Community Brag Posts

Sliding door console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 07/16/2016 - 20:37

Sliding door console with homemade sliding door hardware. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Modern Farmhouse Bed

My daughter needed a new bed frame because her box spring broke so it no longer fit on the metal frame. This bed was perfect for what she needed. However, I needed to add one more 1x6 to the headboard. Didn’t realize that until I had the bed together. Will add it later.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Can’t remember
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Classic Gray Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

easy Kitchen Island

I needed mine to move so I added some castors to the bottom. It is my bakery cart! I also had hubby put a double towel rack on it for my flour clothes. Thanks so much for the plans! This is my first project and I loved doing it! Hubby got me the Kreg Jig and it was a breeze. I even used that for the top!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$90
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut Stain, Flat white paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Storage sofa on steroids!

Submitted by Imadeit on Wed, 07/20/2016 - 12:59

First furniture project, first Kreg jig use.

Heavily adapted storage sofa plans.  Used existing day bed mattresses.  Made all wood surfaces finished with nice cladding, and all fabric portions removable and washable.

Added arms, and a back ledge.  Ledge is hinged to allow access to wall behind so I can get to the outlets.

Lots of work, but it is AWESOME.  Thanks for the inspiration Ana!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$700 including the fabric
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Dark gray latex paint, and gel stain for the shelf.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

WackyPup

Sun, 01/22/2017 - 13:37

This is almost exactly what I want to do! I have a dog who loves to rub on furniture and I don't want upholstery. Why did you make the back thicker? Is it just for added shelf space along the back? Thanks for posting the pictures. Very inspiring!

Imadeit

Mon, 02/20/2017 - 07:18

Sorry for the delay in seeing your question.  I haven't signed on to this site for a while.  You are correct thinking that I wanted to have shelf space along the back.  The sectional is the entire width of the wall and I knew that I would not be able to have end tables.  I wanted a way to have a lamp and a place to put drinks, etc.  As it turns out the arms of the sectional are great for holding my beverage.  The shelf holds my lamp and some baskets with general stuff like the remotes inside.  Thank you for the compliment.

sahorn01

Wed, 01/18/2023 - 09:28

Hi! I know this is a very old post but I would love try to make something similar to what you did in your storage sofa modifications - especially the wider frame and armrests. Any chance you wrote down your plans or have more pictures of your build? I also would love to understand how you made your upholstery/fabric removable. Did you follow any plan for making the cushions? Thanks in advance!

Replacement Bathroom Vanity

Submitted by Jake on Fri, 07/06/2012 - 08:25

Great and easy build from Ana. I made it to replace a vanity made of fake wood that falls apart when it senses water. No changes to the design. I used the "European" hinges and all I can say is that they are great but it is learning experience getting them to work properly. Thank goodness for the adjustments the hinge allow.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$35 including hinges
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Entire vanity is primed and one coat of good quality satin white paint (Ben Moore). I then added two more coats to the exterior.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Doll Bed

Submitted by nickdevos on Tue, 04/22/2014 - 13:52

I saw the doll bed post that Ana had done and wanted to try and make one for my daughter out of scrap wood I had laying in the garage. I basically used the picture from her post for the idea and pieced everything together. Then grandma got involved and made the little pillow and blanket to top it off, my daughter loves it.

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
After the project was all put together I just spray painted it with white and then put on a coat of poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

From Dumpster to Wine Buffet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 07/23/2016 - 11:24

This piece was headed to the dumpster when I rescued it, the top drawer was chipped and broken.

The drawers have such beautiful curves, so I removed the broken one and the 2nd one and reused it elsewhere. A beautiful coat of teal paint, changed out the knobs for eclectic vintage glass knobs and added wine glass holders, finished it  by wrapping stripped fabric around thin plywood for the backdrop.

It is perfect for storing my summer entertaining dishes in the sunroom.

Estimated Cost
Paint $30.00 for gallon, you don't need a gallon I used on other projects
Vintage glass knobs $20.00
Fabric $8.00
Wine Glass holder $10.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sanded down old varnish and stain. Washed completely to prep for primer paint, then 2 coats of the teal paint. Let dry for a week then added the plywood fabric wrapped sides and back, last I added the wine glass holders to the underside of the top.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Elevated bed with storage

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/13/2020 - 13:15

In this small teen bedroom (9-5' large), we had to fit clothes storage as well as room for the family hockey bags.
We decided to use 2 IKEA MALM dressers (one of which we already had) and we built a platform to elevate the bed. The space under the bed could then fit the 2 dressers.

After having measured the length of a single standard mattress, we used the remaining space to create very large shelves in order to place the hockey bags. We designed them open so that my 2 sons can come back from their hockey practices and drop their bag. We also made sure to not put the shelves too high so they can easily access them.

The upper storage (cupboards) were already existant in the house. They add even more storage.

The bed part is 6-7' long x 3-4' large
The locker part is a bit less than 3 feet long and 3-4' large

The little stool used to get up on the bed is a kitchen stool that we reused. It is movable.

Once the structure of the elevated bed was built, we finished the bedspring with a plywood sheet.

The rough 2 x 4 and plywood sheets that were used for the structure were then covered with nicer flat and smooth pine planks and mouldings, then painted grey. It makes for a nicer finish on the outside. But first of all, those mouldings hide the gaps between the dressers and the structure.

The cost of this project was very low: 264$ of wood + nails from Home Dépôt

PS: if you understand french there is a video on my blog that explains the building process in details.

Thank you !

Estimated Cost
270$
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Grey paint
Chalboard black paint for the back of the wall and side plywood
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

My first coffee table

Submitted by JoshC on Sat, 07/07/2012 - 16:31

This is my first attempt at a coffe table. I used 1 5/8 inch screws, wood glue,and finish nails. I decided to use oak because someone gave it to me.

Estimated Cost
around $20 but I got the wood for free
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
3 coats of Merlot stain and 2 coats of poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoshC

Mon, 07/09/2012 - 15:47

This is my first stained piece of furnature. I got the wood for free and didnt want to paint over the grain of the wood. This was also my Mother's Day gift to my mom so I wanted it to turn out perfect. She seemed to love it and I am pretty happy with how it turned out. Thanks Ana for all the great tips and ideas.

Kitchen Island with Bar Stools

Submitted by thurm12 on Thu, 04/24/2014 - 09:09

I used the Farmhouse Kitchen Island as inspiration as well as the Ikea Stenstorp Kitchen Island, but I designed the island to fit my kitchen and what I was looking for.

First purchase was the butcher block top from Ikea (Varde countertop, 57.5x25, birch, $80).

I built the frame using 2x2s, allowing for about 1/2 inch overhang of the countertop on all sides. Next installed the two shelves for each cabinet. I decided to use wood planking from Home Depot ("Knotty Pine" planking) to keep the weight of the island down. I liked the look of these planks and the ease of installation (nail to the frame, cut to fit). I built the cabinet doors using 2x12s. They are functional, but at some point I will probably make new doors using plywood.

Originally I wanted bar stools with the legs at a slight angle. I used the same 2x2s as used on the island frame. I cut the legs at a 4 degree angle but did not like the way the stools looked. Redesigned the stools to be straight and simple. The seat is a heavily sanded 2x12. The seats are slightly too tall since I forgot to account for the height of the furniture pads (the ones I use are about 1/2 inch each).

I used pocket holes for everything except for attaching the butcherblock to the island (just drilled underneath). Filled with plugs and sandable wood filler.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax PolyShades Bombay Mahogany for island. (2 coats)

Minwax Express Color Oak for stools (1 coat) - first time using Express Color. Wanted the water-based for easy clean-up of the stools, but I would prefer brush-on stains.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Toddler Tree House Bed

Submitted by Dopamine83 on Sun, 05/17/2020 - 07:19

Made the Toddler Tree House bed. My little human was still a bit small for the ladder so I added a Ramp to it. It works great and my toddler has already made a permanent transition to it from the crib. My wife wanted to make it more of a beach shack this the colors. Im exploring putting some small bookshelves or a pull out to chest underneath to maximize storage.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150-200
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Grey stain on the 1x6's, Kilz for the supports and ramp, and blue semi gloss on the roof boards.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Hailey Platform Bed

Since we moved 2 months ago, our bed has been a mattress on the floor. Being busy with other projects needed to make the house more liveable, I kept putting off this one until I just couldn't stand it any more.
So I spent the weekend getting over the fear of the people at my local lumbar supply store (the guys aren't always very nice, but I lucked out and got one of the ladies to help), buying the materials and building the bed. It took a good solid weekend. But by Sunday night, no more sleeping on the floor.
Finished with minwax ebony stain and lemon oil (my cats hate it, keeps them from clawing the pine to shreds)
Now hopefully I can get to the headboard...at least once all my kitchen cupboards have doors, haha.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$90
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
minwax ebony stain, lemon oil
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Kevin Cooke (not verified)

Tue, 10/23/2012 - 06:52

Hey! Looks great, did you end up putting in the slats or does the mattress/boxspring not need the extra support? I am going to try and tackle this project sometime this week.

Thanks!

Breakfast Nook Table

Submitted by vlilly on Sun, 04/27/2014 - 13:37

This table was my very first project and I am proud of myself! After getting married in January and closing on our house in February, I was overwhelmed with all the empty space! (Being 19 and buying a brand new house.. everything was foreign to me! We had NO furniture!) We needed a decent place to eat instead of using the borrowed barstools and my dad has all the tools I could ever need, so I figured I could try out building our own kitchen table! I think it went well! Since then I have made a media cabinet, a dining table and bench, storage cubbys for above the fridge, a mail holder, a towel holder and a wooden tray for our ottoman ALL from Anas plans! I'm just now getting around to posting my brags :)

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained with Rustoleum Dark Walnut and given a couple coats of Rustoleum poly in Matte!
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic X Coffee Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 07/27/2016 - 18:46

This was my first attempt to build furniture. Me and my daughter built this for her first house. This was very easy if you follow the plan instructions. I had an extra 2x2 to play with the angles till I got them right for the x. We didn't want the grey finish so we used one coat of Miniwax Early American with 2 coats of polyurethane satin finish. We used star nails instead of the bolts and used the angle brackets that we spray painted both black. It took a weekend but I plan on building the end tables next and it should go quickly since I have the hang of the plans now.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$70
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minimax Early American and Polyurethane Satin finish. The hardest part by far was figuring out the x angles. I had an extra 2x2 so I was able to play around with the cuts till I got it right then just duplicated in for the other end.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Camp Loft Bed w/ Modification

Submitted by zpbrown84 on Tue, 05/19/2020 - 07:27

This was my first project to tackle from this website and I had some help from my Father in Law who is pretty good at carpentry. I have picked up a lot from this site as far as tips and such and this was the first of many projects for me.

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
We have not finished it yet but the plan is the kids pick the color and help paint it
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Dress-up Box

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/23/2024 - 09:35

I made this "dress up box" for my granddaughter. She loves dress up and also likes to sit in boxes - lol... I lined it with cedar planks and added a cushion on top. I put a few coats of polyurethane over the glitter paint to reduce the chance of getting glitter everywhere. I made it a little smaller (24 inches wide instead of 37 because of space concerns). She loves sitting in it and looking at herself. (the mirror is unbreakable plastic of some sort). There is also a faux fur blanket (removable) in the bottom of it so she's comfortable sitting in there. Thank you so much Ana for all of your plans! It's so very kind of you to share them.

Kathy Taylor

Built from Plan(s)

Sling Chairs

Submitted by natehu on Wed, 07/11/2012 - 08:26

I had some leftover wood from building my daughters loft bed and after coming across this plan realized i had all the right lumber on had already so after a trip to the store to buy a few bolts i was ready to build. I built one chair following Ana's plans exactly, using 1x2's for the outside frames, the chair turned out awesome and I wanted another. For the second one, i didn't have enough 1x2's left so I used 2x2s for the outside frame. I kept the inside width (24") of the back frame the same and adjusted the rest of the dimensions to fit. While the 1x2 chair was great and very sturdy, the 2x2 chair is rock solid. I rounded all the edges of the boards with a 1/4" roundover bit and spray painted everything dark chocolate brown. The fabric slings are made of cotton duck cloth. I added a 1" foam pillow sewn onto the top of the sling because my head rests right on the top boards and I wanted a little padding.

All said, including wood, hardware, fabric and the foam for the pillow I think this chair cost about $40 to build and finish.

As my 3 daughters piled on my lap to read on night the 2x2 chair has been load tested to about 300 lbs!

Estimated Cost
$45
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

dannibambi

Fri, 08/10/2012 - 14:22

What a great idea! I think I will sew together a wrap-around foam pillow with a velcro closure, so I could easily remove it if I decide to switch to a new fabric. Thank you for the inspiration! And thank you for mentioning how much sturdier the 2x2 wood is. I appreciate it!

Modified Wide Cabin Dresser

This dresser is for our 2-year-old, as part of his big-boy room. We'll also be making him a full-sized version of the twin cabin loft bed (just the bed on the floor with headboard/footboard - no loft).

This was our first non-beginner project, as well as our first time making drawers.....and we definitely underestimated how difficult drawers can be, even when you're constantly making sure everything is square!

I loved the original plan, but my husband thought it might be a bit easier on us beginners to do 4 equal-sized drawers, instead of 5 drawers in 2 different sizes. However, due to a mistake we made in the frame (that we chose not to correct), we didn't have 4 equal holes for the drawers to slide into :-( ..... and therefore needed to put the drawer fronts on the outside of the dresser. I wasn't happy about that at first, but felt like we made it work in the end.

We knew we were going to paint instead of stain, so we used various types of wood. We initially had 2x2s of a different wood type for the legs, but ended up removing them, and replacing with ripped down 2x4s, which seemed to make it sturdier, and were less bowed.

Estimated Cost
$200-$250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (mix of Paris Gray, Graphite, and Black) and AS Clear Wax
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Back