The brilliance and beauty that lies in most DIY projects is that there's always something great you can create out of something that was once thrown away.
Below, we adapt BarkPost writer Ally Nesmith's DIY dog bed. She loves collecting old bits and pieces of furniture found on the curb outside her apartment, and this time, she decided to revive a sweet little side table that she picked up.
She spruced it up with brand new coats of chalk paint, and added on little draw curtains to make a cozy den for her pooch, Oona.
Of course, there are so many other DIY dog beds that we love — like this wooden pup den made from a simple crate — and there's no end to the designs and patterns that can be put on these cute little beds.
Scroll on to see the steps of the full tutorial, and let us know if you'd also like to try your hand at making a pup den in the comments below!
[H/T: BarkPost]
A while ago, BarkPost writer Ally Nesmith decided to experiment with a little side table she had picked up from the curb near her New York City apartment.
"I see the artistic and design potential in literally everything," she writes.
And, much to her boyfriend's dismay — and to our delight — she vowed to turn this piece of clutter into an amazing den for their pup, Oona.
Here are the supplies she worked with:
- A plush pillow
- Patterned fabric
- Chalk paint creme wax
- Chalk paint
- Paint brushes
- Scissors
- Accent paint color
- Painter’s tape
- Sanding block
- Measuring tape
- Sewing machine
- Small tension rod
First, Nesmith removed the drawers from the table, in order to assess what she could and couldn't work with. Then, she hammered out the center shelf.
She removed the inner drawer braces, and gave it a thorough cleanup.
And this is what she was left with!
Afterward, she prepped the crib for the paint job.
She gave the table a quick sanding, and prepared the chalk paint, which requires a very small amount of priming.
To brighten up the inside of the den, Nesmith taped off the edges on the back panel and painted it a sunny yellow.
Afterward, she painted over the den with two solid coats of powder blue chalk paint.
She let the paint dry completely before applying the second coat, then followed it up with a coat of creme wax.
Lastly, she had to make the drawer curtains for the den.
Nesmith measured the opening with tape, and brought out the tension rod for the fitting.
After cutting out two panels from her fabric, she hemmed the edges on the sowing machine, and made sure to leave an opening at the top for the rod to pass through.
Then, she secured the curtains and propped up the pillow inside the den.
Here are pictures of the final dog bed — we think it's absolutely adorable!
Oona — who, according to Nesmith, is a "fan of enclosed spaces, midcentury design, and all things cozy" — loved her new bed right away.
Please SHARE if your pup would love a sweet little bed like this!
