Community Brag Posts

Chalkboard Cubby

This cubby was my very first project! I just finished remodeling my kitchen, all that was missing was a place for my keys, dog leashes etc. My little house doesn't have a proper entryway so I created a "welcome station" with this cubby. The trickiest part was definitely cutting the sides, but I was able to get those tight circles with a little forethought and a lot of sanding :) I used leftover paint and samples from choosing colors for the kitchen, so it automatically coordinated with the rest of the decor.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
~$40
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
3 coats of Behr "Polar Bear" white paint and samples (Rainwater, also Behr) with LOTS of taping! I think I spent ore time taping than I did actually painting! I also did 3 coats of clear satin coat. I didn't sand in between because I like the look of brush strokes :)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Full Farmhouse Bed with mods

Submitted by Kingsamui on Thu, 12/14/2017 - 16:29

Made the standard full farmhouse bed with storage, but did a couple modifications. 1) Didn’t use drawers, but wanted closed, not open cubbies. I made the drawer fronts and then attached with full overlay hinges and magnetic catches do they open from top down like a horizontal cabinet. 2) built the slats as two, one piece slat frames which sit on the cleat so that they can easily be removed for the extra long term storage between the cubby boxes. Just lift mattress and the two pieces of slats and lots more space. 

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Red Mahogany Stain and semi-gloss polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

My first project

Loved how these plans were so easy to follow and certainly appreciate the accompanying video.

Comments

Resized modern chairs with table

Submitted by CarolinaL on Thu, 12/28/2017 - 16:27

I needed chairs that would fit on my narrow front porch. This plan was great because I was able to resize it to 20x20. I used 1x4s that I already had and some wood glue. They turned out solid. I made the tryde table with left over wood. That one is 17.5x17.5. Super happy with the results. We are doing the garage shelves right now. I have a list of other things I want to make thanks to Ana's wonderful website. 

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Exterior Valspar with a paint sprayer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Outdoor Sectional

Submitted by czappia on Wed, 04/27/2011 - 13:54

We needed furniture for our back patio and as I was searching for plans online, I stumbled across Ana-white.com. I was so excited to show my husband who built this in a day. I had thought that I would sew the cushions myself but after a few failed attempts at sewing box cushions with piping, I decided to buy the cushions. Buying them is actually a LOT cheaper as foam is very expensive in this size. I bought our cushions and back pillows from Walmart and the accent pillows from Target.

Cost: $355-cushions
$115-Wood
$25-Primer
$20-Paint

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Playhouse in-progress

Submitted by DoctorEw on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 06:49

Due to rain (and horrible ability) this project has been taking a LONG time it seems. =) We had one of those "cheap" playsets from one of the warehouse clubs that would scare me to death anytime my girls got to swinging on it. So... we knocked it down and I took some liberty with the details from Ana's playset plans.

Estimated Cost
~$600 so far (concrete, wood, fasteners, shingles, etc..)
Finish Used
Will paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Shoe dresser

Submitted by RoseOfShaz on Thu, 07/04/2013 - 15:26

I didn't build this shoe dresser because I particularly needed one, but it looked so lovely that I couldn't resist.

- I modified the plans by building 3 bins instead of 2 so it could hold more shoes.
- I decided against the dowel stick and opted for hinges instead, which were surprisingly not too difficult to assemble. I found that I didn't even need the magnets after installing the hinges as the doors stay closed.
- I used 7" chains on both sides of each bin instead of a belt to make it extra sturdy.
- I added two back legs.

Et voila! This is the end result. I'm very pleased.

PS. Those flopping bins are a pain when you're trying to build!! An extra pair of hands is definitely recommended.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150 (with extra bin)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut (can't remember the exact name of the stain, but it's the one Shanty 2 Chic always uses!)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

SoCaliforniaMel

Fri, 07/05/2013 - 22:49

Pretty :) Good Job. Now if I only had the space for one thats 10 rows high :P I like the stain color too. Shanty 2 Chic always uses Rust-o-leum. I think its called dark walnut. Dont quote me though. I love the stain and spray paint combo colors they use.
~Melody

Flat Wall Book Shelves

Submitted by river4250 on Mon, 05/16/2011 - 16:30

This plan was a breeze to put together (go out and buy some clamps if you don't have any!!) until I finished it, then looked at my wall and saw the baseboards. I really wanted it to be screwed/nailed into the wall, so it needed to be flush. That's where the nightmare being. Eventually (over a week later) I got that finished, however, and am loving my little one's new bookcase! I just can't decide where to put it now, in her bedroom or in her playroom. Maybe I'll make another and she'll have two! :D This plan was very simple to follow, and the materials weren't expensive, so I could definitely do that.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse head and footboard

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 03/06/2022 - 18:33

Still need to paint it. Perfect weekend project. Such an easy build! Thank you!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Rustic X Kitchen Island

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/21/2022 - 12:06

Used Ana's plans with a little modification.
I built 2 different sizes and donated to our church for their fellowship hall.

Comments

My First Build

Submitted by clarky316 on Sun, 03/11/2018 - 18:02

This was my first big furniture piece that I've built. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I used 5/4 poplar for the tops instead of the 2x10s for the table and 2x6s for the benches that the plans called for. Finished the tops with Minwax Early American stain then 3 coats of satin oil based polly. Finished the bottoms with water based Minwax tinted River Stone then coated with water based polly. 

 

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Brian Famous

Wed, 03/14/2018 - 06:18

You did a great job, especially for your first big piece.

I love the River Stone color you chose for the bases, beautiful combination.

Simplest Stool : Saddle Back Style

Submitted by tsibiga on Mon, 06/20/2011 - 09:52

We've been looking for some saddle back stools for quite a while that would fit snug under our kitchen island. I couldn't find any, so I checked Ana-White and found the perfect building plan. I used scraps to build two matching stools and so I altered the plans to fit what I had. Other then the dimensions being different, I also used a 2x12" piece of wood cut down to 9x15" for the stool top.

I've documented the process as best as I could at; http://www.tommyandellie.com/Site/Home/Entries/2011/6/13_More_Seating_f…

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$0 I used all scrap wood from a previous project
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
"Rainwater" Martha Stewart Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

tsibiga

Thu, 06/30/2011 - 04:50

I skipped a step that I might redo. I'd recommend taking some wood filler and spreading over the knots and imperfections before painting it. Sand it down, smooth it out, and it'll be Looking flawless.

Stef (not verified)

Thu, 07/07/2011 - 15:02

I've been looking for some stools like this, so I followed your lead and just finished making some. Thanks so much for sharing!

tsibiga

Fri, 07/08/2011 - 17:53

Awesome! I'm so glad you made some. Thanks for sharing. We love our stools and hope you enjoy them as well.

Lawn chairs for my daughter

I built these lawn chairs for my daughter from your plans. Thanks

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Outdoor Daybed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/08/2022 - 21:06

What a great project!! My private outdoor space is amazing. Thanks Ana!!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Gunstock Stained Farmhouse/craftsman bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/18/2019 - 18:19

Followed the plan, adjusted the height to accomadate a trundle bed in the future. Tapered the edges of the 2x6 material for a shaker/craftsman look. If you cut the board at a 25 degree angle the 2x6 material will rest right in line with the 2 x 4 material below. Be sure and add 2 to 2 1/2 inches to accommodate the taper edging.

 

Used Minwax gunstock stain to match the furniture and three coats of fast drying gloss poly.

 

Estimated Cost
220.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Used Minwax gunstock stain to match the furniture and three coats of fast drying gloss poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Entry Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 12/16/2022 - 06:51

I search many DIY entry benches and ultimately chose Ana White's, it was perfect what what we needed. Thanks for the vid, plans, post and tips that helped me build it. I'm currently browsing your other projects for the next one. Thanks so much

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Shiplap fireplace

Submitted by Medickep on Tue, 01/31/2023 - 05:42

My fiancée wanted to spice up our living room and we got this great idea from Ana, whose video made me realize I could do this! I was a little reluctant because a lot of these you see don’t have a lot of electronics and the TV is pretty high. I feel like we we able to balance this out by adding the shelf’s to the side for electronics!

Comments