I previously had rocking chairs on my porch, but was looking for something much more comfortable that I could enjoy sitting on the porch and watching the squirrels play in the yard. Created this from your sofa plan.
Valerie Tanner
I used cedar and treated 2x4 and painted them with exterior paint. Love the way it turned out.
Jason Stump
This was my second project (first was a work bench) and it came out great.
W. Knight
Followed plans with slight modifications:
1. Made shelves deeper but narrower
2. Used 3/4" Birch Plywood for all
3. Built no base just mounted to floor & wall
4. No drawers just shelving
Sat, 01/19/2013 - 04:43
It's nice to see the closet system with actual stuff in it, so you can see how much it really holds. Good job!
The concept of hidden boot storage at the back is genius!!! I knew as soon as I saw your plan that I needed that in this space! Thank you so much for what you do!
Fri, 01/22/2021 - 11:42
May I ask how you would assemble if you wanted the hinge in the back as in this picture?
Thank you.
Wed, 08/25/2021 - 04:51
Hello, can you tell me how to find the plans for the Mudroom Closet makeover? I’m interested in doing the one pictured on this page.
Thank you
A friend wanted a T-shaped desk, but I couldn’t find plans for it, so I was inspired by these plans to build this!
Tue, 12/28/2021 - 14:22
Do you have plans for this desk? I want to make the t shaped desk and I have been looking for something like this. I love how you modified it
We wanted a bench for our daughter for our front porch, both for sitting and for storage of her rain boots, outdoor toys, etc. I'm definitely a beginner woodworker so I wanted something easy I could tackle in a couple of days with only basic tools, so I chose the Kids' Country Bench project. I liked the version posted here by a user named Jenny Anne, who modified the bench to make three cubbies rather than two on the bottom shelf, so I did the same thing.
It was easy, and the bench turned out great! I used no power tools except for a cordless drill to do the 40+ pilot holes & woodscrews. I don't own a jigsaw and I want to learn hand tools anyway, so I used a coping saw (a kind of miniature hacksaw) to do the curved cuts on the trim & the legs, and used heavy-grit sandpaper to smooth out the wobbles (there were a lot of wobbles).
For the rest of the cuts I used a Japanese-style pull saw (a cheap one from Ace Hardware). Cutting all the boards to length with a handsaw was probably the hardest part, and I had a tough time truing the edges. Next time I would probably use a miter box and miter saw to get perfect 90-degree angles, but I got better as I went along, and was able to finish the edges pretty well with a wood file and sandpaper.
I wanted to stain it a deep red color, but my better half insisted on a clear stain, so I used clear Polycrylic, four coats on the top & outsides, and three coats on the inner & undersides.
The bench feels pretty sturdy and is definitely strong enough to take my 3-year-old's weight. The trim on the front and back acts as a brace, so it's got some structural integrity. I don't know that I would trust it to hold an adult's full weight for very long -- I probably won't be dancing on it or using it as a stepstool or anything, but for a kid's bench it's solid and level.
The whole build probably took me four sessions in my "workshop" (i.e. my basement), at probably 2-3 hours per session. With woodworking it's definitely true that you learn by doing -- I gained confidence as I went along and am excited to try some more advanced projects!
We had a very limited area for these to fit, so my hubby had to change the dimensions to fit these square baskets. We needed enough spots for our family of 10! I LOVE THEM, thanks; Ana!
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 14:53
We are going to have to turn the baskets the same way due to the space in out laundry room. Do you happen to remember the dimensions of them? Thanks.
Thu, 02/09/2012 - 07:08
Do you have the dimensions for the square baskets? These would work much better in my home.
Tue, 02/14/2012 - 16:42
We did something similar when our family was 8 (6 foster children). We bought 4 baskets (2 people per room) and then just had them on regular shelves. I LOVE the look of these! Unfortunately baskets give out over time and I can't ever seem to find baskets that once again are the same size as previous baskets. Did you order the baskets on-line someplace that you can consistenly get the same size for when the baskets wear out?
Wed, 02/22/2012 - 12:35
I have all the same laundry baskets that I bought at wal mart for like 3 or 4 bucks a piece. I would think that just meausring out the size according to the laundry baskets would work out fine! they have never stopped selling the ones that I buy, i find them at every wal mart I go to
Thu, 03/08/2012 - 05:13
Seriously? $50 for these plans. Get real. Fine woodworking plans don't cost this much. Take some wood, make a box, and put slats in it to fit the baskets. The entire set wouldn't cost $50!
Thu, 03/08/2012 - 06:18
The plans are free. The build costs $50. See the plans on the link above the cost.
Thu, 03/08/2012 - 07:50
Thanks David. Didn't read well as you can see. My mistake, and apologies.
Sat, 03/17/2012 - 20:54
once again can anyone please give the measurements for this square basket design and the basket model number as well. i am very challenged when it comes to building things, but with the idea of home depot doing the cutting i think i could manage if i had the measurements. i need the square size to work for my space though. thanks in advance.
Sun, 04/01/2012 - 09:18
I have tried clicking on the link above the cost to get the Plans...however it brings me back to the ORIGINAL Plan rather than YOUR plan (skinnier and taller)...Im sorry if I am being dense but I would really love to get the dimensions of YOUR plan but am having trouble accessing them?? Help please!!
Fri, 04/20/2012 - 14:05
If you use the large wire baskets made by elfa they would not break like the plastic. The initial investment would be more but would save money over time.
Tue, 07/24/2012 - 04:34
Easy and awesome! My teenage children and I made these over the week-end! Super easy and great looking! Our first project was the laundry pedestal and these are a great compliment. We let Home Depot cut the wood due to time restraints and assembly was a snap! Thanks for the great family projects. My husband passed away in April and these projects have really helped us in the healing process (excellent for constructive bonding time).! Thanks again
I liked the variations of the simple table. Kept the same dimensions as the plan. Made chairs based on simple Harriet chairs
Added rolling casters to the plan. Also decided to go with one big drawer instead of two small ones. The top is made from pine 1x2's that I glued togeter and then sanded dow. Do yourself a favor and go through the plans and sketch out your own plan and wood requirements ahead of time. There are a few mistakes in the plan when it comes to your buy list.
I had been asked a few times for these plans, but as someone else posted a similar one, I'll just stick to a blog post for now and describe my differences. I made this shelving unit January 2010, just after I found out of I was pregnant with my third child, and it's been a lifesaver since then. I desperately needed a toy storage solution (and purging), as shown in the 'eek' kids closet below. I didn't like the shape of triangular Ikea ones, as they spanned more floor space than I cared to give up. Plus, I wanted a place to put *almost* all of my kids toys, so I wanted it to be tall. I'm so glad we did, since we've moved twice (also, 'eek') since than, and it's made packing and unpacking the kids toys super (SUPER) easy. At first, I was afraid that the kids would go crazy and just tear down every bin at once, but it hasn't happened yet. Unlike the other plan that was posted, I used white sliders that ikea sold. I'm not sure if they still sell, as I don't see them online. It cost an additional $24 (they were $1/2), but seemed worth the extra money. I didn't have a router and wasn't particularly confident with our table saw skills. Plus the Ikea version had some really thin areas that made me nervous that it would break easily. I tried to keep it easy and just had to line up and screw the sliders in. Now that I'm a little more confident with a table saw, I'd give the router style a-go. I used two sheets of cabinet grade plywood, each costing about $30. I ripped down some pine boards to cover the front edges, which made the unit look loads nicer. However, I wish I would have used maple, instead of pine as they got dented almost immediately. Not a big deal though. The three shelves were sort of an afterthought, but turned out to be great for puzzles and other type toys. I didn't use backing or cross supports initially, but put some in after we moved. You can see them in the last picture below. The heater in our temporary house caused the slightly-bent sides to become very bent sides. That caused the drawers would spontaneously fall out, which was always quite the shock and disappointment. I put in some supports in the back, which I wish I did initially as it would have made manufacturing easier. Also, If I were to go back, I would put one cross support in the front-middle, as the boards are so tall, it needs something to help maintain the shape in the front. I've found that even in a perfect fitting slider, really heavy buckets would bend just enough to flex out of them to crash... so don't plan on filling one of the large buckets with matchbox cars and sticking it on the top. Regardless, we've learned our lessons, made it work better, and has been a huge success in our house for a while now.
In reply to Very nice by Supermom77 (not verified)
Tue, 10/04/2011 - 19:42
Haha, I guess a little. Picking up when they aren't motivated is an ongoing battle. However, I did find having a specific place to put items with labels helped a lot, albeit with screaming. Actually the labels would probably be the best motivation of all of it.
The ideal is to have the kids only play with one bin at the time, but with more than one kid, that theory very quickly gets muddled... One child wants to play with one toy and one wants play with another, then "lego houses can't be broken down" and "polly pocket is using those blocks for the house" and so on. So it's more of a end-of-the-day(week/month/year haha) pick-up routine.
However, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. My oldest (almost 6) seems to have caught on that the faster she picks up, the sooner she can move onto other activities besides playing (coloring, playdough, etc.), and is starting to pick up as soon as she's done without us even asking. I think getting an allowance has also helped with that.
That was way more than I thought I was going to comment, but I guess it goes to show you should never ask a Mom her opinion on something, unless your ready for a lecture :)
Thu, 10/13/2011 - 21:44
I love that your labels have pictures on them! I thought I should have done that way back when since my children are too young to read. Easy to find and easy to put away. Good job, Mom!
I was seeing this coffee table everywhere so I knew we had to make it. It's the easiest build ever. I think the only tricky part is the painting near the edge. We like a more sanded/finished top. We tried spray painting the base and then attaching the top, but then we sanded the top and the spray paint on the base near the top came off, so I had to cut in and I'm not good at that.
So we're still working on a way to do this properly. We tried making the top on the ground and then sanding & attaching it. But the top needs to be completely exact/square in order to do this. We live in a old farmhouse, so we prefer to attach it as we go - then sand. We also plane the top for a more exact and modern look.
Bedroom DIY Suite
Paul Burdine
This is such a cute countertop organizer ! The possibilities for this are endless - maybe a tea / coffee bar or a hot chocolate bar - a breakfast bar or a snack bar ..... I may need to make another one...and definitely one for the bathroom !
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The shelves slide to change the width or turn one and it becomes a corner piece!
Tue, 09/12/2023 - 12:30
So great to see you made this and it turned out awesome! Thank you so much for taking time to share photos.
Full over Full bunk beds. Adjusted for Full from a twin measurement. only 1" off floor for more head room.extra rail bar coverage upstairs for my daughter who rolls out of bed regularly.
Wed, 12/30/2020 - 12:15
Would also love to know dimensions used for the full! Thanks for sharing your amazing talent!
Essential bed frame with headboard customized from various Ana's bed plans. Side table nightstand from Ana's plans - easy and simple build. Great thanks to Ana and Jen for all they do.
I had so much fun building this! I got a little creative with the corner section and decided to make it a table. I built a small hatch so that I could put in a container for ice and cold beer. When the hatch is not in use, the container can be removed and the hatch can be closed to provide more table space. I also added drink holders!
Finished it in about two weeks, but that was during my sons daily two hour nap window and two days of staining. Had to make a few adjustments so the pillow from West Elm would fit, because the plan calls for 11 slats on the deck when it should be 12. I added some wheels to the back and will add pull out drink tables soon. It was a fun project and my wife is thrilled.
I went a little out of control on the week of the 4th of July - I set out to build a picnic table, 4 sling chairs, a deck and a playhouse - and I did!!!! I owe Ana a great debt of gratitude for these amazing plans and empowering me to do it! I built the picnic table and the sling chairs as I was waiting for primer and paint to dry on the frame, inside and outside of the house. For the shutters - I scrounged around the garage and found some leftover wainscoting, and put a leftover 1x2 on them. The door frame wasn't straight - so I added a piece of leftover trim from my daughters bed I built. My only next step is curtains for the windows. I even moved the full kitchen set I built the kids a few christmas's ago into their. They have only been playing with it for 2 days and I can't drag them out of it!!!
Using the counter height planter plans from Janettx. Thanks!
Mon, 09/20/2021 - 13:24
Nice job!!! I'm still using mine. I ended up putting 12"x12" pavers under each leg to extend their life. After the 2nd year now we get bumper crop out of ours each season.
I've been wanting to buy or make a sandbox for my son for a couple of years now. Since seeing this on Ana White I knew I had to make it. My son is 4 yo and I didn't think the 4' square sandbox would be big enough for him, so I made it bigger. Ours is 6' square.
Materials:
4@1x8x6'
12@1x6x6'
2x4 - used leftovers from another project
8 hinges
4 handles
decking screws
Cut lengths:
2@1x8 cut to 71.5 (long sides of the box)
2@1x8 cut to 70.5 (short sides of the box)
did not cut the 1x6 boards (top planks) - actually designed the other boards to fit their length to prevent cutting (saving time) (note that original plan uses 1x4 planks - I used 1x6s so I could use the same number of planks but cover a larger area)
4@2x4 cut to 11.5 (arm rests)
4@2x4 cut to 18.5 (back supports)
followed instructions for assembly otherwise. At my husbands suggestion we put the handles on the sides and can easily open from either side - prevents having to lean over to the middle to open (back saver)
I finished the project in 4 hours including clean up and a couple of small breaks. This is my first Ana White project. It was a lot of fun to build and I hope my son will enjoy it for years to come!
Sat, 09/01/2012 - 20:59
Wow, this is just what I need! I've been wanting to make a sandbox for under the playhouse but the other plan was too small. This would be great for the little guys. Thanks!