Have you seen the outrageous price tags on ottomans? They cost nearly as much as the chairs they accompany. This homemade version has humble bones, but you can splurge on fabric to make the outcome look high-end. I recommend staples to assemble the fabric and trim for all you non-sewers out there, but machine stitches make this project more durable.

What you'll need:

• At least 8 square feet of 1-inch-thick foam
• Long ruler
• Marker
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• 14 x 7 x 10 1/2-inch plastic crate
• Cake of 4-inch-thick foam at least 16 x 19 inches
• Long serrated knife
• 1 1/2 yards upholstery-weight fabric
• Pencil
• 4 yards coordinating piping
• Straight pins
• Office-type stapler and staples