Entryway (mudroom) Bench

This was my first time building anything from scratch! I used the plan "Mudroom Bench with Easy Drawers" for the bottom section. I did not make any modifications, but I did have some trouble with the drawers. First I made the drawers 1/8" wider than the available space (after adding the hardware); so to resolve that I had to notch out the frame and sink one of the drawer slides.

I never realized how finicky drawers can be, but I learned a lot from this project, and my family loves the finished product.

I chose not to use the plan for the hutch, because the cost was starting to creep up, I didn't want walls on the left and right. So I just added bead board directly the wall (glue and brads) and added some trim. For the upper unit (cubbie), I just made a basic structure out of 1x10's, and I used some bead board scrap as a backer (turned the pattern out). I then sunk a couple of anchoring screws into the back (which will be hidden behind baskets) and added a couple of decorative shelf brackets for added stability.