As promised in a recent post, here’s a tutorial for an upholstered bench in 1:24 scale. The bench is made the same way as my half scale sofas. There are two versions – one with tall arms and one with short arms. (They’re shown side by side at the bottom of this post.)
Supplies needed:
Basswood in the following sizes:
- 3/4″ x 3/16″ (arms)
- 1/4″ dowel (armrests)
- 3/4″ x 1/4″ (base and seat cushion)
- 5/16″ dowel (bolster pillows – optional)
Suede scrapbook paper — one sheet is more than enough
DMC floss or another thick-ish thread in a color that complements the scrapbook paper
Tiny Turnings or beads to use as feet — approximately 1/4″ tall
You’ll also need glue (I used Aleene’s Tacky Glue), scissors, wood filler, sandpaper or emery boards, stain (for wooden feet), and a couple of toothpicks.
1) Assembling the frame
Cut the following pieces of strip wood:
- Arms: 1″ for tall-armed bench or 3/4″ for short-armed bench — cut two
- Armrests: 3/4″ — cut two
- Base: 1-3/4″
- Bolster pillows (optional): 3/4″ — cut two
The seat cushion will be slightly smaller than 1-3/4″. Its exact length will be determined by how much space you have after the arms and base are covered, so you might want to wait to cut that piece until later.
Glue the arms to the base. Glue the armrests to the tops of the arms, with the dowel pieces positioned on the edges of the arms as pictured. Use a lot of glue, then leave it alone to dry!
Once the armrests are totally dry, use wood filler to fill in the gaps and create a smooth transition from the arms to the armrests.
Emily is a freelance writer, miniaturist, and adventure game enthusiast.
