You Can DIY a Trendy Ribbed Console From Cardboard Tubes

This tastemaker’s project has only four steps.
brown ribbed console table vignette with poster and vase

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Stockholm-based blogger Lydia Tsegay already had almost all the accoutrements for a perfect vignette: a framed poster, a ceramic jug, and a simple vase she could fill with fresh flowers—the only missing piece was, admittedly, a large one. She needed a console table. Inspired by a desk with ribbed legs she had seen on Instagram, she stopped hunting for a new buy and decided to get crafty. “I’m glad I did, because it turned out to be exactly what I wanted!” says Tsegay. 

In keeping with her Scandinavian surroundings, her living room—where she intended to install her creation—is full of natural materials and textured touches, so Tsegay planned accordingly: “I wanted something that would go well with that feeling and those colors.” She describes her style as minimalist with an earthy edge—think: a cream-colored sofa coexisting with a matte black Constance Guisset pendant lamp, with the occasional pop of green from a potted plant. A fluted, stained wood design would fit seamlessly into the mix.

Around $150 and a couple days later—Tsegay also decided to make a matching mini pedestal whose current resident is a peace lily—she had a brand-new item of furniture. Here’s how she made her dream piece.

The Supplies 

  • 40 to 50 dowels (hers were about 0.6 inches wide) 
  • 2 round tubes (hers were about 47 inches long)
  • Construction adhesive glue
  • Saw
  • Hot-glue gun
  • Paint of your choosing (she chose a brown hue to mimic a dark wood finish) 
  • Paintbrush
  • Pencil
  • A wide plank board (hers was about 47 inches long)

Step 1: Trim the Dowels

Measure the tubes so you know what size to cut each stick to, marking the cutoff point with a pencil. Carefully saw the dowels to the right length. (Tsegay ended up with about 20 for each cylinder.) Pro tip: If you’re undertaking this on your own and need something sturdy to cut against, try propping up the rod against the corners of a cardboard box—it will prevent it from rolling away. 

Step 2: Glue the Ribbing

cardboard tube and dowels
Photography by Lydia Tsegay

Using a hot-glue gun, trace a line on the backside of each dowel and stick them individually to the tube—be sure to use a strong enough adhesive, as hobby glue won’t be able to hold the pegs. Let it dry overnight.  

Step 3: Slick On a Finish

painted ribbed table legs
Photography by Lydia Tsegay

Pick a smaller paintbrush so you can get into all the nooks and crannies, then begin layering a coat of color onto the legs. Tsegay used a deep chocolate brown to mimic darker wood. 

Step 4: Add the Surface

After the paint fully dries, dot a wide plank with the same strong construction adhesive and stick it onto the legs. Wait 24 hours for the glue to set, then finish off the table with a final coat of paint on the board so it matches the base. Once that’s finished, it’s time for the fun part. Style away!

It’s hammer time: Follow @reno_notebook for easy rental updates, clever DIYs, and tips to nail your next project.

Elly Leavitt

Writer and Editor

Elly enjoys covering anything from travel to funky design (tubular furniture, anyone?) to the latest cultural trend. Her dream apartment would exist on the Upper West Side and include a plethora of mismatched antique chairs, ceramic vessels, and floor-to-ceiling bookcases—essential to her goal of becoming a poor man’s Nora Ephron. You can probably find her in line at Trader Joe’s. You will never find her at SoulCycle.