Community Brag Posts

Rustic Breakfast Bar

I built this bar for my mom to use i her dining room. I altered the plans for the X Style Desk to build this at bar height. This was my first time distressing anything and was pleased with the outcome. i used one coat of Minwax Dark Walnut stain and two coats of Minwax clear satin finish. White shellac Based primer, brown egg shell paint and Green egg shell paint for the base and sanded for the distressed look. I used dimensional pine lumber from the home center to build this with.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut stain and Clear satin Poly. White shellac Based primer, brown egg shell paint and Green egg shell paint for the base and sanded for the distressed look.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Granddaughters purse and ribbon holder

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/11/2016 - 11:13

My 5 year old granddaughter and I built this. Used scrap wood and had the knobs.

Estimated Cost
$5.00 Wood and antique knobs
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Pink paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Modern Outdoor Chair from Pallet wood- OH MY

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 07/10/2020 - 12:06

It's a Friyay! and we have a bunch of used pallets at work the boss is wanting to get rid of. Well he is on vacay so ....
We (me and my office manager) had to alter the directions a bit but the end result is great. This was our first project and tools were very limited. Even so its a win win and we will be making more. Thank you Ana!

Estimated Cost
FREE
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
none yet but paint is being considered
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Gift caddy/crate

Submitted by dmcarwin on Wed, 09/12/2012 - 05:22

I Love this plan! I had to modify mine a little form Ana's because the reclaimed wood I got was already cut in small pieces. I love how it turned out! I ended up giving it as a gift and made several more for the same purpose. You can see those on my blog!

Thanks Ana for another awesome plan!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Free! Scrap wood
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
I used a wood aging finish, steel wool in vinegar.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Tryde Coffee Table

Submitted by Trenny10 on Tue, 07/08/2014 - 12:39

This was my second project from Ana White and it turned out just as well as the Tryde Side Tables. The finish used was exactly the same as the side tables; however, just regular Cedar was used instead of Red Oak.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Began with 1 coat of standard wood conditioner, 1 coat of dark walnut stain and applied 5 coats of polyurethane, sanding it with 220 grit sandpaper after each coat had set.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Sliding Barn Door Console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10/13/2016 - 21:21

This was a fairly easy build, but the hardware was a challenge. Very exciting that it actually worked. Followed hardware instructions linked in comments

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200 +
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint for frame, top is varathane sunbleached with rustoleum glaze on top.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Indoor playhouse bed tower

Submitted by Natalieeh on Sun, 07/12/2020 - 18:08

Indoor playhouse above twin bed. Cost about $190. Took two full days. Built using the plans off this site. The inside play area is 42in by 39in. The plans have the mattress on the ground. I have a dog that sheds like crazy so I have her mattress on a metal frame but plant to build a low to the ground platform bed.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
190
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I painted it white with just a Valspar ultra white primer and paint in one. I may do trim in another color later.
Make sure to get perfect 2x4s!!! No twists bends splits etc!
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Toddler Loft Bed

My husband and I modified this bed quite a bit to make it work for our 4 year old grandson. We made it 60” tall and it holds a crib mattress and spring base. Considering it is for a 4 year old, we did add a brace on the back of the bed, so it could be anchored to wall studs to prevent tipping.
After the painting was completed, we had to head home, so I will share “completed” photos later. By the way, he loves his “Big Boy bed”!

The simpliest shelf stand

Submitted by hobbywood on Fri, 09/14/2012 - 03:47

I suppose this is the simpliest shelf stand ever :) Pls note that side boards should stand on bottom board (in order to provide tensile strength). Also pay attention that the construction shown will not be safety standing near the wall. You should screw it to the wall. Well, that's all. The top valance is made of floor plinth. PS. Sorry, English is not my native language, but I hope you can understand my post. Blog link leads to russian language page.

Estimated Cost
approximately 825 russian rubles (25 usd) each one
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Belinka rosewood glaze 2 coats
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Compact Utensil Organizer

I made a counter top utensil organizer for our little kitchen and love how it solved a few utensil difficulties for us. I wish I could post plans, but all I can offer for now are photos and a brief explanation on my little blog: http://sunnysideup-stairs.blogspot.com/2014/07/compact-utensil-organize…

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Cutting Board Conditioner (beeswax, carnauba wax, oil blend)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

GREAT FOR KIDS AND FOR COUNTY FAIR EXIBIT

This was a fun project. I built it for our local county fair and it was a hit, I won an award.

I used all cedar 2x4 and 2x6 lumber. I used pocket hole screws. and glue and  I used carriage bolts to make it stronger. I used Thompson Simi- transparent stain/ sealer in a Honey color for the finish. It will last a long time and  will be perfect for  all kids, 

Estimated Cost
$65
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Thompson's Honey semi transparent stain/ sealer
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Simple Modern Outdoor Sectional

Ten-day project (construction plus sewing) that concluded with exactly what we needed for our space. No big issues with the plan and really pleased with the result. Making the cushions was only possible through upholstery sewing experience. Thank you Ana White!

Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Gloss Black Spray Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

My Smiling Mudroom Wall

Submitted by Daisy1 on Mon, 09/17/2012 - 04:36

Such a useful and attractive way to keep the mudroom area organized. Especially needed in our house which has no dedicated mudroom--just an area carved out by the kitchen door where we need to stash our coming and going type stuff. Loved the plans!

I made a few alterations to the originals to customize the plans to our particular needs, which are outlined in the blog post on our site, http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2012/09/my-ana-white-mudroom.html.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I used one coat of latex primer and two coats of latex paint, white, sanding between coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Cyndy Cook (not verified)

Sun, 09/23/2012 - 15:47

I love it! It is beautiful. Makes my boring mudroom frown! :D

Kid-Sized Adirondack Chair for Charity

Submitted by jaime19861 on Mon, 07/14/2014 - 18:39

I made this cute kid-sized Adirondack chair to be auctioned off for charity. The pattern I used for this can be found in Ana's book, The Handbuilt Home.

This chair costs less than $5 for the wood!

If you want to see more details and pictures about how I built it, check out my blog post.

Estimated Cost
$5 + paint
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Gloss Apple Red
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY Outdoor Furniture

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 06/03/2024 - 09:25

I couldn't see spending several thousand for outdoor furniture, so I looked at what you had done. It was so much easier and sturdier than I thought it would be. Thank you for all you do for the community.
I added the board on the back of the sofa to stop the cushions from slipping through. My wife wanted a fun color so we found a waterproof stain and had it tinted. I thought it came out very nice.

 

E's play kitchen AND garage workbench and laundry

Submitted by melodyrae on Wed, 07/16/2014 - 19:18

What's better than an Ana White play kitchen? 2 Ana White play kitchens back-to-back!

Slightly modified, we made 2 play kitchens, turning one into a garage workbench and laundry. We managed to just get the kitchen & garage done for Christmas morning (minus a latch & plexi for the microwave). We later added a window view above the sink, and a table and 3 storage stools to join the two units on one end. In a long mixed-use playroom with little wall-space available, they jut out from the wall, dividing the TV side of the room from the toy storage side.

Dad was excited to help put the garage-side together and bought his little girl some peg-board to hang her tools on, and installed garage lighting. As pull-out drawers cut into the storage space, her "tool cabinet" doors just fold-down. Grandpa sent her a full tool-set with power drill for her new workbench. Big brother helped piece the gas burners together and chose paint colors.

Little miss finger-painted in the garage next to me while I worked on this first woodworking venture, but she was not a bit interested in the contraption until we added the stickers! A local sign vendor we use was so tickled to be involved, he had the stickers printed in under an hour and for just $25 (which saved hours and hours of detail painting)!

Next up: the ana white dream dollhouse (which perhaps we should've started with).

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Buying parts retail, last minute, we probably could've purchased a PB kitchen --but not custom to fit our space - and not with a garage and laundry and table and 3 storage stools!
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
We used Valspar's 2 step metallic finish for the stainless appliances - honestly, lots of extra coats that were probably not needed since the gray base coat was super sweet with our yellow kitchen. We used leftover Behr stain from Dad's garage workbench for the wood countertops, and the rest of the paint is Sherwin Williams. Cabinet knobs from World Market; appliance knobs from a salvage yard; handles from Ikea; fridge shelves a cut closet shelf; real tile backsplash; gas burners from dowels; real faucet from ebay; loaf pan sink (left removable because we knew she'd immediately fill it with water).
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

spiceylg

Sat, 07/19/2014 - 20:15

I love this. Especially love the addition off the workbench and laundry area!

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