Repurpose Cute Throw Pillows To Make The Purrfect DIY Cat Tree

Passionate pet parents will do anything for their beloved kitties. But if you're also house-proud, the tacky cat trees you typically find in Petsmart or Petco just won't cut it. If you want something as cute as it is fun for your purr-tiest family member (or members), you need a plaything that gives both legitimate décor and is still practical without breaking the bank. Famed thrifty maven Annika Hinds offers us just that with her two-part Instagram tutorial for a cat tree made from cardboard tubes and cheap but cheerful multi-hued daisy throw pillows. All you need to do is cut out a base from plywood, attach the twine-wrapped tubes to it, and then top those with the pillows. The project reportedly cost Hinds around $100 to complete, but how much you spend will depend on the materials and supplies you choose. 

First, find three pillows that will appeal to both your desire for aesthetically pleasing décor and your cat's need for squishy things to prod. Complete the daisy theme with flower cushions from Amazon — they have 15.7 inch wide Sioloc daisy throw pillows in eight color combinations for about $10. Look for blooms with long petals so you can fold the ends over the platform far enough to secure them underneath (more on this later). There's also nothing stopping you from hunting for cushions at your local thrift store or, if you don't toss old pillows, this is a great way to repurpose them in your home.

If you have some old poster tubes lying around, this is the perfect opportunity to upcycle them. Ideally, the diameter should be 5 inches or more for stability. Don't have anything on hand? Get one to three tubes and cut them into three unequal lengths. Amazon has ProLine 5 x 24 inch heavy-duty shipping tubes for under $25 each. If you're not against using plastic, PVC plumbing pipe would also work great for this project. Grab a 3-inch diameter, 10-foot-long pipe for just under $40 from Lowe's and cut it into three lengths of your desired height using a pipe cutter, hand saw, or electric miter saw.

The base for this exercise in how to catify a small apartment is made from plywood. Cut it into a bespoke shape with a jigsaw or, if you prefer a more uniform look — round or square — get a piece in the shape that you want. Menards sells 1/4 inch thick, 2 x 2 feet long and wide sanded plywood panels for under $7 each. Make sure the base platform you create is wide enough to support the weight of the tubes, cushion platforms, pillows, and your cats without the entire piece toppling over. While you're at the hardware store, pick up some wood rounds a little smaller than the diameter (end of the petals included) of your pillows. For example, you can get 15-inch circular boards made of pine for about $9 at Lowe's.

Annika Hind covered the plywood base of her cat tree in a fluffy, green grass-like fabric using an upholstery stapler. You can certainly do the same if you love that look. Alternatively, use a preferred fabric — just make sure whatever you choose is thick. Wrap the tubes in twine. Like the base fabric above, a hefty string holds up best against needle-like kitty claws. Hobby Lobby sells 100-foot rolls of 3-ply natural sisal rope for under $9. Hind mentioned in her tutorial that attaching the twine to the tubes took way longer than she anticipated. So, if you're not into spending a ton of time wrapping pipes with string, you could always repurpose the tubes off a retired cat tree or staple the same fabric to the tubes that you use on the base.

You'll also need some scissors, L-brackets with screws (eight per tube), and an electric drill. Pick up a few eight-packs of stainless steel fixtures for under $20 from Walmart. To assemble your chic new cat tree, screw the three cut-to-size and twine-wrapped tubes to the fabric-covered plywood base using the L-brackets and your electric drill. Affix the daisy pillows to their wooden platforms by curling the ends of the petals under the boards and stapling them in place. Attach the pillow-adorned platforms to the tubes using L-brackets. Finally, staple on a few of your fur child's favorite hanging string toys to make your home a cat-friendly oasis.