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I finally completed the last piece to my customized simple two-toned outdoor collection...an outdoor kitchen sink!!! It still needs a couple of touch ups... but more on that later. This is by far my favorite and easiest project to date. We plan on using this as a grill caddie/garden station. This will eventually go onto a 24x12 deck up against our kitchen window (The indoor and outdoor sink will be against each others backs). I decided to go with the Sturdy Workbench plans for the base mainly because of the weight. We wanted something that's going to be difficult to move since it will be hooked up to outdoor plumbing. I used treated 2x4's for the base, cedar 1x4's for the top. I bought the bar sink for about $70. I also used a Kreg Jig to screw in the cedar slats from underneath so the screws won't be visible from the top. FYI - Wait a couple of weeks before you paint soaking wet treated wood. The green chemical from the 2x4 is starting to leak through my white paint. I'll have to go and prime/paint it again when it finally dries. Other than that, it came out 10 times better than I could ever imagine.

As the kids are getting a little older it was time to retire the train table and pass it on to family. Although our living room is growing up we still wanted a place for storage, though.

I modified the Adirondack Coffee Table to include a lower shelf (just make a second box the size of the top one and screw it into the bottom of the legs) and made it wider and longer (49"x33") and taller (20"). 6 of our toy buckets will fit on the lower shelf for storage. By making the top 49" I was able to cut the 1x6 to make a top board and a bottom board from each (top 50" for a little overhang, bottom boards 46". 6 1x6 boards were needed to make the two shelves, in addition to the 2x4s. Since it is bigger there is also a stretcher across the center for a little extra strength (because we all know that at some point a child will stand on it).

It took me about 4 hours to build it and then a couple more hours spread over the weekend to stain/poly. All total this one was about 6-7 hours for me to build.

I pretty much followed the original plans.  I added a chamfer on the outside corners of the posts and on the top boards on the head and foot boards.  I also stained these to match the nightstands.  Since I used a foam mattress, i built a platform by gluing/screwing a 2x4 inside the side rails.  Then I set 1x6s on the 2x4 to support the mattress.  

I use the free version of Sketchup to design the bed and estimate materials needed.  

Lessons learned

• Take extra time to figure out how to connect the side rails to the head and foot boards.  I thought i could use a sliding lock but this wouldn't work for my design.  I improvised using 3x7 tie plates and screwed the two components together.  For the headboard, I lined the 2x4 with the inside headboard post.  For the footboard, I bent the tie plate 90 degrees and screwed the 2x4 to the footboard.  It worked very well.
• I would recommend chamfering the outside top of the side rails.  I didn't and my wife complains that she  bumps her shins on it. 
• Top boards are 1x5s, which in my are are only sold at home depot.  The other wood is readily available.

It's not that difficult of a project.  It is time consuming, though.

Had to build something to go with our brand new OLED TV. Combined Ana's 'Grandy Sliding Door Console' with a modified version of these modern barn door plans found at https://howdoesshe.com/build-a-fixer-upper-style-modern-barn-door/ from @angelarosehome to make the finished product shown here. My wife loves it (the pup doesn't mind it either)! 

I modified the dimensions of the pocket hole farmhouse table plans so the table would fit our smallish dining room.  60 inch table and matching benches from the Friendly Home.  It turned out great!  We couldn't be happier.  This was our first build.

Thanks Ana!

-Chad

I followed the instructions Ana provided, but added a small crown molding to the front and sides and added a solid top that I stained. I also added the lower shelf with leftover pieces and a knob for decoration. I love this new table in my entryway!! I built it in about 3 hours and had it all painted and stained by the next day! Thanks Ana!

This is the nightly sleeper for our 6yo (queen) and 4yo (twin) boys, but we have in-laws who visit from out of town frequently and we also wanted a place to allow them to be comfortable as couples.

To accomodate adult headroom on the queen, I raised the entire loft 7" (72" high) and to fit the queen beneath, I had to lengthen the loft rails by 9" (84" long). To fill the resulting gap, I just used some 39" scraps of 2x4 and 2x6 overlapped to create a 4x10 landing which actually ended up a cool addition since it gives the kids a spot lower than the mattress to make the transition from the ladder to the mattress. It also has given us adults a spot to sit off the mattress while comforting them to sleep when needed, so we don't end up waking them when we leave.

I based the height of the queen legs (made four of them) off the size of a standard storage tote, which was ~13". We can fit 12-16 totes of clothes or other random storage under the bed as a result. The queen frame was just a simple 64"x84" rectangle out of 2x6s with 7 2x4s used as crossbeams to hold the mattress.

Note on the mattresses - these 8" memory foam mattresses are just as comfortable as our expensive name brand king mattress, but MUCH cheaper!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-8-inch-Memory-Foam-Mattress-Multiple-Sizes/47826185

Despite raising the loft, I kept the height of the stair platform the same, but just added a second 'ladder' rung to get up to the loft (refer back to the 4x10 landing spot on the loft). To keep with the using available storage space theme, instead of attaching the stairs permanently, I used 1"x4" hinges to that we could swing the stairs up and put 4 more storage totes under there. (However, we quickly found that the kids liked that area as a 'fort', so we've left it open for their use.)

In the picture, you'll note there are four treads/steps on the stairs because I thought to myself "little feet, little steps" would be better. I soon learned that the littles are more than capable of using adult sized steps while adults nearly killed themselves coming down the little feet, little steps. As such, I ended up removing one of the middle steps and moving the new singular middle to a spot between the other two. Much better, stay with 3 steps.

While the queen can stand alone, I still attached it to the 'legs' of the loft so that our rambunctious boys didn't 'sweep the leg' and bring the whole thing down on themselves while under it.

This bench is HUGE! I think I should have scaled it back. It was fun to make, though. Thanks for the plans :)

Small Farmhouse table with custom made husky legs and side trim. I used my router to create the legs and trim.It was my first attempt at turned legs. I used minwax white wash pickle, then I went over with a mixture of minwax of dark walnut and golden oak.

Our family uses the dining table for homework and work with laptops. I have drawers in a window seat, so I added the stick on dividers to create laptop storage in the drawer.  This was super quick and easy.

I used ripped 1/2” thick plywood pieces.

loved the results!  So easy and exactly what I needed!

My brother just bought house and has a large living room with a large fireplace. He needed something that would hold firewood and also was decorative. We came up with this plan after I built the Grandy Sliding Door Console. Instead of putting in shelves or doors, we put a bottom on and a back on and add the x (2x4's) in the center. We didn't know what to expect, but after finishing it and delivering it to his house, it turned out great.

I knew I had to build this bed when I saw the images on a Google search. Thank you so much for such great plans. And FREE no less. Due to the small size of my son's bedroom I couldn't add the front bucket. He's so excited now to go to bed. Thanks again.

I had been thinking about making something to go with the nativity scene that I made a few years ago, and was so excited to see the plans for this stable this morning. It's less historically accurate, but much easier to build than a cave. =) I had cedar fence picket scraps laying around, so this project didn't cost me anything extra.