The internet never fails to amaze us. The DIY community have dropped their unhinged tips to a luxe home and pool noodles seem to be an essential for an inexpensive yet elevated home.
If you have little ones taking to the water or, like me, learned to swim as an adult, consider these brightly coloured foam tubes a treasure (or way to save it). From furniture to upholstery, here are the five best pool noodle hacks that you can do at home and what you’ll need for a stylish space on a budget.
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Pool Noodle Padded Cabinet Backing
@Jackkinsey’s home bar tutorial earlier this week left us speechless. Who thought that pool noodles would make for a stunning, Art Deco backing on furniture? This would be perfect for an accessories draw too!
For this you’ll need pool noodles, your choice of drinks cabinet (if you’re looking to save money, consider going vintage), a backing of sorts (MDF will work well), fabric, a caulking gun, Instant Nails adhesive and upholstery adhesive spray. For fabric recommendations, velvet is perfect for the Art Deco vibes.
Jack used an ochre yellow but you can achieve a similar feel with olive green or magenta. Alternatively, corduroy will also work but will add more texture to the piece and look mid-century. Rich colours and bold shapes are exactly what made these design eras so flamboyant.
Pool Noodle Bed Headboard
Similar to the last hack, this DIY by @ourbelgravehome is perfect for folks who want a hack with minimal tools and are anxious about having to nail or cut. It uses at least eight pool noodles to create a padded headboard.
You can use a caulking gun, Instant Nails adhesive and upholstery adhesive spray to achieve the no-hassle look. Feel free to use whatever fabric you want, but a neutral chenille fabric will look amazing for a minimalist, Scandi-style home (especially if you have a wooden bed frame).
Pool Noodles for Top Tablescaping
When @Lonefoxhome dropped this hack, the DIY community went berserk. It’s so blindingly obvious that pool noodles are similar to artificial flower foam. But they’re longer and you can create a custom centrepiece that fits your table perfectly.
To do this trend, you’ll need pool noodles, zip ties and some artificial flowers and foliage (real ones will work too, but artificial flowers have stronger stems and will hold up much better). We love these artificial peonies and hydrangeas for their volume, but also their soft colours.
To add some visual interest and play with height, why not add some candleholders? Extra points if they have a vintage look like these brass candle holders.
Pool Noodle Mirror
This may be the most complicated on the list to do but it definitely has the biggest payoff. @Annikamarieee saved over $3K on this project so you’ll want to keep listening.
For this you will need a caulking gun, staple gun, your choice of fabrics, your mirror panel, an MDF or plywood backing board and if you’re cutting the arch, a glass cutting tool and an electric jigsaw to cut the backing board.
This is the perfect way to make a unique full body mirror on a budget and has the scope to be a fun hobby for the creatives out there.
Pool Noodle Side Table
Would you believe me if I said this side table was made from pool noodles? @Berdine.shop got creative and stuck together pool noodles, covering them in concrete.
The final result? A custom faux stone side table (see part 6 on her channel). For a textured finish with dimension and depth, I’d recommend Rust Oleum’s stone spray paint in Pebble. It’s perfect to achieve a similar outcome to the original DIY hack on a budget.
Who would’ve thought so much could be done with such a cheap item! With these hacks in mind, you’ll be floating on cloud nine (pun intended).
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