Woman Uses Pool Noodles To DIY Beautiful Diner-Style Booth On A Budget

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Booth-style banquettes are beloved for their elegant, upscale look and genius space-saving footprint. Because these built-in-looking benches are situated up against a wall or in a tight corner, you can fit the setup in compact areas of your home. It's no wonder hip restaurants covet this cozy booth that maximizes every inch of space. While prefabricated and custom booth banquettes will set you back a pretty penny, social media has another, far more affordable approach, easy enough for even a novice DIYer to tackle.

TikTok user itsmeshelbyturner shared how she achieved luxury banquette seating by using the humblest of supplies: a sheet of plywood and some pool noodles. First, she lined the plywood panel with a row of pool noodles to serve as the upholstery foam. Then, she added velvet fabric over the top and used the divots between the noodles to create a channeled design reminiscent of high-end restaurants. The result is a wall-mounted custom back panel with serious wow factor that looks far more expensive than the supplies it requires. This is a budget-friendly way to build a dining booth (roughly $60-75 or so for plywood, pool noodles, and fabric), and can likely be knocked out in an afternoon.

To create a similar banquette at home, purchase a plywood sheet from the hardware store. The TikToker had hers cut into two 2x4 panels to fit in her car, but you could opt to just purchase a single sheet in your desired size (cut to size at the store) if you can transport it without a seam. To secure two smaller panels together, use four evenly spaced flat mending plates to create one 4-by-4-foot surface. Depending on the length of your bench and the overall height you want to achieve, tailor the size of your plywood panel accordingly. Just keep in mind that most pool noodles are around 4 feet long, so you'll hit a maximum panel width to run them horizontally without a seam. For extra-long banquettes, you could run the noodles vertically to avoid this issue.

@itsmeshelbyturner

Building our booth using pool noodles ✨ #homedecor

♬ original sound – Shelby Turner 🏠

Once your plywood backing board is ready, begin at the top (on the side without mending plates) and use hot glue or construction adhesive to stick a pool noodle to the panel. Tucking the next noodle up against the first, repeat this process until you're about four inches from the bottom of the plywood. This leaves a flat space so the panel can slide seamlessly behind the bench. When all of the noodles are affixed and dry, cut off any excess foam that overlaps the side of the panel using a utility or serrated knife. Then, flip the entire panel and lay it face down on your piece of fabric, cutting it to size so you have enough slack to overlap the sides and attach it on the back.

Use a staple gun to attach the top of the fabric to the upper rear side of the panel. To create the channeled upholstery pattern, run a line of hot glue or construction adhesive in the seam between the top two pool noodles. Then, smooth the fabric across the top noodle and press it into the seam. The TikToker worked in small sections to ensure the fabric stayed taught while the glue was hot. You can glue each divot for a smaller horizontal channel, or go every other seam for a wider stripe. Once all seams are glued, staple all remaining fabric sides to the rear of the panel to finish the upholstery.

@itsmeshelbyturner

Dining room booth is finished! But we have more to do. Working on the ceiling tiles next ✨ #homedecor

♬ original sound – Shelby Turner 🏠

Slide the panel behind the bench for an integrated, one-piece look and use appropriate fasteners, such as Gussker's Heavy Duty D-Rings, to mount the panel to your wall. Aim for the studs if possible for the most support, or choose anchors that can handle the wear and tear of people constantly leaning against the panel.

For DIYers who want only a backrest for their banquette, the project could be called complete at this stage. However, you could also further customize your diner-style booth in a few ways. Similar to TikTok, use a matching fabric to create a seat cushion for the bench by either wrapping an existing cushion or a new piece of upholstery foam. Additionally, for a truly all-in-one luxe look, add a gathered floor-length skirt in the same fabric to cover the bench, giving your dining room the ultimate regal upgrade. Alternatively, for a more modern twist on a shorter back panel, add decorative leather straps hung from a rod or other hardware to make the rear cushion look suspended.