Community Brag Posts

sofa for my "portico"

Submitted by pattyitaly on Thu, 08/29/2013 - 14:18

I exactly used Ana's project but I decided to paint light grey and I used for cushions denim jeans. It is really resistent and cool. grazie Ana

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

JoanneS

Fri, 08/30/2013 - 09:23

Your sofa looks super! Love the gray color. What a cool idea to use denim jeans for your cushions!

King Size Farmhouse Storage Bed

Submitted by athingvall on Fri, 10/16/2015 - 13:14

This was my first project using your plans.  I changed the plans to make the bed King Size.  I also hinged the footboard to allow storage in the middle of the bed.  I am planning a drawer in the middle as well buy haven't installed that yet.

Estimated Cost
400-500$
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Clear Shellac
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

budfan88

Thu, 02/25/2016 - 08:38

Just wondering if would be interested in giving me you plans for the King Size Farmhouse Storage Bed?

 

Regards,

Play Kitchen

Submitted by AnneReid on Fri, 11/09/2018 - 10:11

This was a fun build.  I used a dog food bowl from Walmart for the sink, the oven handle is a Restoration Hardware pull from Habitat Restore, stove knobs (spray painted red) and faucet are from Home Depot (I couldn't find either at Habitat, but it's worth trying). The utensil bar is from Amazon. I cut out an oven window and glued a small sheet of plexiglass acrylic from HD to the door.  I put a stick-on, battery operated light inside the oven that turns on and off by pushing it. I wanted the oven to open like a real oven, but I should have saved myself the trouble and just put the hinges on the side. The door bangs to the floor unless you can figure out how to install slide hinges to prevent it. (I couldn't make it work, but I'm sure more experienced DIYers would have no trouble.)  I printed out the stovetop coils free from "printablecuttablecreatables.com" and glued them on a thin sheet of black foam.

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

Comments

Ana White

Fri, 11/09/2018 - 12:17

This is too adorable!  All your little details really made it amazing!

A small chair or rope can be used to keep the oven door from opening all the way if you want to try that.

Blanket Ladder

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 08/05/2022 - 05:12

My husband was an amazing woodworker and when he passed away he left me a wood shop full of tools. No skills but with amazing directions, I was able to make a blanket ladder to hold the quilts that I so dearly loved. I think my husband would be very pleased!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Photo Ledges

This was an extremely quick and easy project to complete. I really love how the ledges tie my dining room together and display all the great pictures of our family. Now I just need to get some more pictures and frames...

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
1 coat of white primer and 2 coats of Behr Glossy White Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

ROLLING RUSTIC WOOD DRESSER

Submitted by jimmysingh on Sun, 09/01/2013 - 13:08

First big project, big for me anyway. Dresser came out better than I had imagined. I followed the plan exactly step by step except for the wheels part. Thank you Ana for the plans.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rust-Oleum Traditional Cherry Wood Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse table

My daughter in law and I built this table,  together in Austin,  during my visit there!   We had such an awesome time,  together.   This was made from Ana's book, A Handmade Home. 

Estimated Cost
98.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Clear minwax
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Bunk Beds with Dual Desk

Submitted by bullfiter on Mon, 11/26/2018 - 06:14

My granddaughters needed new bunk beds and an area to do homework. So I combined the 2 projects into one.

Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modern Park Bench Plan

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 08/14/2022 - 11:53

I love the plans for this bench! Very well thought out plans, easy to cut the wood and easy to put together. Thank you for all the hard work in coming up with all of these great plans!
Reanna Tovar

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

A Long tapered crate

Submitted by dmcarwin on Tue, 09/03/2013 - 07:52

I love Ana's tapered crate! I decided to add some length to the sides and make it really long! It is super cute and makes a big statement, for only a small amount of work! Sa-weet!

Estimated Cost
Free, or under $5 if you by the wood new
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Potting Bench

Submitted by DavidTR on Mon, 10/26/2015 - 11:58

I modified the collapsibile planting table by Lady Goats.  My wife asked for it to have a removable shelf to keep with the take down Idea and also to come up with a way to have a spicket added.  this was a really fun project to make, I even added carvings and painted to allow it to stand out and to give it some color.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
MinWax English Chestnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Kid-friendly Green Library Console

Submitted by romanweel on Tue, 12/18/2018 - 11:20

I did very little modification to the original plan on this one besides reducing the overall length to 28".  I had an old plate/cup display hutch that wasn't very practical or pretty, so I took it apart and used the pieces to make the shelves (and the curvy bit under the first shelf).  <!--break-->They weren't quite the right size, so I added other wood scraps (including a bit of plywood) to get the dimensions needed.  The 1x2s are crappy used furring strips I ripped out of the attic when we redid the roof, so they were all water stained and covered in nail holes.  The top was a vintage table leaf I acquired at some point and appears to be 3" pieces of poplar glued together (it took the stain beautifully).  Oh! I did do one other thing that wasn't in the plans...I connected the shelves to the base using 5/8" dowels through the horizontal pieces on the sides.  It took a little extra time, but I do feel more secure with the weight of the books+shelves (+possibly a climbing child) resting on those dowels instead of just screws.

The main thing is that this case holds my toddler's whole library.  She can even put the books away by herself without them falling off when she doesn't place them just right.  I love that it looks like it belongs in a grown-up's living room, but it's 100% classy kid-friendly furniture design!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Maybe $6 for screws, glue, and finish - built from scraps and a crummy wood hutch I was otherwise going to toss
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
100 grit sanding, then Zinsser Shellac-based primer and Behr Marquee oops paint for the base. The top is Minwax Dark Walnut stain followed by General Finishes water-based poly in satin (applied with a foam brush which turns out almost looking like I sprayed it: perfect with no brush strokes. I prefer the Wooster foam brushes from Lowes).
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Simple Bed Modified

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 08/27/2022 - 14:34

My daughter needed to get out of her Toddler Bed so I built this quickly. Used 2 2x6 for each rail, and cut down the height of the headboard and footboard. Also as always I use Rocklers 5" Surface Mounted Brackets for all beds. I have the rails also sitting on 3 inch blocks to support the extra jumping this bed will endure by a 4 yr old.

Comments

5 Cube Tower Bookshelf

Submitted by rhilborn on Thu, 08/11/2011 - 12:25

This narrow cube bookshelf is a very handy addition to my kitchen! I use this shelf to store cookbooks, our iPod speakers, and some other utilitarian odds and ends. I'm particularly a fan of how to facing on the front and back acts as a stopper to keep your items in the bookshelf. It did not specify in the plans but we chose to align the back facing piece flush with the bottom of the shelf and the front facing piece flush with the top of the shelf. You can see what I'm describing in the pictures.

This piece was fast and easy. I think there is a time when finish work is faster to be done once a piece is finished but this not one of those projects. This shelf would benefit from finish before assembly.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
existing can of Behr Premium paint plus primer; Minwax Wipe on Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Two-toned farmhouse bed

Submitted by JW on Thu, 09/05/2013 - 05:41

He likes natural wood, I like painted furniture. Solution: two-toned bed! Vertical slats are stained in Minwax Red Oak (took 3 times to get that dark color!), surround is painted black. I thought we'd never find a workable compromise!

I changed up the dimensions a bit to fit my preferences:
1. I like a taller headboard and footboard (dog can't rub against the end of the bed anymore - wahoo!).
2. Also wanted the bed to be just a bit higher above the ground so I wouldn't have to buy new under-bed storage boxes.
3. Used 1x6s instead of 1x8s for the vertical slats because they fit the width just perfectly - no trimming needed.
4. Added about 2" to the length so I'd have plenty of room for tucking the duvet at the end of the bed. I hate when the covers get stuck and I can't pull them up easily!
5. I routed out a groove in the posts to slide the side rails in because it seemed more secure than screws alone. Could've done it without, though.
6. We used dowels and wood glue on the 2x6 tops of the headboard and footboard pieces. I think it made a big difference in the overall appearance. We don't have a doweler, but the hubby made a guide with a spare 2x4 to keep our dowels lined up correctly. It worked pretty well.

Next time I would use pocket screws. I've acquired a jig since this piece was completed. It would definitely have saved me some time in the finishing process.

I really wish I could have talked the hubby into letting me distress the finish just a bit. The thing is, it's inevitable around here (my kids are like crazy apes sometimes!). So I really wanted it to at least look intentional. Oh well, I guess we'll get there soon enough even without it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300 (be bought the select pine for the vertical slats; wouldn't been a lot cheaper if we'd used all regular lumber)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Wood Finish stain in Red Oak - It took 3 coats to get the right color.

Valspar flat paint in the only good shade of black that I could find. This stuff was terrible - I would NOT use this again! Unfortunately, there were only about 4 shades of black paint available in all of Lowe's, and the others were all too purple in tone.

2 coats of Minwax fast-drying polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

GScotti

Thu, 09/05/2013 - 09:07

I like the foot board height. I noticed it in the Arched Headboard version of the Farmhouse bed a while back but could not find dimensions. I also like the idea of having more space under the sides to fit my storage bins. Could you tell me what the cut length was for the 2x6s on the foot board? I like the finish too! Bed looks great.

JW

Thu, 09/05/2013 - 10:27

GScott -

Thanks!

I changed several things on the footboard, as follows:
Slats = 22"
Post = 26.5"
Total height of footboard = 29.5"

I made the slats on the headboard a bit longer too, but didn't change the actual height of the headboard. I just wanted the wood to extend down behind my mattress a bit so I wouldn't have a little corner of wall showing behind it.

As for more space under the sides - I just screwed the siderails in just a bit higher than the plan called for.

Heart Pine tabletop

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/27/2018 - 06:57

Found five 2x12 heart pine planks and used this base as the template. Table is about 18" wider than the plans. It turned out great!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Classic american
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Ana’s Rustic Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 09/03/2022 - 17:42

I used Ana’s plan to build this great bench for the Master Bathroom. It works out great!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Bathroom storage tower

I just recently decided to try my hand at woodworking. This was my second project, first one from Ana, super easy instructions. I hadn't gotten the straightest 2x2s, since I had done my shopping with a two year old in tow, but I got it to work. After I completed it, my husband tells me it actually looked good--he seemed surprised. Anyway, I built this tower so that our new parakeet will have somewhere to live and I can conceal his food and other supplies in the baskets underneath. Without making any adjustments to Ana's plan with the exception that out 1x12s are only 11 1/4 it is the perfect size for our little bird cage. Thanks Ana for the design and inspiration to do it myself!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Cabot Golden oak stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY stackable chairs (added arms) and table

I added arms to the stackable chairs. This table and 8 chairs set came out great and I was able to build everything (including the chair cushions found on clearance) for under $350.00 thanks to this website!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner