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Window seat with drawers using the mudroom bench with easy drawers plan

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/12/2023 - 17:57

Our home had a window seat that was only 14 inches deep and too small to sit on lengthwise. The before photo shows it just before I started the demolition phase. I had found the mudroom bench with easy drawers plan and decided it would work for our space. This was my first DIY woodworking project. I bought a Dewalt 12-inch compound bevel, sliding miter saw, a Kreg Pocket hole jig, and a Kreg straight-edge guide, and I plan to use them for future projects. I really enjoyed following the plans and building this project.

I got all of my wood at my local Lowe's by sorting through a lot of boards to find the best ones available. I found a nice-looking sheet of hardwood plywood for the top and sides. It was expensive ($84), but I wanted to try staining the project rather than painting it so that it would complement our flooring and other furniture in the room. I decided that if it didn't work out with the stain, I would paint over it.

A local Benjamin Moore paint store did a great job at finding a stain that would match and could be painted over if necessary. It only required one coat of stain to achieve the desired color, and I applied three coats of polyurethane over it.

We ordered a custom cushion with a cover to match the size of our new window seat with drawers. We, and our doggies, are very pleased with how the project turned out! Thank you, Ana White, for the excellent plans and video!
Gene St Germain, Poulsbo, WA

Built from Plan(s)
Mudroom Bench with Easy Drawers

Comments

Farmhouse King Bed - knotty alder and grey stain

This was my first building project! I had so much fun with it ... for a guy that can't even hang a photo on the wall! My dad helped and he had all the tools. I spent a few weekends with him so not only was a good father/son project we had something to show off at the end. I think I've caught the woodworking fever.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
prestain, weathered oak stain, danish oil finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

dentalba

Mon, 12/23/2013 - 12:10

I really like the look of the stain. I would be interested to know what changes you made to the original to achieve this look. Also, where did you find the lumber? I can't find knotty alder around here.

locke1103

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 06:32

Is there a way to find the materials needed and specific instructions on how to make this bed? I LOVE IT!

winnsamuel

Tue, 11/25/2014 - 19:22

Hello,

This is awesome, I've been looking to build a bed frame for my new apartment.  Does anyone know where I can find the plans for this project.

Similar to the person above me, I am new to this and not quite sure what to do.  If anyone can provide me with a little insight to this project I would really appreciate it!

 

Thanks!

Modified clubhouse bed

My daughter wanted to remodel her room with a peacock farm theme. These plans worked perfectly. I decided to just enclose the bottom, add 3 drawers and a barn door to give it functionality and add to the "farm" theme. Enclosing the bottom mad for way more storage in her room. I'm going to add a cubby on the head board side. It's going to mimic a "lean to" shead to further add to the rustic farm look.

Built from Plan(s)
Clubhouse Bed
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

The no more "you make a better door than a window" media cabinet

Submitted by bookette on Sun, 08/12/2012 - 12:30

I absolutely fell in love with the Tall Corner Media Console the moment it was posted. We had a decent corner stand for our TV, but it was low and was hard to watch when kids and adults alike were constantly saying "I can't SEE!" or "You're in my WAY!". I've learned that explaining "you make a better door than a window" over an over to a 7yo and a 4yo only takes longer.

Two dilemmas faced us:
1 - Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? DH insisted that we needed a big screen tv before building the console. I insisted that we needed the console first, so that we would have a place for the tv. Since it was determined the that console was cheaper than a tv, I won :)

2- What to color it? Paint? Stain? I was the one building, so DH said he didn't care, but that he liked the idea of staining. Having never stained before I was a bit intimidated - paint was my safety net. DH got this one, but only after I made him choose the stain.

I have the doors built and they are in the garage. With other things in the living room we wouldn't be able to open them all the way anyway. That and my final build weekend topped out at 105+ deg - and I was DONE being outside :) All in all, i like the open look of it, although I reserve the right to install those doors if need be.

Built from Plan(s)
Tall Corner Media Console
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Wood Stain - Vermont Maple
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

debandtom25

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:18

You did a fabulous job and I can definitely see it working without the doors too. The nice thing about stain is that can easily be covered with paint, if you change your mind down the road.

Simple Composting Toilet Outhouse

Submitted by Emillie on Thu, 06/18/2020 - 13:36

We built this composting toilet as one of the first things we did on our piece of vacant land. (How can you build anything else without somewhere to go when nature calls?)

An eco-friendly design was important to us, so we used cedar fencing instead of plywood. Otherwise, we followed Ana White's simple outhouse plans. It came out perfectly! It even has a rain barrel for hand washing.

Blog Link
Berries & Barnacles' Simple Outdoor Toilet
Estimated Cost
800
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We stained the outside with a semi-transparent stain and varnished the inside with an outdoor varnish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Outdoor rolling bar top

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 07/08/2020 - 19:43

We had some leftover granite from an outdoor kitchen build and wanted to maximize the use of it. We loved the look of a rustic table from Pottery Barn and set out to find something that was asking the same aesthetic. I came across the Jilly and Mia workbench console and thought it would work great with some minor modifications. I shortened the overall length and height, went with some heavy duty casters to support the weight of the granite, and reinforced the cross beams that would support the 3/4" plywood sheet and granite. I went with cedar for this build since it was outdoors and I'll finish it with a clear sealant.

Built from Plan(s)
Jilly and Mia Workbench Console
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Mini Wine bar

Submitted by ericaf on Sat, 10/18/2014 - 10:41

Be aware: some of the measurements and materials needed in the plan are off. For example, you need 1/8" hardboard for the bottom of the drawer but earlier in the plans it shows 1/4". Also, if you have larger wine glasses, you'll want to plane down your stemware holders so the distance between them is 3 1/8" instead of 3". It would have also been a good idea to pre-stain those before adding them in. Regarding stain, it would also look really good with a light stain. Another really nice thing about this project is that people are really impressed with it though it is fairly straightforward. :)

Built from Plan(s)
Mini Mod Wine Bar
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

ericaf

Fri, 06/10/2016 - 07:09

Thank you. :) I don't remember exactly, I believe it was regular Minwax wood stain, walnut and/or red mahogany. I will try to find what I actually used.

Front porch planters

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/07/2021 - 20:21

Followed your plan but added extra 1 x 2 trim to the sides, feet made from 1 × 3 and 1x 3 trim around the top

Built from Plan(s)
Tall Wood Planters
Estimated Cost
$35 per planter
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Cedar Naturaltone Behr Waterproofing Wood Finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday
Spring
Summer

Clothesline Peg Display Frame

Submitted by AndyH on Tue, 02/17/2015 - 16:41

Initially made this to display Christmas cards in.

Made from 1 by 4 No. 2 Whitewood.  Was stained with Rustoleum Driftwood and then painted with some left over paint I found in garage.  I then sanded it back a bit to show the grain and stain through.

The nails are 1 inch Clavos nails from a website called www.Directfrommexico.com

Measures about 30 by 25 inches on outsides.

 

Estimated Cost
Wood $4.50 as only needed one piece and used one left over piece. The large hammered nails were most expensive part at about $8. Line and pegs around $5.00 Stain and paint were leftovers. Total about $17.00. Have specified an hour or two but the down time between stain and paint drying obviously adds time.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoloeum Driftwood as base and some left over paint. Painted on the stain without conditioner. Let dry overnight. Painted the next day and left another day to fully dry. Sanded by hand to show some grain through.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Full Length Mirror Sliding Beauty Storage Cabinet

Submitted by csihoratio on Tue, 07/20/2021 - 07:30

Great idea being my wife is not a hair person she really loves it.

Built from Plan(s)
Full Length Mirror with Sliding Storage Cabinet
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
primer and white paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Farmhouse Nightstand

Submitted by RenoRustic on Tue, 05/12/2015 - 10:17

I built this nightstand when my wife and I purchased a new bed. We had to rearrange the bedroom and as such, I no longer had a desk or table on my side of the bed. I wanted something "country" style and after searching through several different plans I found a brag post that fit exactly what I was looking for. Well, technically, I found the original Farmhouse Bedside Table plans and modified them to fit what I needed. It wasn't until after I completed the project that I realized there was a "Mini" version as well. What can I say, I'm not that great as using search. I actually built this over a year ago at this point, and it was the second project I ever built. I learned quite a bit on this project, including the fact your project will only come out as good as your lumber selection! This build actually created my addiction for DIY and woodworking. Thank you Ana!

Blog Link
Farmhouse Nightstand
Built from Plan(s)
Mini Farmhouse Bedside Table Plans
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Minwax Special Walnut for the entire project, then painted the base and drawer Behr white (their basic white off the shelf, I didn't have the paint mixed) in semi-gloss. I antiqued everything for a more rustic look.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Doll house for 18" Dolls

Both my princesses absolutely LOVE their dollhouse. It was my first diy project and it's wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. 

Estimated Cost
I spent roughly $46 on the wood. We had a bunch of extra paint lying around the house and left over carpet pieces we decided to use.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

6 Cube Bookshelf - Poplar

Submitted by kev117s on Tue, 07/28/2015 - 18:29

I built this set of cube shelves for my 3 yr old son's room. THANK YOU, ANA! I used poplar as I did not want to paint the wood and I love the irregular pattern of the wood grain. To save money, I used pine for the inner shelves and dividers. I stained it using the oxidized solution (http://www.friendly-home.net/2012/05/oxidized-x-console.html) that Ana recommended from the instructions of the Rustic Console. I added a cup of coffee to the solution to get a darker browner shade and unevenly sanded the wood for the distressed look. It matches the poplar wood more so than keeping the pine wood as is.

I also created a 5-tier version to match the 6 cube shelves but did not include the legs. I thought it would be more stable to keep the lower frame on the ground.

I purchased the storage boxes from Amazon It was around $20 for 6 boxes!

 

I am ready for the next project!

Built from Plan(s)
6 Cube Organizer
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Oxidized solution for the shelves and dividers.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Table : Restoration Hardware Replica

Submitted by tsibiga on Mon, 06/20/2011 - 09:43

This is the first building project that I've tackled and it's all thanks to Ana-White. I did lots of things different than the building plan but it was definitely my inspiration and extremely useful. I loved the Restoration Hardware table and so I went to the local store to put my eyes on it for myself. Some of the things that I noticed, liked, and included in my design are; I used 4-2x12"s for the tabletop, I used 2x8"s as the breadboards, I used 4x4"s for the legs as well as the side stretcher, I used 2x4"s as the undertable supports, I built two 15" extensions using 2x8"s and 2x2"s, and I attempted to distress the wood yet stain it to match our dining room as best as I could.

www.tommyandellie.com

I've documented the build and you can check it out yourself at: http://tommyandellie.com/?p=14

I've revised the plans with even more details here; http://tommyandellie.com/index.php/2012/01/13/new-and-improved-farmhous…

Hope it helps.

Blog Link
Tommy and Ellie
Built from Plan(s)
Farmhouse Table - No Pocket Holes Plan
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I banged up the wood using random things around the garage and then used a Dark Walnut Stain. Additionally, on the tabletop I did two coats of Briwax (light Brown) for a nice, shiny, and smooth eating surface.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

niecey

Mon, 06/20/2011 - 15:06

This is stunning! I'm working on this table right now, but it's no where near as good as yours. I'm jealous. I love your extensions. I'd love to see a tutorial on adding extensions..

ispeakwhale

Tue, 06/21/2011 - 05:16

It looks beautiful. Did you attatch the 2x2 to the underside of the extensions and then notch out a place on the support for them to slide into? Can you please take a photo of the underside with the extensions on?

Tommy (not verified)

Tue, 06/21/2011 - 14:42

That's exactly right. Here's a link to the picture you asked for; http://www.tommyandellie.com/Site/Home/Entries/2011/6/10_Farmhouse_Tabl…

There's some more details and info specifically about the extensions on my blog at; http://www.tommyandellie.com/Site/Home/Entries/2011/6/10_Farmhouse_Tabl…

It's a super simple addition to the design and can take my table from 96" to 126"!!! Or take it from a 8-10 seat table to potentially 16 seats available for those Big thanksgiving meals.

Guest1 (not verified)

Wed, 06/29/2011 - 15:41

Hello,

I was just wondering that since your table is a bit wider than Ana's table, did you make the support for the stretcher wider? As in, did you increase the length at all (in addition to making it stick out a bit at the ends? If so, what did you extend it to? Thanks and gorgeous job!

tsibiga

Wed, 06/29/2011 - 18:49

Hello,

I followed Ana's example and allowed for a 1" overhang on both sides. So the tabletop is actually 44" wide and the stretchers are approximately 42". The long 2x4" stretcher is approximately 88".

Hope that helps. Thanks for the positive comments.

Guest (not verified)

Wed, 06/29/2011 - 20:28

I cant believe how good that looks. Great job! Out of curiosity, how did you make the notches (dados) for the 4x4 legs where they meet the table top? Really impressive table!

tsibiga

Thu, 06/30/2011 - 04:43

For the table legs, I set my table saw blade to a height of approximately 1.5". I then made a first cut at 3.5" from the bottom, then made a cut at 7", and then made several subsequent cuts in between those two cuts. After it was all slivered, I used a hammer to knock it all out, and then swirled the opening all around on the table saw (blade still at 1.5" tall) to smooth out all the cuts. I used the same technique for the stretcher as well.

Guest (not verified)

Sat, 08/06/2011 - 21:36

Hi Tommy, I tried clicking on your site and was told the site could not be found. Last week, I saw it fine and showed my hubby our next project, but now it's gone. Help!

Keri Beth (not verified)

Thu, 03/01/2012 - 07:17

What inspiring pictures! Apparently everyone agrees, because I just "pinned" one of these pictures to Pinterest and it was immediately repinned 27 times and counting. So nice work! I hope to make mine this weekend.

DES.II (not verified)

Sun, 04/29/2012 - 06:29

She and her boyfriend would like to build it using lumber i cut from my mill. They are thinking walnut, hickory or maybe ash but im not sure how that will work out with being distressed. And your extentions, do you have a 2x4 or two that slides out from under the table to help support them on each end ? Are there pics of the under side of the table as well? This is a great table and i think they will have fun as a family assemblimng and finishing it.
Thank you. DesII

Marci (not verified)

Thu, 10/11/2012 - 12:12

Where can I find the bench instructions??

James Groover

Tue, 04/14/2015 - 13:31

Hey Tommy, I saw the Farmhouse table design with extensions, I don't have Excel to open the cut list and need the buy list and cut list to complete the project, I am really short on time and need to start this project tomorrow. Please if you can, do you have a word document or a PDF that shows the page for those?

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