1. Home

Community Brag Posts

Double Loft Bed

I saw the idea for this bed on Pinterest originally. It linked to a blog that had the step by step plan (http://www.thehandmadehome.net/2011/08/how-to-build-a-loft/). However, I would have never even approached the idea or project without a few of Ana's plans under my belt first. I have gained so much confidence in my building on this site, and will always be a HUGE fan here :) Thank you Ana for all the fantastic plans you continue to share!

I still want to finish out and make the under bed area more fun and creative with curtains and such, but we LOVE having the full floor in the room for our play area. My boys absolutely love their bed!!

Estimated Cost
Less than $150 (a little higher than usual because of where I live)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
The hardest part about this project was lifting the bed platform up onto the legs in order to secure them in place. We built it with very little room to spare against the wall, and it made it very tricky to get up into place with some of the window frames and such. Be sure to have friendly neighbors or friends helping out when you get to that part, and lift with your legs...not your back ;)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

sgilly

Wed, 10/02/2013 - 13:07

I'll bet the boys are thrilled with this. It's great to have that extra play room!
I am curious, though, how the center of the loft bed is supported.

exuma_momma

Wed, 10/02/2013 - 18:38

Hey Sue, I went and found the old link to the plans for this and added it to the brag post. Or here it is also: http://www.thehandmadehome.net/2011/08/how-to-build-a-loft/ Underneath is a bunch of 2x4's spaced to support the platform, but the big 2x8's are the main strength. They are monsters! We've had a bunch of kids and adults up there for story time, and never once has it felt unstable or wobbly. Hopefully the link will help. It has way more photos that I have here.

bhoppy

Thu, 10/03/2013 - 16:24

Reminds me of the bed my dad made for my sis and I when we were little:-) SO sweet!

Ramholmes

Thu, 07/28/2016 - 15:47

I am going to attempt to make this bed in a couple of weeks for my daughters. The handmade home directions only show the rope ladder. We want to make the ladder similar to your pictures above. Could you tell me how you made yours please and thank you?

Rustic Headboard

Submitted by beingbrook on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 08:26

Rustic headboard built in an afternoon. Total cost was only $35!

Blog Link
beingBrook-Rustic headboard w/aged finish
Built from Plan(s)
Easy Build Wood Headboard (All Mattress Sizes)
Estimated Cost
$40-60
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Oxidized the wood using tea followed by steel wool/vinegar mix. Finished with Annie Sloan clear wax. A detailed explanation can be found at my blog: http://beingbrook.com/rustic-headboard-aged-wood/
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

scott56

Wed, 11/09/2011 - 12:46

I thought the 56 in headboard was a little excessive. So I cut it down a foot. If you decide to do this take 6 inches off the top and the bottom so it looks portionally correct. Another thing I did that was not mentioned in the what I have read so far was use kregs joints to connect the inner panel. If you build it from the back you will not see any joints except the top ones on the foot board. I patched them with that elmers patch stuff and are no longer visible. Minus all the sanding I built two beds in a half day.

Ava-Drew

Wed, 11/09/2011 - 15:52

I was thinking of doing this headboard for the farmhouse storage bed. Did you use 4x4s or build the legs the way they are in the plan? I have several 3x3s for legs that I was planing on using with the kreg. How easy was it to get the boards lined up with the kreg?

Guest (not verified)

Tue, 11/15/2011 - 10:34

how much did you sand this headboard?

thanks

Brook@BeingBrook (not verified)

Tue, 11/15/2011 - 10:39

We sanded the boards before building since we got the cheapest grade of lumber they had. I also sanded it about 10 minutes after I removed all the paint stripper.

Brook@BeingBrook (not verified)

Tue, 11/15/2011 - 11:51

No just used a power sander. Was going for a rustic wood look so didn't worry about the sanding being perfect. Just wanted it smooth enough not to snag anything.

Mario (not verified)

Wed, 06/06/2012 - 12:37

Congratulations !!! and thanks for inspiring us by posting these photos of a terrific job!

I was just wondering..how did you manage to get the perfect light brown - chocolate tint shown on these photos??

I've followed the process described (oxidized the wood using tea followed by steel wool/vinegar mix) to the point. However, the result is grey tinted. even tried applying the process to different types of wood and applying less mix..even sanding it after the project dried and applying the clear wax..Same GREY result..

Please help!!

Brook @ BeingBrook (not verified)

Wed, 06/06/2012 - 13:26

Different woods will give a different finish. This project turned out a little browner than the other times I've used the tea/vinegar treatment. Probably because it was previously painted and then stripped. You can also buy dark wax that will help change the color. You might try finding a stain that is the color that you want and staining your project. Good luck!

Ante

Wed, 07/10/2013 - 12:53

where does the white come from in your wood. did you strip pre primed pine then tea and oxidation? thanks,ante

Work table / desk

Submitted by julkrist on Thu, 05/16/2019 - 13:01

I created this work table by modifying the Beginner Farm Table.  I made it counter height and added a shelf underneath.  It is 5 feet long and the top is five 2x6 boards.  The shelf is 1x6 boards.

I purchased 4@ 2x4s and 3 @ 2x6x10 - I got the store to cut those in half (5' lengths).  I cut the 2x4s on a miter saw.

This is my first project.  It probably took a bit more than 6 hours given I was learning to use the saw and trying to find the tools to do the job.

Built from Plan(s)
Beginner Farm Table (2 Tools + $50 Lumber)
Estimated Cost
$100 for lumber, screws and Varathane stain & polyurethane.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Stain and Polyurethane(Mission Oak finish). I sanded the boards by hand and painted the finish with a paintbrush. It was a bit messy and difficult the get an even coat, but that didn't bother me too much as it is meant to be rustic. In future I think I'd prefer a two step process as I think it may be less messy.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Queen Storage Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/30/2023 - 19:19

I’ve been planning to build the Queen Storage bed for some time. Last year I took the plans and resized it to a twin for our son. For the Queen I made it s little higher to allow for two rows of drawers and to maximize 4x8 sheets. I also opted to put the end drawers facing the sides rather that the end. This gives two drawers that are 28” deep for blankets and sheets. The footboard is 1x4” resawed in to 1/2x4” and nailed onto the plywood carcass. Drawers are all 1/2” Baltic birch made in the 1/4 x 1/4 x 1/4 method with shaker style drawer faces. Next up is a matching headboard but I needed to get the bed out of the shop so I had room to work on something else.

Built from Plan(s)
Classic Storage Bed (Queen)

Comments

Kids' Playhouse (under stairs)

Submitted by kdins31 on Sun, 12/18/2011 - 09:22

Had the perfect space for a little playhouse under the stairs in the basement and it's been our plan for 4 years to do something. Finally, we did something. Wanted depth so I added the roof and portico. Also added cedar shingles that I picked up for $7 at HD. Inside I had extra laminate flooring so I put that down and added beadboard, chair rail and crown molding. There's also a small transom window above the small kitchen area. The kids love the barnhouse doors with old fashioned doorbell, mailslot and window. The bookshelf under the stairs was the final touch. I didn't use any plans from this awesome site but did, as always, get a bunch of tips and inspiration!

Pin for Later!

Kids' Playhouse (under stairs)

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Dark walnut stain on cedar shingles.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Cindy from Indiana (not verified)

Sun, 12/18/2011 - 19:00

Wow! That is awesome!

You really did a great job on that! So imaginative, too. WTG!

Guest (not verified)

Sun, 12/18/2011 - 19:58

That is so stinkin' adorable! Fantastic job. I love everything about it. Your kids (and grandkids) will remember the playhouse under that stairs forever!

spiceylg

Mon, 12/19/2011 - 06:54

Wow, this is too cool! They are going to love love love this! Can't wait to see the kitchen reveal!

bhoppy

Mon, 12/19/2011 - 08:43

LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!!! It looks amazing! Makes me want to buy a new house with stairs. LOL

birdsandsoap

Sat, 12/31/2011 - 18:26

You did an amazing job on this. I'm planning a bunkbed with a similar facade. I love how cozy it looks without having to make an actual pitched roof. The shingles are such a nice touch that I may have to copy you! And it's wired for lights; you've really outdone yourself.

Guest (not verified)

Mon, 02/27/2012 - 21:14

I love this playroom you created. We are currently in the process of building a playroom under the stairs for our girls. Where did you find the door...it is exactly what I am looking for! What a wonderful job you did!!!

kdins31

Mon, 03/19/2012 - 14:26

Thanks to all of you for the nice comments! Re: the door, I just cut a plain 18x80 door slab ($21 from orange) and trimmed it out. I still need to put the window grille over the open space, and was hoping to find a cool 'speak easy' grille that fits the space.

Thanks again!

megan_m

Fri, 04/27/2012 - 09:07

this is such an amazing little space! great work!

MicheleInAlabama (not verified)

Thu, 05/03/2012 - 23:38

This has to be one of the most adorable things I've ever seen! What an awesome idea......how cool is that for the kids??! Love the lighting and the laminate (or is it hardwood) flooring inside. Even the stove is gorgeous! Such fond memories will be made there and remembered forever. Kudos!!

Amanda Rhoads (not verified)

Wed, 12/05/2012 - 15:34

Oh my goodness this is such an inspiration! However, as a beginning tool user, I don't think I could get my finishes so nice. How much experience had you had at this kind of stuff before? Was the area closed in before this project or did you do that too? I've got an open stairway into our basement and would be starting from scratch with ceiling, walls, etc. and have no experience hanging drywall or anything. I think it would take me a year. Great job, and thanks for sharing!

maggieasselin

Sat, 06/21/2014 - 12:51

Hi there!

I was just wondering how you made the door for your play house? We're basically stuck at this level in ours right now... ;) Thanks for any tips!!!

Modern Console Table

Submitted by DCecil43 on Mon, 07/08/2019 - 18:48

I built this for one of my friends that gave me the dimensions he needed.  He gave me complete control with the only caviat of needing 2 drawers.  I used Premium Pine from Menards, Minwax True Black stain and Minwax Satin Polyurethane.  This one came out better than I expected!

Estimated Cost
$225
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax True Black Stain and Minwax Satin Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Easiest shelf ever

If you need a shelf/ledge, this is the plan for you - regardless of your building ability. Easiest. plan. ever.

And if you are like me - you won't even have to make any cuts! We have this ledge in our dining room along the long wall. it gets decorated for each season and it's GREAT! We love showcasing family photos as well as our holiday decor.

Wood, glue, nails or screws. Paint. Done! It's that easy!

Blog Link
It's just Us
Built from Plan(s)
Gallery Ledge Shelves
Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Sherwin Williams Dove White paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Loft Bed

Submitted by BGBuild on Tue, 07/16/2019 - 07:30

This is the first bed I built for my daughter when she was about 3 years old and we were living in Colombia. I was able to get the people at the hardware store to cut most of the wood for me which helped since we were in a very small apartment and I put everything together was a $40 starter drill kit. In the end it came out great and she was very happy with it. When we moved back to the US and I had access to more tools and workspace I built her a Little Cottage Bed which was a much harder build but worth it.

Built from Plan(s)
How to Build a Loft Bed
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Mothers Day

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/17/2023 - 20:20

I made this tall planter for my Mom for Mothers Day. She loves it!

Built from Plan(s)
Tall Wood Planters

Comments

Outdoor TV Lift with Electric Fireplace

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 07/08/2023 - 10:27

I built a TV lift with an electric fireplace cabinet. It’s 5x2 with casters for easy mobility. It goes perfect out in my bar area. I used siding all around in and the top is pinewood with a lacquer coating for long lasting.

Pallet Wood Hinged Farmhouse Storage Queen

I used pallet wood for the head and foot boards and followed Jenny's Hinged Footboard plans at http://www.birdsandsoap.blogspot.com/ with a few modifications for stability so this can withstand my dogs' constant wrestling matches! The balance of the lumber was all house construction leftovers so all I bought were hinges and barrel bolts. I adore ALL the storage! I am in love with this site because it gets you "going" and then your imagination can take over and let you customize. Thank you Anna and Jenny! See my blog for a step by step.

Blog Link
Build and Rebuild Island Style
Built from Plan(s)
Farmhouse Storage Bed with Drawers (Queen)
Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Boiled linseed oil/spar varnish/mineral spirits for the pallet wood and behr's super premium plus semi-gloss with an antiquing glaze for everything else.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

romanweel

Tue, 01/07/2014 - 16:55

Great use of "cast-offs." And the creative use of what you had on hand makes for a really striking, beautiful look. Great job!

Washer/Dryer Pedestals with slight modifications

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 03/22/2016 - 09:35

I similarly was looking for something to store laundry baskets underneath and didn't want to shell out $500+ for pedestals that were less functional. Without being particularly handy, this was a relatively easy DIY project that turned out great. Adding the baseboard trim made a big different in the overall look and the dark paint to match our cabinets helped in pulling it all together. We made the height 12" (instead of 11") for the storage component and cut the width by 2 inches to allow room for the baseboard trim to wrap around the side. Otherwise it was built the same as the original design without the extra trim.

Built from Plan(s)
Farmhouse Washer Dryer Pedestals Bases
Estimated Cost
~$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Good ol kitchen island

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 03/26/2016 - 17:22

I saw the plans for this project and decided I wanted to do something of the sort. I tweaked the plans a bit and made it longer and took out the drawer. My favorite part about it is Annie sloans chalk paint. Look into it, it's great stuff. 

Built from Plan(s)
Rustic X Small Rolling Kitchen Island
Estimated Cost
200$
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Polyurethane, Annie Sloan waxing paint, cherry stain. To get the rustic color Google Annie Sloan, she has a ton of YouTube videos.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

DIY Platform Sectional

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/07/2023 - 17:20

Hello! Thank you so much for providing information and inspiration. I was looking for a very specific couch and I found one. However it was $3000 and had to ship from CA to FL and then I had to assemble it to decide if I liked it or not. Some friends directed me to your site where I found your plans for the outdoor sectional. I modified them to fit my desired outcome and wow! I'm so happy about this. Thanks again!

someJabr0ni

What I used:
36 - 2x4x10s
1 - 4x4x8
A whole bunch of screws
Foam cushions from foamfactory.com
Cushion covers from slipcovershop.com
Minwax jacobean stain (finish on top tbd)

Built from Plan(s)
Platform Outdoor Sectional

Farmhouse Table

Submitted by johnandash on Wed, 01/15/2014 - 12:47

My husband surprised me with a big pile of wood in the garage on Christmas morning. 3 weeks later, this beautiful table is in my kitchen. The pictures do not do it justice - it turned out amazing. We have plans to make the matching bench when it warms a bit - our garage is freezing!

It took at least 20 hours to cut the wood, sand and assemble. It took another 10+ plus hours to stain and put 3 coats of the polyurethane.

The great people at Orange cut our wood for us, and we took it home and notched it out using a jigsaw. Once we got the hang of it, it was really easy.

We had a hard time finding 2 3/4 screws, so we used 2 1/2. It worked great. We used Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Filler in natural to fill the screw holes. It turned out so nice and looks great with the stain on top.

Neither my husband or I have very much experience building anything, so we took our time - measuring about 60 times and cutting once. However, it paid off. The table looks so great and I cannot wait to make the matching bench!

Built from Plan(s)
Farmhouse Table - No Pocket Holes Plan
Estimated Cost
Around $250 (including stain and polyurethane)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax English Chestnut 233 - wiped on with a cotton cloth
Minwax Polyurethane Clear Semi-Gloss - brushed on with a Purdy brush

We left the stain on, without wiping any off - 1 coat.
3 coats of polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Indoor Punee/ Daybed

Submitted by hawaiitara on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 20:18

In our living room/sun room we needed a place to lounge as well as a place for guests to sleep. We used the chunky leg bed frame plans with the full size modifications to build 2 of them to make a giant Hawaii style Punee. We were able to build both of these easily in 1 day. We modified the legs and used 4x4's to make them taller and more rustic looking.

Built from Plan(s)
Modern Platform Bed Frame with Chunky Legs
Estimated Cost
$200 for both
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
After priming, I spray painted them with Rustoleum 2x coverage in Satin Moss Green.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

theHammerGirl (not verified)

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 14:47

Nice beds! They are very tropical looking - really blends in the outdoor with the indoors.

DIY Easy Raised Planter

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/11/2023 - 12:57

This was my first ever Ana White project!!! I’ve never built anything and really needed a planter for my front door. I loved the size of these and how easy they were to put together. The plans are detailed and easy to follow. I plan to build identical ones next spring for my front yard 😍

Anna Ovchinnikov

Built from Plan(s)
$20 Raised Planter Box
Back