Community Brag Posts

Aquarium stand for the snake cage

My husband and I bought a milk snake a few years ago. We had the cage sitting on our kitchen table. My husband was up north visiting his family and it irritated me. So I went out to the garage to see what we had. We had some tongue and groove and some misc. Pcs of scrap pallet wood. I slapped the stand itself together in a day. 3 years later, I completed it with the live edge shelf trim and the canapy, again using live edge. The pine log Pcs are left over from our basement knee wall ledge. 

Estimated Cost
$30
Finish Used
Left raw. The live edge is coated in thick polyurethane to keep the bark solid and complete.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Country Pallet Shelves

Love these shelves.... Best part about them is they were completely free but add such a great country feel to my country style kitchen...

Estimated Cost
$0.00
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
None... best part about the character.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Rustic X Bookshelf--Short

I've loved the Rustic X series from the first plan (the console table) but none of them were things I needed for my home. So when I saw the Rustic X Tall Bookshelf I was thrilled since I have been needing a cookbook shelf in my kitchen, and had been trying to design my own using some form of the X construction. I still needed to customize it, but it was much easier to do from the existing plan. I made it half the height since I wanted it to be flush with my counter, and also wanted it narrower. I had leftover 1 x 12s from another project so I used those, and decided to make two Xs instead of one because of the narrower width. I cut the X's to fit, and used wood glue and 2" nails to secure them from the bottom. Perfect fit for my space!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$25 in new wood, plus leftovers for shelves
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used a technique for oxidizing wood which I read about at The Friendly Home. Hillary does a great detailed tutorial (http://thefriendlyhome.blogspot.ca/2012/07/how-to-oxidize-wood.html) on how to use tea, vinegar and steel wool to give new wood an aged weathered look. Cheap and beautiful! I will absolutely do it again! But it was a bit lighter than I wanted, so I used Minwax Polyshades in Tudor to darken them up and seal the wood.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Loft bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/14/2019 - 07:47

We had to change to a slightly different size wood as the sizing of the original plan would have been very expensive in the UK. 

We also had to adjust to a different mattress size (90x190cm). 

We also had to work around a radiator. We left no gaps on the platform. 

Huge hit and very pleased with the result. 

Estimated Cost
£150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varnish/stain in teak
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Ladder Desk

Submitted by Ltjj2004 on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 12:33

Absolutely love this desk. We changed the shelf heights just a bit and made the center ladder more to my height needs. We burned the wood before staining.

Comments

Elementary Upgrade

To celebrate my daughter beginning Kindergarten, I built her a school-appropriate bedroom. Inspired by the Junior Loft Bed on the Walmart.com website, I modified Ana's Chelsea Bunk plan by changing the height and adding a built-in desk unit. The bed is 27.5" from the floor to the bottom of the siderail and has an overall height of 43". The desk section has a custom-built cabinet designed to fit her oddly shaped computer unit.

The room is divided into separate "nooks" with an overall emphasis on reading (she LOVES to read). There is the reading nook with her bookcase and comfy chair, a dressing nook with her stool and mirror, her study nook with her computer and school supply cubbies, and her sleeping nook.

Other modified Ana features in this room include the dollhouse bookcase, flat-wall book holder, numbered cubbies on the wall, and the vintage step stool.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Bed/desk combination: $110
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Plain Jane white paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

spiceylg

Wed, 08/31/2011 - 04:56

What a dream bedroom for a young girl! Everything is beautifully done and decorated!

mccomasmama

Wed, 08/31/2011 - 19:13

Right now I have the cabinet base for the desk, a large container full of accessories for her dollhouse, a large dollhouse, and a 3-drawer chest (Rast from Ikea) all under the bed with plenty of room to crawl around and play/sit/hide/etc.

Lifting the bed up off the ground really doubled the storage space in this small room (10x10 feet!)

Full Sized Canopy Farmhouse Bed

My wife and I were expecting our first so we had to downsize from a queen to a full. While my wife was away for a week on a trip, I put this together. She always talked about a canopy bed and I think it turned out nice. I made a few modifications to Anna's design. The canopy is higher, I used edge support for the bed and I used dowels for everything with the exception of the lag bolts connecting the canopy to the bed. This was my first furniture project (other than shelves).

Estimated Cost
326.54
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Poly Clear Coat
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Jewelry Boxes

Submitted by yhaas on Sat, 11/28/2015 - 06:55

I made these boxes for my daughters for Christmas. I used maple, and I rabbeted the drawers and backs so that the plywood would sit flush. On the first box, I attempted to join with dowels, but as a novice, that didn't work well, and I converted to a few countersunk screws. On the second box, I used glue and nails as the plan suggested, which was much better. Installing the box hinges and lock was the most finicky part of the project.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
The dark wood is stained with Goudey stain - San Miguel Oak. Goudey is a family-run Toronto business, and they make beautiful stains. For the finish, I used Tried and True varnish oil. Hardware was from Lee Valley Tools.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Wed, 12/02/2015 - 14:28

Gorgeous jewelry boxes!  You did a beautiful job, and I'm sure your daughers will love them!  Love the finishes too!

Master Bedroom Closet from mess to the best

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/19/2019 - 11:03

We took the original plans and made them work for our 5’6” x 11’ closet. We added a ft to the top because we have tall ceilings. We made 5 towers to create a u shape with shelving on the top. I also left one small bar long to hang dresses and the rest we double hung. We adjusted cubbies and drawers based on where we needed them. We were able to save by using old drawer slides from a falling apart ikea dresser. (We cut them down with a grinder).  We had an overflowing closet mess and now we have a beautiful closet. I wish the directions had a little bit more detail like average clothes hanging heights and bar distance from the wall. There was also no link to the suggested drawers or cubbies but we found them with a simple search. 

Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used a satin paint in the color trim of our home. I used satin I stead of gloss because that’s what I had on hand but It created a great sealed cleanable surface.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modern Adirondack Chair

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 11/19/2022 - 03:24

Easy build, turned out great. Our first project like this. We built 4!

Comments

Braden Entryway Mail Sorter/Locker/Shoe drawer

Submitted by Megbech on Fri, 09/02/2011 - 21:20

This is the greatest website ever! Thank you so much Ana White! Anyway, this was my first project. Our family room was a mess - shoes everywhere, coats strewn, you name it. We don't have a mud room - you just walk in from the garage to BAM, the family room. So the mess needs to be contained and organized and the Braden Shoe Drawer, Locker and Mail Sorter/Phone Charger was our answer! I would have loved to have done the locker-mail sorter-locker layout but space is limited in the room so I was only able to make one locker. I did make a 3rd drawer, per Ana's awesome wood cutting instructions and that drawer is in a storage closet. So, pay attention to her cutting instructions - she knows what she's talking about! I had some left over wood (1x10) and used that as a divider in the shoe drawer to keep each kids' shoes separate.

Estimated Cost
$250 (for hutch/locker, mail sorter, three drawers)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Kilz Primer, Olympic High-Gloss Antique White paint. Two coats put on very sparingly (dryly). I painted the small mail slots and inner side panels of the mail sorter prior to building after reading previous posters' tips - totally worth it.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

StacieM

Sat, 09/03/2011 - 12:59

This looks great for a first build! The drawers are great for hiding the shoes and I love the mail sorter. Awesome job!

4TheInnocent

Thu, 12/01/2011 - 13:26

I'm new to Ana's site & I desperately need to find a Mud Room Locker System & since I don't have an office downstairs I either need a desk put in my kitchen or a mail sorter system of some kind! You did a fabulous job but I have to admit that I'm terrified to even start this project!!!!! I'm afraid that I'll make a huge mess of it!!!! Any suggestions for a newbie???? Thanks a million!

Cwen's Birthday Party Seesaw!

My husband built the seesaw and I applied the finish and covered the seats. This project was very easy and built in one weekend, including drying time for the stain. I used Minwax stain in Classic Grey and did not use a clear coat over the stain. I bought the canvas seat fabric at Hobby Lobby for $5.00 and used 2 inch foam cushion, which was about $3.00. I had some left over ribbons from another project that I tied to both sides of the handles to make the seesaw look festive for the birthday party! The project ended up costing about $50.00 in materials. My daughter Cwen loves it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax - Classic Gray
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse table

My husband built this table, making slight alterations to the plan to make it smaller. He also picked out beautiful walnut planks from a local exotic wood shop. This made the top have slightly different dimensions, too. The top is finished with teak oil and wax. The bottom part of the table was painted a solid gray. We're thrilled with the results. It's so sturdy!

Estimated Cost
About $300. The walnut cost more than typical lumber. It's worth it.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Teak oil in Medium, Howards wax and feed on top. HGTV Sherwin Williams paint in flannel gray
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Douglas Fir live edge slabs supported by industrial black iron pipe

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/22/2019 - 19:42

I began the project by ripping 6” strips of sanded pine plywood. I attached those to the walls using brad nails and wood glue. Filled the holes with glaziers putty and sanded lightly once dry. Primed and painted to finish.  

I then had a local mill rough cut the lumber for the shelves. I stripped the bark (except one which I loved so I left it on) and sanded at 120, 180 and 220. I drilled 1 1/4” holes to fit the pipe through and finished the wood with 4 coats of Varathane Diamond Finish clear coat. 

I used Varsol and some elbow grease to remove the black coating on all the gas  pipe. 

Finally i pieced it all together! 

Estimated Cost
$800 CDN
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Varathane Diamond Finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Mudroom bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/01/2022 - 17:16

Ana I came across your open bottom garage bench design and really liked the concept. Inspired by your design I put this together in our laundry/mudroom and am really pleased with the result. As you described, being able to clean under it is a huge benefit and the whole bench was less than $200 even with the solid oak boards I joined and edge routed for the top. Thanks for the inspiration and all of your project posts.

Comments

Wooden side table

Submitted by Lizann on Wed, 09/25/2013 - 16:45

Created from recycled decking timber

Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Tung oil and wax
Edges darkened with ebony stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Rustic X Console Table

This was one of my favorite projects!!!  I never could of completed this project without the guidance of Ana's blog and Hilary From the Friendly House. Thank you!!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Office shelf

This took about 7 hours over the week after work. 

Estimated Cost
Had the extra wood already.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain “Provinicial”
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments