You know how we used to DIY all the time… And then we got caught up in re-doing our farmhouse, well guess what, 2018 is not only getting out of our comfort zone, but also getting back to the basics and with that folks… the written DIY to the Vlog (Click Here) we posted last week. Sometimes finding the perfect piece of furniture for particular spot in a house can be daunting. We have been looking for a sofa table that is the perfect width and height to be hidden perfectly behind the sofa in our sun room, but after a little more than a month, we absolutely had no luck… so to the workshop!
The Perfect Sofa Table
What LMB and I look for in the perfect sofa table for a space depends on a few criteria. First, is the sofa table going to be exposed or is it going to bump up against a wall. If it is going to bump up against a wall, like that in this case, the visual aesthetic of the piece is second hand, and functionality takes priority. If the piece is going to be exposed on one side, like that of a sofa table that leads into a more open-concept living room or lounge area, the piece has to not only be functional but also fit within your decor. So what is functional? Here at the farm we use sofa tables to really frame in a sofa and sitting area, to allow for lamps to be displayed and other elements of seasonal decor. This provides a backdrop for a sitting area regardless if its against a wall or used as transition from one space to another. So the heigh of the sofa table needs to be as close to flush with the height of couch (give or take). When you place lamps in placed, this is more pleasing to the eyes, as well as give you an eye appealing level for a decent size lamp to complement the space, rather than being an overpowering element that steals your attention.
The idea behind the build
LMB wanted a super basic and super simple sofa table, one that hit all of our needs and functionalities. When I was measuring out the for materials, I noticed that we would be loosing access to one of the few outlets in a convenient location for the room. I have been in spaces that, due to furniture placement, the logical and practical outlets are tucked behind them and ultimately lost. This would have been the same outcome, and I knew we would be housing lamps on this sofa table, so I wanted to add outlets to the table top to make things very easy to change out without having to complete re-arrange the room. The table outside of adding electrical to it, extremely simple, and extremely basic.
The Materials
(2) 1″ x 12″ x 6′
(1) 2″ x 2″ x 6′
(1) Electrical Box
(1) Electrical Wire
(2) Electrical Outlets (USB outlets optional)
(1) Box 2″ GRK White Trim screws (Favorite Screw for everything)
(1) Box 1/2″ Simpson Strong Tie Screws (for electrical box)
The Tools:
Ryobi 18v One+ Brushless Hammer Drill (Favorite Drill)
Screw Driver
The Cuts:
These cuts were specific to our sofa that we were fitting it to.
Top: 1 x 12 cut to 61 inches
Leg: 1 x 12 cut to 23 1/4″ (repeat for both legs)
Support Brackets: 2 x 2 cut to 14 inches with 45 degree angle cuts (repeat to produce 4 support brackets)
Outlet Hole: Measure 12 inches in from each side and cut to fit each of the outlets
Electrical Wire: Cut to 20 inch long separate strands of wire
The Step by Step
Note these are not the order I initially used, but this I believe to be the better order for easier handling
Cut one 1 x 12 for the top per the dimensions above
Cut the 2 x 2 to produce the four support brackets
Cut the other 1 x 12 (twice) to produce the legs
Without attaching anything together, cut out the two holes for the placement of the outlets. I first drilled a pilot hole with a large drill bit. This allows the jigsaw blade to fall into place to cut the holes out for the outlets(Keep in mind what may be going on the sofa table, try not to locate the outlets where lamps may need to be placed)
Screw the legs and the brackets into place to build out the table
Underneath the table, screw into place the electrical box (I chose center of the board to make all electrical cuts symmetrical)
Cut the wire to 20 inches and strip each side
Fully install the stripped wire to each of the outlets
Install the outlets to the top board, and install the face plates
Run the wire to the electrical box, and install wire staples to wire in place. Please ensure you leave yourself enough play to splice in the other outlet wire and the replacement cable that will plug into the wall.
Using the wire nuts, splice together the two outlet and the replacement plug
Install electrical box cover plate
Test
Paint (as of 2/19/2018 we haven’t painted this yet… whoops)
Put into place
The Pictures
Well that is it! Let us know what you think of this DIY, and if you have any questions. Find us on Facebook and Instagram, and keep an eye out for our next DIY and our next VLOG. Thank you and as always, Give Grace.
Here you will follow Mr. and Mrs. LMB on their journey with redoing their 1800's farmhouse, taking on new hobbies, and sharing their day to day adventures.
Thank you for stopping by and we hope you come back very soon. 
This is a great idea. Thanks for sharing. Is there a way I could see the other end how it’s plug into the wall?
Shoot, we already rearranged. We enjoyed that table in its place, but we went with a different direction that had us pivot the sofa away from the wall, so I cannot get you a shot but i’ll try to be more specific in my explanation. I have the wires connecting via wire nuts in a metal junction box.Coming out of the junction box, I have a regular 3 prong black cable. One side is tied into the wiring for the outlets, all inside the junction box. The other is a regular plug that’ll go right into the wall. IF you go to Home Depot and look for the “replacement chord” next to the extension chord isle you’ll find a cable chord with one side normal plug, and the other open wires to tie together with wire nuts. Hope this helps, great question and thank you for reading.