DIY Sofa Table For Less Than 50 Bucks

I built this DIY Sofa Table as a safety measure after a potential apartment fire situation. A few weeks ago my internet randomly went out. My router software indicated that my modem was the source of the problem. After troubleshooting with my ISP, we still couldn’t get the internet up and running again. So I made an appointment to have a tech come out. Shortly after getting off the chat with tech support I smelled something burning. My nose led me behind my sofa where I found my modem wire melted, sparking and about to burst into flames. It had literally already burned a small hole in the back of my sofa.

Thank God that I was home and found it in time as my entire apartment could have burned down. I had an electrician come out and check everything, and my ISP repaired the wiring. But they could not figure out the exact source of the burning wire. Though it was clear that it was external. To be on the safe side I wanted to put some additional space between the sofa and the wiring. Although I usually keep my sofa pulled a couple of inches off the wall to give the wire and outlet breathing space, sometimes the sofa slides when we sit, causing it to end up against the wall. I figured the best solution would be a sofa table.

Since my sofa is about 90 inches long, I wanted my sofa table to be at least 72 inches so that it wouldn’t look awkward. Off I went in search of potential matches. But I quickly realized that a table of decent quality that was both long enough AND fit in with my décor could not be found for less than $250. I wasn’t willing to drop those kinds of coins for a piece of furniture hidden behind the sofa. So I decided to get a table top and legs from IKEA to make my own.

Ideally I wanted my sofa table to be no more than 12 inches in depth since my living room area is very small. This way it wouldn’t hog too much space and would still allow me to utilize the top for plants and what not. In the end all of IKEA’s table tops were too wide. So I went with a Lack Shelf instead. It’s actually a wall shelf but had the perfect dimensions to use for my DIY Sofa Table- 74 3/4″ L x 10 1/4″ D, and 2″ thick. The shelf is available in white and black-brown. I chose the latter. Though I wish it were straight up black, it blends in well enough with my décor since the table is hidden behind the sofa. Best of all, the shelf was only $29.99.

For the legs I went with the ADILS Leg in white to add contrast to the black-brown of the lack shelf. I figured this color way would fit in perfectly with my décor- a mix of black, cream and white, with pops of gray and gold. At $4 each (including the hardware to attach them), the four legs ran me $16. Making the total cost of my DIY Sofa Table less than 50 bucks. All I needed was a drill to attach the legs to the shelf and a ruler to measure, and I had both at home. Along with furniture pads for the back corners of the table to keep it from damaging the wall.

For reference, a sofa table should be the same height or shorter than your sofa, never taller. The ADILS legs are 27 1/2″ tall. In combination with the 2″ thickness of the Lack Shelf, my sofa table is approximately 30 inches in height. Putting the table level with the back of my sofa, but a few inches below the oversized cushions.

I am so pleased with the way my DIY Sofa Table turned out. It’s exactly how I imagined and the minimalist style blends right in with the rest of my décor. Now I have a new spot for my houseplants, and to place cups (with coasters of course) while sitting. I also grabbed these gorgeous golden GURLI Cushion Covers while at IKEA. They pair nicely with my geometric pillow covers and really bring out the gold in the artwork above my sofa. It’s like I have a whole new living room area!

If you don’t have an IKEA near you and want to avoid the shipping cost, then you can pay a visit to your local Home Depot and have wood or pvc board cut to size for your DIY Sofa Table. This will give you the freedom to stain or paint your table to your liking. Also, this set of four metal table legs is almost identical to the ADILS and only $25. So you don’t have to get the pieces for this project from IKEA. This was just the most convenient option for me.

SHOP THE POST

What do you guys think about my DIY Sofa Table? Are you a furniture DIYer?

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