Mini Build: Mid Century Style End Table

Spurred on by my wood working prowess after the bookshelf, I wanted to make a small end table.  I found a really simple-looking DIY online and thought it would be nice to make something in just one weekend.

Ha

The usual hardware stores are bad places to buy lumber that's wider than 12".  The topper I bought for the bookshelf was really bad quality but since you can't really tell from the ground I went ahead and used it.

For this project I was going to need boards that were at least 24" wide and that meant edge gluing for the first time.  This was definitely a project that provided more learning experiences than I wanted.

WTF is this?

I was required to cut two perfect circles out of my edge glued boards.  I bought a straight bit for my router and slapped a jig together from my growing scrap pile.  Hans provided some extra stability while I ran the router.  This is definitely the tool that frightens me the most.

 Before and after

Once the circles were cut it was a matter of cutting the pieces that would go in between.  I ordered some oak table legs online and purchased some angled mounting plates for them. 

Less than $50 worth of materials! 

The legs look stain beautifully 

Oof.  This is when I learned that pine is terrible for stain. 

Not too bad in the end! 

Finished product.  I like the little storage areas in this table.

Here is a link to the DIY blog where I found this project

My First True Build: Bookshelf

We have a very awkard corner at the base of our stairs.  When we moved in I thought it practically begged for a small round table and pretty lamp but it wasn't long before I realized that a better use of the space would be to put a tall hutch in place.

Normally I'm the queen of Craigslist for these sorts of things but every time I found a piece that wasn't super hideous the dimensions were all wrong.  I needed something that was no wider than 30" and no deeper than about 12".

I started to look online but there was no middle ground for quality/price between a particle board hutch from Target that looked really cheap and a similar-looking (but better quality) hutch from Restoration Hardware for $2,000.  Seriously?!

Frustrated, I started watching YouTube videos on DIY furniture building and came to realize that with a circular saw and drill jig, you can build nearly anything.  I started drawing up plans based on what I saw on Target's website:

I really like Shaker style furniture because of its clean, simple, and classic lines.  It's functional and stylish without being fussy.  That pretty much sums up my approach to everything I purchase to furnish my home with.  Once I had most of my materials assembled (and more tools), I spent many an evening on my deck cutting and drilling the boards.  Some days were so hot/humid I had to bring the party indoors.

Then it was a matter of pulling everything together.  Hans helped a lot for this part.  All of that pine started to get really heavy. 

 Assembled

It fits!

To make things even harder on myself I decided to make inset doors.

Sanding 

 I'm really really proud of these doors.

I don't have a table or miter saw so it took some time to figure out that I needed a jig if I was going to accomplish uniform-size stiles and rails.  I had to perform some router wizardry in order to inlay plywood in the center.  Also, you have to be really careful with dimensions when you are building inset doors.  Too large, and they'll stick to or scrape the frame.  Too small and you'll have a ridiculous gap.  I did a lot of research for this and found that most carpenters prefer a 3/32" gap to allow for seasonal wood expansion.  Like I said, it took a lot of fiddling and hair-tearing.

I found some cheap tongue-and-groove boards that I think are used for wainscoting.  I wish the quality of the wood hadn't been so poor but since it was just used for the back of the piece for looks and not structure it worked out. 

Go to antique consignment stores and you'll find an abundance of pastel chippy painted furniture everywhere.  I've been interested in buying a table here and there but the prices that people charge for refinished furniture is more than I'm willing to pay.  Since I was going for an old-is-new look with this build I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to play with milk paint and a wax finish.  Keeping to my neutral palette, I purchased a light linen color for all of the surfaces except the backing, which I kept bare.  Then I went back with some sandpaper and roughed up some of the edges to give it a lived-in feel.  I thought the painting/finishing part was going to be super fun but to be honest applying the wax finish sucked.  The effect is exactly what I wanted, however, and I couldn't be happier.

There was a little bit of drama with finding appropriate hinges for the doors.  I do not recommend purchasing hardware on Amazon.  If you have to buy online like I did, opt for an actual woodcraft vendor because if you have any questions you can call them up and make sure you're purchasing exactly what you need.

I found some cool leather pulls on Etsy, which are perfect for a tight corner where the one of the doors will hit the wall often.

I would estimate it was at least 40 build hours and another five for finishing and hanging the doors.  And the great thing is it's SOLID wood and didn't cost a fortune's worth of materials.  I definitely have a new appreciation for why hand-made furniture can be so expensive.

The completed project

New House: Kitchen Island, Custom Pillows

Despite having a decent amount of floor space in our kitchen, we are seriously lacking storage.  We were living with a barely-unpacked kitchen for the first month after moving in because we didn't have any practical storage for small appliances like our blender, rice cooker, and other small gadgets.

If you didn't know already, I'm a HUGE fan of This Old House and every week the produce basic DIY home improvement videos on their second series Ask This Old House.  I recalled seeing an episode where they featured a simple butcher block kitchen island made from stock kitchen cabinets and casters.  I showed Hans the video online and he agreed that we could probably build it with minimal skill (emphasis on "minimal" LOL).

We were able to find everything in NEARLY one stop at Lowes, minus a quick trip to Ace Hardware for proper-sized bolts.  We acquired a circular saw.  Vroooom!

It definitely took a good four hours to build but we are so incredibly happy with the result.  I love that we can move it around and even put it out of the way in the living room when we have lots of people over.  If you are interested in making one yourself, here's a link to the project:

YouTube: Movable Kitchen Island

 Gathering materials, unboxing at home.

Ta-da!

When I visited New Orleans this spring I discovered a gorgeous fabric store and placed and order that I had shipped back to Maryland.  With some simple cotton lining and hidden zippers I created some throw pillow covers that I absolutely love.

Getting rolls of fabric in the mail is so exciting! 

Done, and they compliment our armchair so beautifully

New House: Painting

We bought a house this spring!  The previous owners did a basic top-to-bottom interior renovation which meant that the wood flooring, carpet, kitchen cabinets, and appliances are new.  Even though there is a fresh paint job, however, the color grossly clashes with the dark flooring.  Therefore, I asked Hans if we could paint the main level of the house.  Because of the floor plan this meant we'd be also painting the kitchen, main staircase, and upstairs hallway.  It took two solid weekends (which we needed before our lease was up at our old place) but I am thrilled with the results.

Choosing a color was really tough.  I like the grey/neutral trend that is so popular these days but I wanted to stay away from cool tones.  Benjamin Moore's "Revere Pewter" is one of their most popular colors but I was looking for something in the Behr one-coat line.  I think I found something fairly close but with a bit more warmth to it in "Sculptor Clay".  It's amazing how different the walls look under different conditions throughout the day.

Kitchen before

  

Kitchen after