Community Brag Posts

Living Room Console

My first project completion based on Ana White plans

Estimated Cost
300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Two Coats of Primer, 2 coats of white Satin paint. Top Shelf is stained with "Early American Oak" followed by x2 layers of Polycrylic for more resistance
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Rope Trim Console Table

Submitted by efmolly on Wed, 01/09/2013 - 08:58

This is a pretty basic console table I built for a craft show last month (that's why I don't have better photos). I started with the top. Using my Kreg Jig, I pocket holed 3, 1x6's together and added some 1x4's to make breadboard ends. For the base I used reclaimed table legs from a table I bought at a garage sale for $5! The aprons are 1x4's, pocket-holed to the legs. I did add some diagonal support blocks in each corner to keep the whole thing square. Using pocket-holes once again, I attached the top. I then simply measured the aprons, cut the rope trim and attached with glue and 3/4in finish nails. I have a few more projects like this featured on my blog http://pneumaticaddict.blogspot.com .

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
The top I blended 'Golden Oak' and 'Walnut' oil-based stain from Minwax. The base was 'Aqua' spray paint from Rustoleum and then glazed with a light mix of 'Raw Umber' tint and Martha Stewart glaze. The whole piece is sealed with 2 coats of Polyacrylic.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Upholstered Toy Chest

We made these toy chests for baby shower gifts.  We followed the plan for the most part.  We skipped the notching on the front of the chest, and opted to upholster the top.  I added names to the front as well to personalize them a bit as well.  Overall, it went pretty smooth, once we got going.  The plans were clear and easy to follow.  This was our first build off of plans from Ana-White, and I think they turned out pretty nice! 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

DIY Guest Bathroom Makeover on a Budget

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/11/2017 - 09:31

My husband and I decided that the best way to keep our guest bathroom makeover on a budget was to build the vanity ourselves.  

Estimated Cost
$700 - $800
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained and varnished
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse Bedside Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 11/07/2020 - 19:42

Add shelf between top and drawer. Also added wireless charging to the top.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Antique Aqua followed by Antique White.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Wall-Mounted Lumber Rack

Submitted by Lady Goats on Thu, 01/10/2013 - 10:26

I decided it was high time to organize my garage and needed somewhere (preferably off the floor) to store my lumber. This isn't an Ana project, but I know that we're all suffering from lack of a lumber storage system and thought I'd show you all what I did. You can visit my blog for more info on how I created it by clicking here. Hopefully this great plan can be useful to a lot of us!

Estimated Cost
$15-$50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
n/a
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

X coffee table

Submitted by Terrybob on Thu, 11/06/2014 - 05:01

coffee table

Finish Used
Antigua white glider gel paint. Stain on top
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Larger Rustic X coffee table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/12/2017 - 20:42

I used upscaled plans for the table that ended with a table top of 60" x 36" that helped match our oversized couches. Fun easy project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
For Top: Varathane- wood conditioner, Briarsmoke stain, sealed with 3x thick polyurethane.
Base: Glidden Diamond Acrylic paint in Antique White, sprayed on with spray gun.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Small Kitchen Island

Submitted by stacynabby on Sun, 11/09/2014 - 10:15

I built this for my mom to replace her small, rolling butcher block. I wanted to add in the tilt out trash cabinet, so I built off the back of it to give her some storage and a bigger work surface. I had a local countertop business custom fabricate the top out of a piece of scrap quartz (that was the spendy part of the project).

Estimated Cost
$40 for the wood and $480 for the quartz top
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Polyshades natural
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farm Table & Re-Purposed Chairs

Submitted by khudson on Wed, 02/15/2017 - 11:22

Following Ana White's Plan for a Farm Table, we were able to build our own and it turned out perfectly! We also re-purposed chairs to complete the look!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Kitchen Table
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Toy Box

I’d previously made a farmhouse table for my son and his wife (photo below). They had a baby this past August, and I thought a matching toy box for the dining room would be a good Christmas present for our grandson. The design includes a chalkboard on the front. I wanted this to last for generations, and used birch for the project as well as dowel pins to join the boards. When the baby gets older, I’ll build a matching two-compartment cubby to stack this atop, so he can continue using the chalkboard.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Bombay Mahogany, by Minwax (Polyshade Satin Stain and Polyurethane)
Semi Gloss Navajo White paint by Sherwin-Williams
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farmhouse Bed - Modification

Submitted by Michael B on Wed, 01/16/2013 - 10:01

I followed the bed design posted for the Farmhouse Storage Bed, with some modifications to the base support. I have a queen waterbed and needed to reinforce the structure substantially. So I added more center support by building a simple 2X4 Header frame down the middle with 4 legs and beefing up the rails along the drawer boxes. I also included additional slat supports. I also placed the drawer boxes directly on the floor so that I would not have to buildup any additional legs. For the headboard and footboard, I did not have any beadboard so I ripped some 1/4" Birch-Ply into 6 1/4" strips, beveled the edges and nailed them with brads onto the 3/4" ply. I placed 1/16" spacers to create gaps between each and then just painted it. This gave me the look I wanted. It was a little more work, but well worth it in the end. I live in Manhattan so I actually had to construct this in my living room. Luckily I was undergoing a renovation at the time so the additional mess and dust was not too much of an obstruction. But now I'm hooked and want to build a lot more.

Estimated Cost
Built mostly from scraps - Less than $100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Benjamin Moore - White Dove (PM-19)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Master Closet Renovation

Our master closet in our home was HUGE- but pretty horrible design wise prior to this DIY.  1 light bulb fixture in a 12 foot deep closet, horrible wire shelving running the whole wall, and a pretty much horrible use of space.  As a surprise for my husband who was away for his job, I decided to create a dream closet for both of us!

I used Ana's master closet tower plans as a starting point and went from there.  I modified the towers to be wider (24" wide each) and also taller so that they would go completely to the ceiling of the closet.  I also modified the plans to allow for drawers and a pull out laundry bin on both sides of the closet, as well as shoe and clothing storage above said drawers. 

For the project I used Home Depot cabinet grade plywood for the tower carcasses and then purebond 1/2 plywood for the drawer boxes, shelves, and drawer fronts. I purchased the Kreg Shelf Jig and Rip Cut guide for this project and both proved themselves invaluable until I get a table saw (HINT HINT Hubby).  

For the trim I used 1 x 2 furring strips and 1 x 4 lumber for the decorative cut outs above the 4 tower units.  I also used cove moulding to tie in all the sections of the closet with one another.

I painted the main towers white (as well as the wall to encourage the appearance of "built in) and then stained the shoe and clothing shelves dark walnut with a few coats of satin POLY to finish. 

For the back wall I purchased target contact wallpaper and installed that- as well as a wall mirror so I don't have to balance dangerously on my bathroom tub to see if my shoes match my outfit anymore.

All in all, the project took about 3 weeks to finish.  I was lucky that my mother was around the first few days of the project so that I could do the demo work and at least get the one side of the closet framed in, as the rest of the project was completed during "nap time" for my (NOSY) toddler.  

In the end, we are both estatic with how this project turned out - I installed a valet bar and a pull out tie/belt rack for the husband and that add an even more "custom" touch to the closet...

 

I've posted many more photos to my blog detailing this closet reno- www.thesewchicmommy.com if you want to see a more "step by step" build. 

 

Project cost: $750-800 ( including paint, mirror, wall paper, all hardware, lumber etc) 

Time: 3-4 weeks 

Estimated Cost
$750- 800
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Satin valspar paint, dark walnut stain with rustoleum satin POLY finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Wed, 11/12/2014 - 14:53

Love your closet, you did a beautiful job!  Your blog link had some great pictures too.  All the neat touches like the laundry pull-outs, decorative trim at the top, and the pull-out tie rack are brilliant!

Stephanie Dexter

Fri, 11/14/2014 - 15:56

Thanks so much for your kind words... I'm in love with the closet and honestly would be perfectly happy sleeping in there now ha ha!  Thanks again for the inspiration- I could have never done it without your site Ana! 

Rhyan Console Table

Submitted by JameyD on Mon, 11/23/2020 - 18:19

I made this as a Christmas gift for my mom. I used Ana’s plan and used some decorative tin for the doors rather than glass.

Comments

Pottery Barn Benchwright Coffee Table Build

Submitted by brittanyj on Mon, 01/21/2013 - 12:09

Wanting to finally get rid of our hideous fake wood coffee table, I found these plans to make the Pottery Barn Benchwright Coffee Table. I am so pleased with the result! It's really heavy and sturdy. Took about 4 days total, and around $100. First time making drawers. Overall the plan was very doable. Looking forward to making a pub table and chairs, and built in bookshelves next!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Varathane Kona Stain and Poly, then matte urethane on top and legs for extra protection.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

4x4 Truss Beam Table - Wholesteading.com

This was my first ever Ana White woodworking project.  It was also my first time using a Kreg Jig.  I had a ton of fun and can't beleive how great it turned out!  I learned a lot while building it so I'm sure I will have even more success with my next project.  I highly recommend this project for first time beginners looking for a huge feeling of accomplishment and personal satisfaction. 

Thanks Ana!

Anthony

http://wholesteading.com

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$224
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
This picture is showing it unfinished. We ended up finishing it with a Jacobean stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Modern Slat Top Outdoor Wood Bench (Customized)

Submitted by worrow on Mon, 02/20/2017 - 07:21

We had seen the modern slat bench before, and stumbled upon the plans on Ana-White, we did look further to see if we could find a style for us and had seen one made entirely out of 2x4's that also cam with plans, http://diycandy.com/2015/06/modern-williams-sonoma-inspired-diy-outdoor…

I thought I would share mine as it differs slightly, I opted to age my bench before staining as well as added adjustible feet so I can level it no matter where I put it. I am using mine as a coffee table, and if I have too many people over, I just use it as a bench to accomodate.

 

I hope that everyone enjoys the look of how my bench turned out. To reproduce the look of mine I described and linked the 2 products I used for the finish. But I also used the following power tools, Table Saw, Drill and Sawzall, belt sander and palm sander. I used the sawzall as I made a slight error and had some overhang that needed trimming. We used numerous items to get the outside beat up prior to the stain and sealer. The finished product looks amazing and I don't fear someone running away with it at 80lbs.

Estimated Cost
$35 (CAD)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut Stain (Home Depot) https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.wood-finish---dark-walnut.1000406356.html?autoSuggest=pip

Varathane Triple Thick Matte (Home Depot) https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.triple-thick-clear-matte-946ml.1001004379.html
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Barn Door Entertainment Console

Submitted by Hartke22 on Sat, 11/28/2020 - 00:07

We've been doing the consoles for some time now and where excited to include the top shelving unit with this one..

Estimated Cost
150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Jacobean w/ satin polly

Comments

Wine Rack

This is my first attempt at making a wine rack. It holds 18 bottles and 9-12 glasses. I made it from 1/2" red oak plywood and 1x3s. I used a drill press with a 3" hole bit and 1 1/2 bit for the neck supports. The one pic shows how I kreg jig the supports to a scrap piece of plywood so I could stain all sides of the pieces at once! Plus it allowed for a quicker drying time. I kreg jig all the supports from the back side with 1" PH screws and glue. I used my router and a straight edge to dado the top and bottom shelves to the side walls. This rack measures 5'Hx 15 1/4"w x 17" deep. The wine bottles do not stick out past the front at all. I stained it in a dark walnut to give it a country feel.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Chest of Drawers

Submitted by AndyH on Tue, 11/18/2014 - 07:43

Wanted a chest of drawers with Deep Drawers.  As the drawers were so deep I used some scraps to fit supports to the undersides of the drawers as shown in one of the photos.  I knew the drawers would be stuffed to the brim and would need to be quite strong.  On the bottom two drawers I fitted three supports from scrap 1 by 4 and 1 by 6. 

On this piece I didn't bother covering up all the internal pocket holes like I normally would either and it looks a bit of an ugly duckling on inside but once top is on and drawers are in you cannot see anything.

I thought the natural colored backing gave it some interest too.

Happy to share my plan with anybody who wants it.

Estimated Cost
$200 including all drawer slides and stain
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Weathered Gray.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

ldulitz

Tue, 11/18/2014 - 11:11

I was about to build something just like this.  would you mind sharing the plans?
Thanks!