A Mauve Monster Makeover

This week there’s a big challenge going on around here. Maybe the biggest challenge yet of my painting DIYs:

How do you make this mauve fabric ottoman look good enough to enter into a contest?

Huh? How?!

That’s the contestant in all its pre-makeover glory, including cat hair all over it, just as it was found in a dark and feared corner of the basement. Please don’t pin this. I don’t even want to watermark it! :)

Now that it’s in the bright light of our sunroom, you can momentarily enjoy the mauve-ness of this 1980s throwback that came from my mom. What’s the right verb to describe what happened when she brought this to my house?

• Gifted with
• Inflicted upon
• Dumped on

In all fairness, mom thought I would be the best and most appreciative recipient of this Mauve Monster because I “like to decorate things.” It was an act of endearment. Maybe I was “bestowed” with it. She thought I could make it better than it is. And now I must live up to this expectation.

This Missoni ottoman from ABC Carpet & Home is an inspiration, to give you an idea of where this is going.

I like the mix of colors. And the idea of pattern covering the ottoman. Don’t expect to see zig-zag, but there will be lots of pattern.

And the ScotchBlue Painter’s Tape from 3M is sitting on my Mauve Monster because it’s part of the contest project. They were so nice to send me some samples of the tape to play with for this makeover. So yes this will involve paint! And I have an idea where you must rely on the powers of the Painter’s Tape to tame this Mauve Monster.

As a bonus I might even tackle the inside:

If the ottoman is kept near chairs and a TV, the built-in tray is perfect for flipping over to hold drinks and snacks. But white plastic is just not my thing.

So as it is right now, this ottoman isn’t going to be kept near anything! Let’s hope I can recreate it into something beautiful that will be front and center in our basement TV room!