How to Build a Decorative Pedestal

I’m back (so soon!) to share my DIY decorative pedestal. While they have been a recent home decor trend, I think pedestals are a timeless way to elevate the look of an office, living room, hallway, or entry vignette. After casually shopping for one online, I decided to make one myself. Read on for a complete tutorial, a look behind-the-scenes at the process, plus a roundup of some ready-made pedestals if you’re in more of an “add-to-cart” mood.

I initially shared my pedestal last week in my budget home office makeover, styled with a terracotta vase and flowers. It was the perfect way to fill negative space on a small wall and has offered a fun excuse to pick up grocery store florals each week. Sarah has shared a DIY pedestal makeover before, so check that out if you already have a simple pedestal that you’d like to spruce up. And if you have a pedestal but aren’t sure what to display, check out this roundup of terracotta vases , or this plaster bust DIY. If you are starting from scratch like I was, keep reading!

Supplies

I wanted to keep this DIY simple & inexpensive; the perfect project to complete over a weekend. Here’s what we used…

• leftover particle board (you could also use plywood, masonite, or regular solid wood)
• 2 x 12 wood (for the top and supports)
• 1 x 12 wood (for the exterior)
• wood glue
• nail gun
• clamps
• caulk
• wood filler
• tape measure & square
• miter saw
• table saw
• sander
• primer
• trim enamel paint (color matched to PPG Delicate White)
• paint brush
• mini paint roller

Step 1: Build the Base

The first step was to determine the shape, style, and size of the pedestal. I love the simplicity of this option, so I went with a similar style for mine. I measured the wall where I planned to place the pedestal, and decided on 11″ x 11″ x 42″ for the measurements.

The process started with building a base pedestal that would eventually have a top & sides added. This is where we used 3 support blocks (on the top, bottom, and center) that we wrapped in particle board. Really any type of wood could be used for this, but we had some leftover material which helped keep the cost of this project low. Some wood glue & finishing nails made for a super sturdy base that we planned to wrap in solid wood, but you could wrap it in trim like Sarah’s pedestal, or other decorative moulding or finishes- like a natural stone tile.

Step 2: Finish Trim

We wrapped the base pedestal in 1 x 12 pine boards that were mitered with the table saw for a clean aesthetic. I also left a couple inches showing on the top and bottom of the base to mimic the geometric shape of the inspiration pedestal. To assemble, we clamped, glued, and nailed the pine to the particle board base. We then glued & nailed a square piece of 2 x 12 to the top to complete the pedestal construction.

Step 3: Fill, Sand, & Paint

I then filled the mitered corners and nail holes, along with any imperfections in the wood. After sanding it smooth and caulking the corners, the pedestal was prepped for primer & paint.

For a tone-on-tone look, I painted the pedestal with my favorite high-touch enamel paint color-matched to the white wall of my office (PPG’s Delicate White).

The Finished Look

All that was left to do was move the pedestal to my office & style it! I photographed it with a terracotta vase I found at HomeGoods (similar vase here), but I’ve already played with various pieces in my vessel collection and each one looks more elevated & intentional than if it were on a counter or desktop.

Readymade Pedestals

Click directly on each pedestal below to be redirected.

marble pedestal // faceted pedestal // fluted wood pedestal // arhaus pedestal // outdoor plaster pedestal // viola marble pedestal // wood column pedestal // luca pedestal // dark marble pedestal // concrete pedestal // galerie pedestal

FAQ

I hope you enjoyed this project tutorial, and I hope you’ll let me know if you try it! What do you think? Would you style a pedestal in your home?