We had an ugly yellow/orange flowered couch and rocker in the living room when we bought this place. I usually build stuff, but he is much faster at it than I am, so he did it this time. Finally got rid of it and my husband built the 2x4 outdoor sofa set. I love them. If we need to, we can also take this outside for our annual family/friends reunion we have.
Susan Jeanblanc
My daughter was turning 4 and we were expecting our 2nd child in a few months and needed her crib/toddler bed back to start setting up the nursery. After googling fun big girl beds for a few weeks i came across the plans for the cottage bed and decided to sit down with my husband and decide if we could build her this bed. by building instead of buying the bed of her little girl dreams we were creating many fond memories with her and a real attatchment to it so she would actually sleep in it. We went through alot of the other brag posts first and picked out a few things we liked from each and made a few modifcations. I felt the spindles around the bed needed to be taller to keep her from falling out of the bed. We also made a door way under the slide that is now a little secret fort for her to go in and read her books and have quiet time. Under the steps my husband made a closet for her dress up clothes utilizing as much of the space under the bed as possible as it takes up most of her bed room We painted the back wall under the bed with chalk board paint to give her a art space under there as well. In the end it took us about a month to build the bed working on it on the weekends. We spent around 500 dollars including the purchase of a few tools we diddnt have and needed like the kreg jig and all the paint and princess decals. She loves the bed and my very amazing handy husband has been approached by many friends and family members to make one for their children as well.
Built this for my son's nursery. Cutting and assembly was a snap. Took under four hours. Painting however took forever. I'm a slow and careful painter. Each coat took two hours, then sanding in between. I'm happy with the result. I bought the kreg r3 pocket hole jig and I love it.
We are trying to tidy up our laundry/mud room and needed a place for the recyclables. I ran across Ana's plans for these pull out cabinets and raised panel doors, adjusted the measurements to fit our space, and had at it! It's kind of a tight fit in that room but these seem to help with the clutter. I also added that little table on top for folding laundry.
Both me and my partner work from home, where we share an office. It’s nice to be together all day, but not always. Sometimes we get on each other’s nerves, and sometimes we can’t stand the sight of each other. We’re a happy couple - it’s just that working from home together takes its toll from time to time.
First, I considered renting an office together with a friend. That idea did not last for long, unfortunately. The overall expense, as well as the ins and outs of council permits, forced me to scrap the idea.
In the end, I decided to go for a backyard office in the form of a log cabin. I put two and two together - these things are perfect garden offices and both me and my husband have some of that DIY enthusiasm in us. Why shouldn’t we give it a try?
Once we found the right backyard cabin company, everything went pretty smoothly. It took them six hours to build the whole thing. Granted, it’s a 4 x 3 sqm cabin, which I chose for three reasons.
Firstly, I thought it was big enough to give me the needed space. Secondly, a cabin of that size doesn’t dominate the garden. Finally, the guys from the company assured me that it doesn’t need council approval.
The cabin came fully installed. I got it with an insulated roof, fitted windows and doors, light sockets, and a deck. All that I needed was some furniture for a home office. Which is when I decided to check out the plan catalog on Ana White.
We decided to go for two projects - a simple office desk and a file cabinet. These were the only two things I really needed. As we’re both handy with tools, it took us two afternoons to complete the projects.
Once I got the furniture I needed, I started organizing everything. Here, I realized that setting up a functioning home office is a bit more complicated. Here’s a list of things I had to take into account:
A View
One of the first things I remembered was how important it is to have a view. Just like in the office in our home, I needed to have some natural daylight while I’m working. Moreover, I like opening the windows for fresh air in good weather. I put the newly-built desk close to the window.
Lighting
Having good natural light inside your home office is one thing. Having a good lighting solution is another. The lighting in our shared office was pretty good, so I wanted the same in my cabin.
Since it’s pretty small, we solved the issue with a ceiling LED lamp and a brass lamp for the desk.
Plants and Decorations
I love plants! I have a bunch of them in and around the house. Naturally, I decided to bring some into my new home office. I also brought in a couple of paintings, and I intend to start using essential oils, too. All of this makes for an atmosphere of a stimulating office, which I think is really important.
A Second Monitor
With new space that’s only my own, I decided to upgrade some of my techs. The first and most important thing was to purchase a second monitor. I always wanted some extra screen real estate, as I hate juggling windows.
I advise buying the same model as the one you already have. You’ll get the same screen fidelity and user experience.
A Sound System
Some people find music to be too distracting when they’re working. I’m not one of those people. My husband always nagged me about this. I finally managed to shut him up by finding out that work plus music equals productivity.
For that matter, I’ve decided to invest in a good sound system. I’ve set the speakers at the strategic spots around the desk. It’s a bit weird without my hubby around, so music also helps me feel less lonely while working.
The Right Chair
If you’re someone who works from home, do not underestimate the convenience of a good chair. It should be the core of your productive home office. Make sure to choose comfort over style.
I decided to avoid buying the chair online and went to a store. After testing nearly a dozen of them, I found one that provides the right arm, thigh, and back support.
Wire Management
Since my computer setup includes a lot of wires and cables, I was worried about them getting tangled up in such a small space. Clearing up this mess was pretty easy - I only needed a couple of zip ties and clamps.
This table was built using the Vanessa's X Picnic Table plans but made plenty of modifications to it. We used 3/4 thick boards and made the table 60 inches long instead of 71 3/4". We have a small dining room and wanted a table big enough for four people so this size worked for us. Since we made adjustments to the length we used less supports under the table top. We made the table top using pocket holes and only two joists were needed. We added extra support between the table top and the stretcher because the table wiggled more than I wanted it to. This nipped the problem in the butt! I knew I wanted to build this table but my concern was finding chairs to suit the table. I ended up getting unfinished chairs from Ikea for $19 a piece and finished them myself. I feel like this project took forever, but that table itself was assembled in a weekend. The finishing process took an additional weekend since we had to do the chairs as well.
I modified the plans just a tad bit, i.e., framed the top and used 1" x 4"s on the top and bottom horizontal planes... painted a vintage citrus label on the top and now I have a one-of-a-kind side table for my porch.
Very easy to read instructions... Excellent swing. You can build and stain in one evening. Love it.
Really loved these plans and they produced a beautiful product. The only minor change I'd make is to double the number of support slats. Our Casper mattress requires gaps less than 3" between each slat. Thank you for the plans!
This is the first thing I have ever made out of wood in my life! I'm a quilter, I have never even used a screwdriver, but I followed your plans exactly and made this for my grandchild! I am so proud of this sandbox. (I did talk the guy at Lowe's into making the woodcuts for me).
Thank you so much for this plan and thank you for making it so easy to follow. Sherry
My wonderful hubby built this bed in a short amount of time and I did the sanding and staining. We made it for my 6 year old daughter for her 6th birthday surprise. Her reaction… a high pitched scream of excitement.
Our house walls are still pretty bare, we wanted some artwork. We bought an old door at a flea marker last summer and decided to turn it into a large picture frame.
More details and photos on my blog:
http://www.woodworkingfourdummies.com/blog/door-picture-frame
Cheers,
Ian
We NEEDED a table really bad when we moved into our first home. This was really easy to build as it was only my second project doing woodworking. I must have put 5 layers of polyurethane on the finish, but it was sooooo worth it!
I have done quite a bit of woodworking never being great at any of them . But I truly love furniture building.
I have built several furniture pieces in my home several coming from you.
Saw this bench and loved it. Since its Memorial weekend I thought I would add some personal belongings to it.
I built four pieces of the sectional (1 corner, 3 reg) It took me a long weekend, I would come and go so actual hours are hard to estimate. For the stain I used steel wool and vinegar, followed up by strong black tea. Teak oil was used for the sealer. The second photo is a picture of one stained chair approx 30 mins after stain applied, the other one has no stain yet. The pillows I sewed myself, outdoor fabric is from Jo-anns (use the coupons!) and inserts are from ikea. The only large investment were the cushions! Pine Wood - FREE. My dad works for a lumber company. Outdoor fabric - Between $6 and $10 a yard Pillows - $3 for small, $6 for large Cushions - $29 each **my picture wont display correctly even though uploaded correctly!!!
My daughter turned 10 this week and we did a room makeover for her birthday. She is in LOVE with her new space. She has been sharing a bunk with her 6 yr old brother. We told her when her 2 yr old brother climbed out of the crib that she would get the baby's room and the boys would then bunk together. Well, he climbed out as they ALL do.
I used the Rustic X Coffee Table plan to make a living room set. I added a 3.5" deep lift top storage area out of plywood, and also used plywood on the bottom of the table as well instead of 1" by 12".
I made this for some friends who are fellow dog lovers. I used the Mimi’s hall tee and storage bench plans. They were very happy with it. This is the second time I’ve used these plans. It’s a very fun project to build.
M. Wold
Sat, 11/18/2023 - 12:48
Love this, such a great storage solution for a pet walking station!
I started with the simple white outdoor sofa, then the factory cart table, adirondack stool, and 2 simple outdoor lounge chairs. Wow! This was my first adventure making furniture. All in all it took me about a month to make everything in my spare time. I made a few mistakes along the way, all part of the learning curve. But definitely learned so much from this site. I am forever grateful to you, Ana.
Thu, 05/31/2012 - 05:53
You did an amazing job and I just love the happy colors you chose:-)
Thu, 05/31/2012 - 06:00
Thank you bhoppy! I wanted colors that contrasted with all the blue-grey on the deck. It was so much fun.
Mon, 06/04/2012 - 07:10
Yes, for the factory cart I painted angle brackets black. I also painted the caster wheels that I got from Tractor Supply.
Sat, 05/25/2013 - 10:22
What width foam did you use for your cushions? I've been wanting to make some outdoor furniture, but the price of foam is holding me back. I've found 3" for a reasonable price, I just don't know if that will be thick enough.
Sat, 05/25/2013 - 12:17
I used a 4" foam, but I think you could easily use 3". I know foam is not cheap. I shopped online for foam suppliers and found a pretty good deal... much cheaper than local fabric stores.
Sat, 07/13/2013 - 16:19
This is beautiful! I'm planning to make the chairs and I'm wondering if you changed the plans at all, especially any dimensions? Maybe it is just the angle, but the arms look a little lower, which I love. If you can let us know what you did, I would really appreciate it!
Thanks!
