you don’t want to fret concerning the buttons.

2. Measure and Cut the Wadding and Fabric

Lay out the wadding on the again to chop to dimension. Then place the dresser backing in your cloth to measure the right dimension. Leave a seam allowance of about 1 ¼” across the whole again, then minimize. (Bonus tip: once I minimize cloth for initiatives, I like to make use of pinking shears to assist lower fraying, or you would additionally flip underneath the perimeters earlier than you safe.)

3. Staple Time!

Flip the duvet, together with the wadding and cloth, and place it on the again of the drawers. Fold the material in underneath the wadding and staple in place, beginning at one nook, then the alternative diagonal nook.

Next, do the opposite two corners, then end stapling all the best way round. Make certain to make use of long enough staples to undergo the material, wadding, and again panel, and into the drawer body. Take your time to maintain every little thing even because you’re additionally securing the again into place.

4. Add the Trim

Start in a single nook, inserting the bias tape and hammering an ornamental upholstery tack in with the rubber mallet. Work your method across the whole piece, folding the tape on the corners to show it within the new route.

5. Add the Buttons

Push the crochet hook by one of many holes you drilled into the backer board in the beginning, from contained in the unit, and out by the wadding and cloth.

Use a twist tie by your entrance button, bending it to offer the crochet needle one thing to seize.

Pull it by the again panel, and use a stitching needle and thread to safe it to a daily button contained in the drawer body for stability. Twist the tie across the button to tighten it.

If you decide for the standard button (with holes within the face), you can even create the tufted look utilizing heavy-duty upholstery thread and an upholstery needle.

Make It Your Own

You may recreate this identical thought on any dimension chest of drawers, the again of a bookcase, a standing display screen, and extra. Changing up the aesthetics comes down to picking completely different materials, buttons (or no buttons), and varied trim kinds.

Of course, you would additionally skip the upholstered thought totally and go together with a snazzy wallpaper or paint therapy. If you want a extra substantial basis, minimize a skinny piece of plywood to match the scale of your furnishings, after which cowl or paint it. Then, you’ll be able to connect it to your furnishings of alternative, basically creating a brand new again.

Do you will have a cool room divider idea you’ve hacked from IKEA objects? Share your hack for an opportunity to be featured on the location!