The new arrangement of my (our) office calls for a bench or some narrow seating option (like, idk, a bench) along the wall opposite my desk.

I went to target.com and found some options that are clearly all over the place. I could have just picked one but that’s exactly what their credit department wants me to do (I’m on to your tricks, Redcard). So I made one.

I was originally going to make an upholstered bench, but that’s a pretty big time and finger pain commitment and I couldn’t decide on a fabric. Then I was going to make a platform bench with cushions on top, but I would have to wind a bobbin and thread the machine and who has time for that.

Inspiration:

Via Lunar Lounge Design, left, and Home Made Modern, right

Since, realistically, the only ones sitting on this bench will be my lovable-but-sometimes-stinky dogs, I thought something hardy and easily removable would be best. Solution? Wrap a rug around it! (So yes, Target still gets my $$).

Materials
– 8-foot 2×12 board, cut in half
– flat brackets
– 15″ legs and corner leg brackets
– stain or Danish oil
– 2×3 rug or some other heavy woven fabric
– staple gun hammer and nails

1. If you didn’t have them do it at the store, cut the 8′ board into two 4′ boards.
2. Stain or oil the legs and individual boards. If staining raw wood, start with Minwax Pre-Stain.
3. Set the boards as close together as possible and attach the flat brackets in as many places as lets you sleep at night.

4. Lay the rug good side down and center the boards good side down over it (measure for this!). Wrap and staple. Or find out staples are comically too short to attach a rug onto anything and grab a hammer and nails.

5. Attach corner brackets (I put mine at the edge of the rug and in about an inch) and legs.
6. Turn it over and try it out!

It’s super heavy and sturdy for being just a few pieces of wood and a rug, so dogs can bark at innocent passers-by from here all day. If Hobbes doesn’t call dibs.