If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know I recently welcomed two new Jack Russell terrors into our family. Yes, “terrors,” not terriers, as these two little pups have kept me on my toes with their mischievous ways! One of their recent destructive moments led to a creative solution for an ongoing garden problem. Let me share how I turned a ruined futon into a stylish and functional plant stand for my garden corner.

This corner of the garden has always been a challenge. A large tree from our neighbour’s yard provided more shade than I’d like, preventing any grass from growing. Thankfully, they decided to trim back their tree this year, opening up the area to more sunlight. I had hoped to tidy up this space, and, thanks to my dogs’ antics, I found the perfect way to do it. Here’s how I repurposed a futon frame into a stunning plant stand that adds charm and greenery to the garden.

Before we dive into this tutorial, be sure to subscribe to my bimonthly newsletter to be the first to see my latest projects.  You can also follow me on Pinterest and Facebook, where I also include my unique mixed-media art projects

It is also time for our next blog hop for  ‘Do It Over’ Designers.  We are a group of bloggers who come together to share our latest recycle/upcycle/DIY project. Be sure to visit the other talented bloggers who are participating this month in the links at the end of this post.

Turn an Old Futon Into a Stylish Plant Stand: A Simple DIY Garden Solution

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Materials Needed:

• Futon frame (preferably with removable arms)
• Cable ties
• Hanging pots
• Black spray paint
• Succulent plants
• Stones for drainage
• Soil for planting
• Metal gecko (optional for decoration)
• Bird feeder planter (optional for centrepiece)

Salvage the Futon Frame

A few months ago, I came home from work to find that my pups had made a mess of my futon cushion, tearing it apart as if it were a new toy. The cushion went straight to the tip, but I knew the frame could be repurposed for something useful. After sitting behind my shed for a few months, the lightbulb moment hit: why not turn the futon into a plant stand?

Modify the Futon Frame for Stability

Initially, I thought I could just lean the futon frame on its side in the corner, but the arms made it unstable. It would have kept tipping over.

My solution? I removed the arms and support beams, then stood it upright in the corner. To make sure it wouldn’t fall, I drilled holes into the fence and used cable ties to secure the futon in place. This ensured it was stable enough to hold the plants.

Add Hanging Pots and Prepare for Planting

Next, I purchased some budget-friendly hanging pots and spray-painted them black to blend seamlessly with the plant stand. Succulents are perfect for this stand since they don’t require much water.

I drilled drainage holes in the bottoms of the pots and added stones for better drainage before filling them with soil and succulents.

You can arrange the plant pots until you’re satisfied with the look.

Decorative Touches for Extra Charm

I thought my plant stand looked a bit plain, so I added a metal gecko and placed my bird feeder planter in the centre. This was a quick and easy project, and I avoided the hassle of hauling the futon to the tip. The photo below was taken a month after I placed the succulents on the stand. As you can see, they seemed to be struggling at first.

One month later, the succulents are thriving in that corner. Succulents grow exceptionally well in our area of Australia, except between December and March when temperatures soar above 40°C. During those hotter months, I can move the plants to a more shaded spot in my garden.

Hopefully, in a few months, with all the rain we are having, I will even get some grass in that messy corner.

Just to give you another example of how mischievous my dogs are, I built them a cool hobbit-style dog house, but they prefer to pull out my plants and use the planter as their bed instead.

You can check out the tutorial for this planter here.

Maybe they were hinting it was time for me to treat the wood again. They have a way of finding projects for me to do.

As I mentioned, this is the ‘Do It Over’ Designers Blog Hop, and there are some amazing projects!  Be sure to click on the links below for inspiration.

Modern on Monticello

Pandora’s Box

Purple Hues & Me

Southern Sunflowers 

Unique Creations by Anita

My Hubbard Home

Interior Frugalista

The Apple Street Cottage

Birdz of a Feather

Exquisitely Unremarkable

If you’re interested in any of the items used in this project, we’d appreciate it if you used our affiliate links. Clicking these links earns us a small commission at no extra cost to you, helping us create more inspiring and exciting projects to share. We’d also love to hear your thoughts—feel free to leave a comment or share this post!