Upholstery leather is not just for leather furniture. With everyone doing things by themselves, many people have used upholstery leather for projects outside furniture making with varying degrees of success. If you have an old couch with yards of great leather, you can use that for many projects that are sure to make your life much more organized, beautiful, and sleek, with a touch of sophistication.
You can make a lot of leatherworking projects using upholstery leather. These include easy ones such as leather notebook covers and sling planters to larger and more elaborate ones such as ottomans and leather lunch bags.
| Upholstery Leather Project | Pros | Cons |
| Leather safari sling bench | Perfect use of leather and woodworking skills Can give more texture to the room | Not for total newbies due to complicated steps |
| Leather sling planters | Easy to create and innovative Adds texture to the room | Too easy for those who want more challenging projects Might break easily when you use low quality leather |
| Leather notebook covers | Adds protection to your notebook or journal in style | Might chip easily when using low quality leather |
| No-sew leather triangles pillow | No sewing required | No cons |
| DIY Ottoman | Woodwork and leatherworking skills combined | Woodworking skills required |
| Upholstered leather headboard | Can add more elegance and sophistication to your bedroom | Requires more leather if you have a bigger headboard |
| Leather lunch bags | Sophisticated and sturdy container for your food | Might not retain heat |
| Upholstered leather bookshelf | Adds style and substance to your bookshelves | No cons |
Leather Safari Sling Bench For Your Lounge Area
This project is perfect if you have a ratty old couch lying somewhere and you want a new one without spending so much money, because a brand new leather couch is still expensive.
If you want to revamp that old ratty couch with the leather it has, this project is for you.
For this project, you will have to skin the couch yourself.
If you do not know how to do that, or not yet confident with your skinning skills, you can ask someone who knows how to do it to skin the couch for you.
That is the first step. Remember that you must keep the pieces as large as possible.
Do not cut them into smaller pieces, because you are redesigning a couch for your lounge area.
Materials And Tools Needed For This Project
For this project, you will need the following:
- Two pieces 2×2’s measuring 34” long
- Two pieces 2×2’s measuring 28” long
- Two pieces 1×4’s measuring 46” long
- Two pieces 1×2’s measuring 24” long
- Two pieces 1×3’s measuring 25” long
- Two pieces of ½” wooden dowels at 16” long
- Two pieces of ½” wooden dowels at 5” long
- 16 pieces screws
- Seven yards of upholstery webbing
- Miter saw
- Jig saw
- Drill
- ½” drill bit
- ¼” drill bit
- Stapler
Do This Project For A Change Of Mood
If your couch has great leather that is very beautiful, too beautiful to even throw away, do this project instead.
It will transform your living room from cumbersome to classy, because these days, minimalism and cosmopolitan interior designs are the ones in trend among interiors.
This is also a great idea because wood and leather are a great combination, complementing each other’s earthy tones and hues.
This leather sling sofa will give your lounge a more sophisticated and bold aura that will set the mood for your living room.
Leather Sling Planters For The Green Thumbs
If you are a gardening enthusiast who also loves leatherworking and has some upholstery leather left from skinning your couch and doing the leather sling sofa I recommended earlier, this one’s for you.
These leather sling planters are perfect if you have pots lying around your house.
You can use these sling planters to prop your pots and hang them from the ceiling or the walls.
The contrast between the greenery of your plants and the brown, earthy color of your leather sling planters are a great mix, especially if you use macrame for ropes.
Materials And Tools Needed For This Project
For this project, you will need the following:
- Upholstery leather (or any leather will do)
- Grommets
- Brass rings for the ropes
- Any rope available, macrame is also a perfect option
- Your plant pot or any container for your plants
A Great Collaboration Of Nature And Manmade Creations
This upholstery leather project is perfect if you want to use your upholstery leather into good use.
Hanging plant pots and containers are perfect for those who want to incorporate plants into your interiors but you do not have enough space to execute that.
Using these leather sling planters would maximize your space while fulfilling your intentions of becoming a green thumb.
Exquisite Leather Notebooks For Journaling Needs
A lot of people are into planners and bullet journaling these days, and it is indeed very important to jot your notes, ideas, and thoughts everyday for many different reasons.
Journaling is known to be an effective productivity tool, and with this project, it will make your notebooks much more visually appealing than ever.
Materials And Tools Needed For This Project
For this project, you will need the following:
- Your upholstery leather, measuring approximately 18” by 6”
- Steel ruler
- Skiver
- Utility knife
- Cutting mat
- Double sided tape
- Leather glue
- Non-stick or roller presser foot
- Nylon upholstery thread
- Leather needles
- Your journal or notebook
Gives Your Notebook Or Journal A Much Classier Look
Nowadays, leather journal covers or notebook covers are very popular among the younger generation because of its sleek, sophisticated, and classy feel.
Upholstery leather is a bit thicker compared to the normal types of leather used in making notebook and journal covers, but that thickness will provide a layer of protection assuring you that it will last a long time compared to others.
No-Sew Leather Triangles Pillow For Your Living Space
This project has a lot of great points to consider: it is easy to make, you can use upholstery leather to do this, and you do not have to sew leather at all!
Well, you might need to sew a little bit but not that complicated compared to other leatherworking projects.
Materials And Tools Needed For This Project
For this project, you will need the following:
- Four different colors of leather of your choice
- Fabri-tac for adhesive purposes
- A plain pillow cover of your choice
Easy Upholstery Leather Project That Anyone Can Do
This upholstery leather project ticks many boxes in my checklist: it is easy to do, does not require much sewing at all, upholstery leather can be used, and many people can do it.
Even those who are not skilled in leatherworking might find this project fun and enjoyable to do.
You can even teach children how to do it! Of course, when doing it with kids, you must keep sharp objects away from them.
Also, do not let them use Fabri-tac on their own for safety purposes. Again, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Do-It-Yourself Ottoman For Additional Seating Space
Using upholstery leather is also great for this project, as this exact project requires upholstery leather to be used in the first place.
If you want to have another seat but do not want to buy a brand new leather-covered ottoman, this one’s for you.
Materials And Tools Needed For This Project
For this project, you will need the following:
- Upholstery leather large enough to cover the cushion
- Seam ripper
- Fabric scissors
- Upholstery staple remover
- Chalk wheel
- Batting (optional)
- Sewing machine
- Leather sewing needles
- Sewing pins
- Staple gun
- ⅜” staples
- Wood glue
- ½” plywood
- One 1×2 board
- One 2×2 board
- Pocket hole jig
- Upholstery foam
- 1 ¼” pocket hole screws
Healthy Collaboration Of Leatherworking And Woodworking
If you are already good at woodworking, this project is already right up your alley. This is a great way to practice your leatherworking skills, and if you are really great at these, you can sell ottomans made from upholstery leather for better prices.
Also, there are many great examples of leatherworking and woodworking forming a great collaboration, and this is another one.
There are a lot of other leatherworking projects allowing you to incorporate your woodworking skills.
Upholstered Leather Headboard To Spice Up Your Bedroom
This upholstery leather project requires you to decorate the headboard with upholstery leather to make it more sophisticated and classy to look at.
This is another woodworking and leatherworking collaboration perfect for your bedrooms. This is also a unique take on embellishments.
Materials And Tools Needed For This Project
For this project, you will need the following:
- Upholstery leather fitted for your bed
- Spray adhesive
- 1” thick foam mattress pad
- Heavy duty stapler
- ⅜” staples
- 1 sheet of ½” plywood
- Two pieces 2×2 boards
- Two pieces 1×4 boards
- Kreg jig
- 1” pocket hole screws
- 2 ½” pocket hole screws
- French cleat (ideally for 200 pounds but depends on your needs)
- Brad nailer
- 1” brad nails
Give Your Bedroom A Sleek Spike Of Taste
This project is perfect for those who love earthy colors and tones in their rooms.
If you have upholstery leather dyed in other colors, it would also give your room a polished finish.
Leather covered headboards are also visually appealing, which would raise the design aesthetic in your bedrooms.
It would make your headboard look much more expensive than ever before.
Sleek Leather Lunch Bags For Meals On The Go
If you are one of those people who go to work or school with packed lunches that you or someone else had prepared, this project is the perfect one for you.
Get to bring your packed lunches in a leather lunch bag that looks expensive yet very durable and sturdy.
Materials And Tools Needed For This Project
For this project, you will need the following:
- 6-7 oz. weight upholstered leather or stiff leather
- Heavy waxed thread
- Contact cement
- Leather sewing needles
- Ruler
- Rotary knife
- Leather punches — #5 and #00
- Stitching spacer
- Downloadable template (you can search online)
Raise Your Lunch Game To The Next Level
Creating this unique leather lunch bag will not only make you look stylish, but it will also highlight and showcase your leatherworking skills.
Many people would be in awe if you tell them that this bag is one of a kind, and they would not look at you the same way again.
Also, it is much more presentable than your dull and boring cloth bags for packed lunches.
This is going to turn you into a conversation starter and a head turner in the cafeteria.
Give Life To Your Shelves With An Upholstered Leather Bookshelf
I know that you have once taken a look at those expensive leather bookshelves sold in upscale furniture shops downtown and wished that you could easily afford one or two of those for your books at home.
With this upholstery leather project, you can snag this look for your plain bookshelves without shelling out a lot of money.
Materials And Tools Needed For This Project
For this project, you will need the following:
- One or two upholstery leather, measuring 55-110 square feet
- Goggles
- Pliers
- Scissors
- Air compressor
- Staple remover
- Stapler
- ½” long staples
- Measuring tape
- Chalk
- Yard stick
- Square
- Sewing machine
- Curve ease
- Cardboard tack strip
- Regulator
- Dust cover
- Plastic nail glides
- Small piece of cardboard
- Brass tacks
- Tack hammer with wax tip
Gives Your Boring Bookshelves A Warm And Stylish Cover
This upholstery project would up the ante on your living room aesthetic game, simply because this would completely transform your drab bookshelves into something much more expensive and classy.
No one would know that you did not shell a lot of money in creating this one-of-a-kind leather bookshelf adorning your living room.
On second thought, let them know about it and watch as they drop their jaws on the floor for how crafty and ingenious the design is.
Try These Upholstery Leather Projects Now!
Personally, I think upholstery leather is an untapped territory that many leatherworkers should touch and use in more of their projects.
The potential of skinning an old sofa with a lot of leather to use is also a sustainable option, and as a leatherworker, I want to get more yards for more affordable prices.
These upholstery leather projects are fun to do, and it can also open more opportunities to do much larger projects for profit.
Try these now and see how it improves your leatherworking game.
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