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Plans
So in all of my genius glory it appears that I posted the armless unit for this fab reef sectional sofa, and then forgot to draft plans for the corner unit. Yahoo. Well today we rectify that crazy and we give you… wait for it… the corner unit! I bet you weren’t going to guess that, eh? What say you? Do you prefer your sectional sofas with all working parts and plans? Thought you might…
To view the other plan for this pair and to build an actual sectional sofa, you will want to visit the plan for the Reef Armless Unit and the cushion options here that will work best are the Outdoor Deep Seating Cushions which retails for $29 and two or three 18″ toss pillows for the back. Alternatively you might also use a cushion like this for the seat which retails for $19 and would help cut cost in a large quantity but it is decidedly less boxy than the other for sure, so this is a style and budgetary choice that can be made and it is yours to make my friends!
As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram or @thedesconf on twitter so I am sure to see it!
- 2 – 1×4 at 8’
- 4 – 2×4 at 8’
- 5 – 2×4 at 27-1/4” – Back Legs and Corner Back Leg
- 2 – 2×4 at 28-1/4” – Sides
- 1 – 2×4 at 12-1/2” – Front Leg
- 2 – 2×4 at 33-1/4” – Tops
- 1 – 2×4 at 26-1/4” – Front Apron
- 1 – 2×4 at 20-1/2” – Seat Support
- 1 – 2×4 at 6-1/4” – Seat Support Extension
- 1 – 2×4 at 20-1/2” (ripped down to 2-3/4” wide) – Center Seat Support
- 3 – 1×4 at 20-1/2” – Seat Slats
- 6 – 1×4 at 16-3/4” – Back Slats
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Cut the pieces for two of the Back Legs, the Front Leg, and Sides. Set the Kreg jig for 1-1/2” material and drill pocket holes in each end of the Sides and in the tops of the Back Legs. For one side of the chair, assemble the Back Leg, Front Leg, and Side as shown with glue and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws. For the other side of the chair, assemble the Back Leg and Side as shown with glue and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws.
Cut the pieces for the two Tops, the Corner Back Leg, the remaining two Back Legs, and the Front Apron. With the Kreg jig set for 1-1/2” material, drill pocket holes in both ends of the Front Apron and in the top end of the Corner Back Leg. Assemble as shown with glue and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws.
With the Kreg jig still set for 1-1/2” material, drill pocket holes in the top ends of the two remaining Back Legs. Assemble the other Top to the two remaining Back Legs as shown with glue and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws.
Assemble the pieces as shown with glue and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws. Attach the second Top to the Corner Back Leg with 2-1/2” wood screws, if needed (depending on where you drilled the pocket holes on the Corner Back Leg, you may need additional reinforcement).
Cut the pieces for the Center Seat Support, the Seat Support, and the Seat Support Extension. The Center Support will be a 2×4 ripped down to 2-3/4” wide and will be located 3/4” down from the top of the Sides to allow for the Seat Slats. With the Kreg jig set for 1-1/2” material, drill pocket holes in both ends of the Center Seat Support, Seat Support, and Seat Support Extension. Assemble as shown with glue and 2 1/2” pocket hole screws.
Cut the pieces for the Seat Slats. Set the Kreg jig for 3/4” material and drill pocket holes in each end of the Seat Slats. Attach the Seat Slats to the Seat Support and Front Apron with glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. Secure the Seat Slats to the Center Seat Support with glue and 1-1/4” brad nails.
Cut the pieces for the Back Slats. The angles may be a little tricky but they should be cut at approximately 25 degrees. (see drawing). Once the angles are cut, set the Kreg jig for 3/4” material and drill pocket holes in both ends of each Back Slat. Attach to the Seat Support and Top with glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws.
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
// Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you ONLY use 1 image and provide an ADEQUATE link back to the original source and appropriate plan! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential. By accessing or using any part of the web site, you agree to become bound by the terms and conditions of this website as outlined under Terms of Use. If you do not agree to all the terms and conditions of this agreement, then you may not access the Website or use any services. The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by The Design Confidential.com and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, personal injury or death, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of information or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website. I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it. The Design Confidential.com is inspired by but does not replicate exact designs, any similarities between these plans and items sold at specialty retailers is coincidential and not endorsed by or related to any said retailers. // Post May Contain Affiliate Links
Showcase
This gorgeous beauty comes to us from @brashmode via Instagram and our newly created hashtag #builtTDCtuff. It's a great way for you to share all of your gorgeous builds on social channels you already use and of course to be showcased and shared with the world… or at least those people who follow along with us socially, you know… This build is quite the stunner and what a fabulous luxury item to add to your home. Who needs to leave anyhow? Not me…
Here is what she says:
The McParents Helped Us Build This Rolling Occasional Table & Now I Cant Imagine Life Without It. Was So Easy! Here's A Link To The Plans From @thedesignconfidential If You Wanna Give It A Shot
Yahoo, I hope you do give it a shot!
To Read More About This Build, Visit This Blog Post
Design / Studio
This fun design project is well underway and we are knee deep in DIY's and furniture boxes. I am happy to report that the walls are now as white as can be and absolutely gorgeous against the black trim and exposed brick. It only took several coats of primer and paint to rid the space of it's colorful past, but with help from her boys, Amber is now the proud resident of a bonafide and beautiful photography studio. We still have a bit to do before we can officially put a fork in it and call it done, but with white walls and the conveniently chic brick wall that was already there, she can essentially begin work in here immediately. It is always a good thing when there is little to no downtime during renovation or decoration, it rarely happens, but when it does it's sublime.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS // Letting the Space Speak
Once I have a chance to see and feel and really absorb all that a space is, I can fairly quickly see what I would love to see the space become… in an ideal world where everything goes my way and becomes my vision – me, me, me. Right? But that is not a realistic outcome much of the time, especially when you are working with a client and not on a space for yourself. Duh. Sometimes you actually have to stop and consider their needs and wants (shocking I know!) and consequently this can, on occasion, impede the view or the vision, if you will.
That is not the case with this project, which is so very exciting and makes all of my crazy hair brained 'artsy' ideas that much more fun to attempt and hopefully make a reality. I can't tell you how fabulous it is to work on a project of this nature! The other great thing is that the particular use for this space is something I just happen to know a thing or two about. As someone who shoots in a studio space of my own and has to shoot projects of all varieties all the time, I guess I have picked up a thing or two about what a photographer might need for a space that really works for them. As a crazy dreamer type, I also happen to have just a bit of an understanding of all of those things a photographer might donate a kidney to have at their disposal, you know, if this were a perfect dreamy world where they had a perfect dreamy studio… needless to say I have big plans for this space, that is already ready to go, but is definitely ready for all of the fun and fantastic to be added to the mix.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS // A Color Board
To make sure Amber and I were speaking the same crazy gal language that I speak when I begin to form my vision for a space (I know you creatives out there know what I mean by this), I created a color board that defined some of the ideas and textures I was feeling like this space was telling me it needed and wanted. It was all the studio's idea really, and I was just the messenger of this gorgeousness. With the exposed brick and the white walls with black trim I was feeling deep blues and minty sea greens and grays with a touch of the lighter colors from the brick. Raw wood tones and natural materials in here are a perfect fit for the existing make up of the space as it is, so giving that a bit of color and contrast seemed like a great direction to take this. It doesn't hurt that blues and greens are universally liked colors for the most part and create a sense of calm which I can imagine would be helpful if you are trying to photograph kids and gals in their unmentionables… (that I just mentioned so not unmentionable after all?) I couldn't be happier that Amber was feeling my vibe here and thought this would be a fab style for her space.
This also helps me maintain my vision and stay on track as I begin to source items for the space. You know, because I need a short leash basically.
Once I get the green light on this portion of the project, I move right along to the hours upon end of scouring the interwebs. Naturally my goal beyond the color board is to put together something more tangible with real life pieces and projects that will ultimately be more than just inspiration and ideation, and will make this space come to life. You can see a bit of that in the first image in this article and I can't wait to show you the rest! Yahoo.
Plans
Happy Earth Day friends! I’m pretty excited because today’s plan is basically to. die. for. So good. And there isn’t much that celebrates our gorgeous green(-ish) earth more than building your own furniture in an environmentally responsible way. No hidden chemicals or blood diamonds are used during the making of your own furniture and of course there is absolutely no animal testing whatsoever. If you can use reclaimed wood or lumber and give your materials a second chance at life while sparing the young growth, well then you have indeed done a good thing. Yahoo.
As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase on the site or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram / FB and @thedesconf on Twitter / Pinterest. If you are a blogger and you post about your build, don’t forget to include a link to your post on your showcase here. Don’t forget… for all of our newer plans, clicking on the images will let them expand to enormous sizes with much greater clarity. The older plans may need updating so please let us know if you need one fixed!
- 2 – 1×2 at 8’
- 10 – 1×3 at 8’
- 7 – 2×4 at 8’
- 4 – 2×4 at 11-3/4” – Legs
- 2 – 2×4 at 15” – Headboard Sides
- 2 – 2×4 at 85” – Sides
- 2 – 1×2 at 78” – Cleats
- 1 – 2×4 at 82” – Center Support
- 2 – 2×4 at 9-1/4” – Center Support Legs
- 2 – 2×4 at 78” – Headboard and Footboard Frames
- 2 – 2×4 at 78” – Headboard Supports
- 10 – 1×3 at 78” – Slats
Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a paste wax, spray on Poly, or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Cut the pieces for the Legs. You can draw out the shape of the Leg through using the measurements or the degree of cut. If using the degree of cut, remember to start at the corners that meet up with the corner of the lumber that will not be cut off (for this example, the top left corner and the bottom right corner). With the Kreg jig set for 1-1/2” material, drill pocket holes in the top ends of each Leg.
Cut the piece for the Headboard Sides. You can draw out the shape of the Headboard Side through using the measurements or the degree of cut. If using the degree of cut, remember to start at the corners that meet up with the corner of the lumber that will not be cut off (for this example, the top right corner and the bottom left corner). With the Kreg jig set for 1-1/2” material, drill pocket holes in the bottom ends of each Headboard Side.
Cut the pieces for the Sides and Cleats. Attach the Cleat to the Side using glue and 1-1/4” countersunk screws leaving 3-1/2” at each end for the bed hardware and Headboard Frame and Footboard Frame. Attach the bed hardware according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Next, Assemble the Headboard Sides and Legs to the Side as shown with glue and 2-1/2” pocket screws. Repeat this step again, mirrored – one assembly for each side of the bed.
Cut the piece for the Center Support and the Center Support Legs. With the Kreg jig set for 1-1/2” material, drill pocket holes in each end of the Center Support and in the top ends of each Center Support Leg. Assemble as shown with glue and 2-1/2” pocket screws.
Cut the pieces for the Headboard and Footboard Frames. With the Kreg jig set for 1-1/2” material, drill pocket holes in each end of the Headboard and Footboard Frames. Assemble as shown with glue and 2-1/2” pocket screws.
Assemble the Center Support with Center Support Legs as shown with glue and 2-1/2” pocket screws.
Step 7
Cut the pieces for the Headboard Supports. With the Kreg jig set for 1-1/2” material, drill pocket holes in each end of the Supports. Assemble as shown with glue and 2-1/2” pocket screws. Included are close-ups of the front and back of the Headboard Supports attached to the Headboard Sides.
Cut the pieces for the Slats. The Slats will be spaced approximately 6” apart (this graphic shows 1-1/2” spacing near the Headboard Frame and Footboard Frame and 6” spacing elsewhere). Attach to the supports using 1-1/4” countersunk screws.
And now for the bonus round! This bed will function great as-is, but if you want to kick it up a notch, add paracord, wire, or bungee to the Headboard (think of all the color possibilities)! This graphic shows several eye hook screws spaced 4” apart on the top and bottom (staggered) on the Headboard Supports. Simply install the eye hook screws and weave your cord through the eye hook screws in a zigzag manner as shown and secure with a solid knot.
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
// Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you ONLY use 1 image and provide an ADEQUATE link back to the original source and appropriate plan! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential. By accessing or using any part of the web site, you agree to become bound by the terms and conditions of this website as outlined under Terms of Use. If you do not agree to all the terms and conditions of this agreement, then you may not access the Website or use any services. The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by The Design Confidential.com and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, personal injury or death, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of information or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website. I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it. The Design Confidential.com is inspired by but does not replicate exact designs, any similarities between these plans and items sold at specialty retailers is coincidential and not endorsed by or related to any said retailers. // Post May Contain Affiliate Links
DIY
As a DIY blogger, you can probably imagine that people expect handmade awesomeness from me all. the. time. And why shouldn't they? After all, re-imagining everyday items and creating something from nothing is supposed to be where I excel. Sometimes that's true – other times… not so much. Since this nagging infection and an impressive allergy season have essentially nipped any big plans of mine directly in the bud, I am not likely to be tackling any huge projects for the next month or so… Naturally, I am using this as a great excuse to do some of the smaller projects I have been wanting to try but don't always get to, in the wake of those larger all-consuming kind of projects. I have heard through the grapevine that Mother's Day is right around the corner (I rarely know what day of the week it is, much less when a holiday is approaching) and with my favorite entertaining season now well underway, I thought it would be fun to focus on some fabulous handmade and semi-handmade gifts and decor that are equal parts easy and easy on the wallet.
I'm a sucker for gifts with purpose. Since I am constantly styling and decorating with plants I am always on the hunt for interesting new plant types and new and clever ways to house said plants and this easy project is solves for both. Your total cost for this will be around $1 more than the cost of your plant and that is hard to beat where budget plays a critical role.
Materials //
- / Plant – shown here is a Ficus Mistletoe or Mistletoe Fig
- / Water Resistant Bag – mine is from IKEA
- / Hole Punch or Scissors
Use your hole punch or scissors to create small drainage holes in the bottom of your bag. If you are using scissors, just pinch together small sections of the bottom and create a tiny slice or X shape to act as a hole. You will want somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 or 6 holes and they should be somewhat evenly space around the bottom of your bag. Note // These should not be huge holes, otherwise quite a bit of your dirt will come through and believe me this is a huge mess to deal with each and every time you water that sucker.
My bag folds down to create a sturdy lip around the top edge and this gives the planter added support, though it already stands tall and steady, at least as far as a bag is concerned. This folded down edge would be a great spot to create a hanging apparatus should you want to. Just use that hole punch or your scissors and some paracord and you are good to go! I would punch through both the folded over portion and the bag itself so your hole is doubly solid and won't risk tearing.
Once you have drainage, plant that baby and water it in to make sure it is draining as expected. These bags come in many sizes so just be sure to choose a size that is slightly larger than the pot your plant comes in. This will give it a bit of room to grow and spread. This cute planter just may be making an appearance in a design project I am working on… and I have a few of these around the house now. I love that it offers something different from a standard ceramic pot and costs less than a dollar which is obviously far cheaper than even a fabulous vintage pot or planter would be.
Showcase
I saw the plans on here and thought it was awesome but I don’t like paying for wood where possible so I decided to make it out of old pallets and a few scrap pieces of wood from various other projects.
Because of the materials used the arm rests seemed a little flimsy so I added a couple of wedges to the front and rear legs just to give a little extra support.
I also added a brace on the front and rear legs just to strenghen up them up.
I used 2 pallets, this gave me most of the timber I needed. It seems pallets are almost all 4×1.
Fot the back rest of the chair i used some left over shiplap from a repair I made to a shed door.
For the top of the Ottoman I used some 6×1 which was originally a gravel board for a fence that got blown down and was too broken to reuse.
Because of the nature of the wood, I didn’t spend too much time sanding and I didn’t fill any of the holes at all as I felt it compliments the timber.
I did think it needed some paint so decided to go with a mixed colour scheme.
Design / Shopping
Happy Friday friends! Here are a few things that caught my eye this week while I was busy giving my fingers a workout with some online shopping for some very special projects underway! I hope you are expecting fabulous weather, a bit of time enjoying the great outdoors, and perhaps a bit of vitamin D… it's good for the soul every now and then, eh?
1 // 2
Plans
The iconic bench, if ever there was one. Actually I can think of a few iconic benches, but this is certainly one of them! And believe me when I say this will be an easy build. No tricky cuts or fancy things, just cut and drill, then put together like a stacking tree for kiddos.
As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase on the site or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram / FB and @thedesconf on Twitter / Pinterest. If you are a blogger and you post about your build, don’t forget to include a link to your post on your showcase here. Don’t forget… for all of our newer plans, clicking on the images will let them expand to enormous sizes with much greater clarity. The older plans may need updating so please let us know if you need one fixed!
- 2 – 2×2 at 55” – Front and Back
- 5 – 2×2 at 38” – Centers
- 8 – 2×2 at 10” – Ends
- 18 – 2×2 at 19” – Stands
Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Cut all the pieces for the Bench. At the end of each piece, drill a 1/2” hole that is centered 3/4” from each end. “Round out” each end by cutting the corners at a 3/4” radius. Drill additional 1/2” holes on noted pieces, centered.
Lay down the Back piece. Insert the longer Threaded Rod into each hole and thread a Nut onto the back side of each Rod. Install the pieces as shown. The 1/2” drilled hole at the bottom of each Stand will take the shorter Threaded Rod.
Continue to install pieces as shown.
Finally, thread a Nut on the front of each Threaded Rod to secure everything into place.
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
// Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you ONLY use 1 image and provide an ADEQUATE link back to the original source and appropriate plan! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential. By accessing or using any part of the web site, you agree to become bound by the terms and conditions of this website as outlined under Terms of Use. If you do not agree to all the terms and conditions of this agreement, then you may not access the Website or use any services. The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by The Design Confidential.com and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, personal injury or death, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of information or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website. I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it. The Design Confidential.com is inspired by but does not replicate exact designs, any similarities between these plans and items sold at specialty retailers is coincidental and not endorsed by or related to any said retailers. // Affiliate links are used for tools and materials. The Design Confidential will earn a small commission for any items purchased using these links. Thank you for your support – every little bit counts!
DIY / Home / Shopping / Studio
If you don’t happen to be a blogger or photographer or anything in a similar line of work, it might truly be a bit hard to fully explain the sheer number of images those of us in these professions take in a given week or month. Don’t even get me started on how this number multiplies over the course of a year, let alone several. It’s staggering. But if you happen to be a parent, then you get a very sincere taste of this because you very likely take meellions of pictures of your babes, and I guarantee those pictures, over time, have gotten smeared all over the place between social media postings, computers that croak, and however many phones you have worked your way through during the last 5 or 10 years.
Some of your photos are on Facebook, hundreds of your favorites are on Instagram, and maybe you even store or back up your images to an online site like flikr, icloud, photobucket, etc. One thing I can say for certain is that no one I have ever known does not have digital photos in more than one place. And not generally in the I’m so smart I have backups of my backups kind of way, but the normal my last 3 phones croaked and then I found Instagram, meanwhile my family is on FB so I can’t deprive those people of my children over there… and voila… pictures scattered across miles upon end of digital wilderness.
When the cool folks over at Intel sent me a Dell Venue to check out, I think one of the things I was most excited about was discovering that this cute and ultra thin (the world’s thinnest) Intel Tablet has a nifty little gallery app that links all of your various accounts from all around the digital world and instantly makes them accessible in one single spot. Genius – problem solved. I definitely feel a lot less guilty about having my older boy’s baby pictures so digitally spread out. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see all of the images I lost long ago due to tech croakage (totally a word) but that I posted to social media or were sent to me via dropbox, are now just as easy to find and access as my latest design project images. Those past years of digitally irresponsible image storing weigh on me and I feel that mom guilt over not having backups of my backups and often for having lost them altogether. Do you experience this?
This nifty feature helps put my anxious mind at ease and makes it so much easier to access my images for sharing on this blog and for sharing with friends and family. Now if it can physically force me to make yearbooks for the past several years, we will seriously be in business. The gallery app places your images in timeline order and you can view by the date the image was taken, but I am a little bit more excited for the mapped version of my timeline, than a normal person probably should be. It essentially groups your images by location and shows you a visual of where your memories took place. I don’t currently have all of my pictures geo-tagged, but suddenly I want them to be so I can see how they spread across the country for the last several years of my life. I definitely want to at least be sure to add the locations for some of the more special albums I have on FB because… I don’t know why… but I do! This app will also pull in images that your friends have posted that you are tagged in. That is just the most fabulous thing ever.
How far do your pictures stray? How many images have you lost from digital deaths? Don’t you think this type of gallery gathering app is so helpful? No more jumping from social media site to social media site to round up your faves, just sort your timeline however you wish and enjoy… love that. The Intel RealSense technology can do some amazing things and I can’t wait to share them with you! I gave this baby a tech test drive for one of my recent projects and some of the tasks this tablet helped me accomplish, with the mere flick of a finger, are mind blowing and really simplify things for me. I know you will think so too, especially if you build like we occasionally do around these parts! Stay tuned for more details…
#spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and Intel. This could include the Intel Corporation providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.
Plans
Nothing says spring like a rocking chair on the porch. I kind of have a thing with chairs that rock… or bounce. I guess I never grew out of that stage from my years as a baby? Who knows, but there is definitely something so soothing about sitting in a rocking chair, listening to the evening sounds. It is even better in the morning, but somehow school routines and young children seem to keep this from happening during the week. A gal can dream though…
As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase on the site or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram / FB and @thedesconf on Twitter / Pinterest. If you are a blogger and you post about your build, don’t forget to include a link to your post on your showcase here. Don’t forget… for all of our newer plans, clicking on the images will let them expand to enormous sizes with much greater clarity. The older plans may need updating so please let us know if you need one fixed!
- 2 – 1×2 at 8’
- 3 – 1×3 at 8’
- 2 – 1×4 at 8’
- 1 – 1×6 at 8’ (or use 3/4” plywood, ripped down to 5-1/2” wide)
- 1 – 1×2 at 16” – Backrest Top Frame
- 2 – 1×2 at 18-1/2” – Backrest Side Frames
- 2 – 1×3 at 2-1/2” – Armrest Supports
- 2 – 1×3 at 21” – Backrest Sides
- 5 – 1×4 at 19” – Backrest Slats
- 2 – 1×3 at 23” – Seat Sides
- 2 – 1×2 at 17-1/2” – Seat Front and Seat Back
- 5 – 1×4 at 19” – Seat Slats
- 2 – 1×3 at 22” – Armrests
- 2 – 1×3 at 12-1/4” – Side Frame Tops
- 4 – 1×3 at 24-1/2” – Side Frame Sides
- 2 – 1×2 at 19-1/2” – Side Frame Bottoms
- 2 – 1×6 at 35” – Rockers
Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
/ Click on Images to Enlarge
Cut the pieces for the Backrest Top Frame and Backrest Side Frames. With the Kreg jig set for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes in each end of the Backrest Top Frame. Assemble as shown with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws.
Cut the pieces for the Armrest Supports, Backrest Sides, and Backrest Slats.
Cut the Armrest Supports as shown.
Chamfer the top back corner of the Backrest Sides at a 45-degree angle, if desired. You can also “round out” the bottoms of the Backrest Sides as shown. Attach the Backrest Sides to the Backrest Side Frame pieces as shown with glue and 1-1/4” wood screws. Attach the Armrest Supports to the Backrest Sides as shown with glue and 1-1/4” wood screws.
Attach the Backrest Slats to the Backrest Top Frame and Backrest Sides as shown with glue and 1-1/4” wood screws.
Cut the pieces for the Seat Sides, Seat Front, and Seat Back. Chamfer the bottom front corner of the Seat Sides at a 45-degree angle, if desired.
With the Kreg jig set for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes in each end of the Seat Front and Seat Back. Assemble as shown with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws.
Cut the pieces for the Seat Slats. Attach the Seat Slats to the Seat Front, Seat Sides, and Seat Back as shown with glue and 1-1/4” wood screws.
Cut the pieces for the Armrests, Side Frame Tops, Side Frame Sides, and Side Frame Bottoms. You can “round out” the outer corners of the Side Frame Sides as noted to allow for better chair movement. With the Kreg jig set for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes in each end of the Side Frame Tops and Side Frame Bottoms. Next, drill pocket holes in the top end of the Side Frame Sides. Assemble as shown with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws. Repeat this step for the other side.
Cut the pieces for the Rockers. Draw out the shape as shown and cut out with your jigsaw. Make sure you draw a gentle curve. For this project, we used a radius of 62-1/2” for the Rocker curves. If desired, “round out” the end corners of the Rockers with your jigsaw or sander.
Clamp the Rockers to the Side Frame Sides as shown. Using a 1/4” spade bit, drill holes through both of the clamped pieces. Attach the Rockers to the Side Frames Sides as shown with glue and 1/4” bolts and nuts. Once assembled, you can see what part of the Side Frame Sides extend past the Rockers. Use your jigsaw or sander to remove this excess wood. Repeat this process with the other side.
Lay one of the Side Frame assemblies on the ground or table, with the pocket holes facing up. Lay the Seat assembly on the Side Frame assembly as shown and secure with clamps. Using a 1/4” spade bit, drill holes through both of the clamped pieces. Attach the Side Frame Sides to the Seat Side as shown with glue and 1/4” bolts and nuts. Repeat this process with the second Side Frame assembly.
Set the Rocking Chair upright. Using clamps, position the Backrest assembly to the Side Frame assemblies as shown. The bottom corner of the Armrest should be flush with the back edge of the Backrest Side and should be set directly on the Armrest Support. Use your 1/4” spade bit to drill through both the clamped pieces where noted. Attach the Side Frame Sides to the Backrest Side as shown with glue and 1/4” bolts and nuts. Repeat this process with the other side.
Just sit back, relax, and rock your worries away!
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
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Design / Studio
I just started working on what promises to be quite a showstopper of a design project for a photography studio. Let's just say it has something of a colorful past and I mean this literally… as in, so colorful it's virtually the stuff that nightmares are made of. To be fair, I guess cosmic rainbow murals have their place, but sadly I'm not sure that place belongs in a photography studio.
The shot above is a bit like my wishful thinking since the seemingly white wall shown there is not actually white yet and is in fact just a mock-up. That cute wall is still just as out of this world cosmic cool as you see it in the pictures below. But this is the first thing that will change and as luck would have it, I'm pretty sure the priming has already begun. Yippee.
This space is just amazing. That exposed brick wall, the black trim around the windows and doors and good lord that ceiling is mighty fine. And check out those floors… I mean, aside from priming and painting the walls until the cows come home, virtually everything this space needs is cosmetic and quite honestly business can commence once the walls are finished. That makes for a fun and fabulous project for me, since it is purely decoration with a mix of some necessary functionality thrown in, and a very happy gal in that she doesn't have to put her work on hold.
Here is the cosmic rainbow in all it's glory. Can you imagine the man hours that must have gone into that finish? Sadly I can… and it was a lot. Check out the corner of the skylight in this space. It is the stuff that makes the world go round and happens to be large and relatively centrally placed. For a studio that will rely on natural light much of the time, it doesn't get any better than that!
So let's chat about the lucky gal who rented this glorious space. She is a long time friend of mine, we went to school together and we played many years of field hockey together as well. To this day she is the only professional photographer that has ever taken pictures of my kiddos. And naturally when I say kiddos, I actually mean just my first kiddo, Blake. I guess I have been so busy since he was about 2 that I haven't had any professional shots done of him since and none whatsoever of Penn. Yes I am a horrible mom, but at least I own it, there is really no such thing as finding the perfect balance between work and home life. But alas I digress…
Her needs for this space are simple and yet they do pose a bit of a challenge. Everything that lives in an open floor plan space such as this needs to feel cohesive, needs to serve multiple purposes, and needs to be flexible and movable for ease of shooting at any given moment in any given spot. She frequently shoots newborns and boudoir shoots, both require certain things to be considered like changing areas and privacy. Add to that the fact that this space may be used by other local photographers for shooting and workshops that Amber hosts and things get downright tricky. Not to worry though, tricky is my favorite type of design challenge to solve.
Ah yes, more of that glorious rainbow that leprechaun dreams are made of. I truly wonder what this space was used for with this sublime wall treatment. Maybe gymnastics for tots? No clue.
Budget is obviously a consideration (as it should be) and they are willing to put a little DIY elbow grease into the mix if need be so obviously they are speaking my language here. I am putting together a color board and then I will finalize the furnishings and finishes for her. I can't wait to share my plan with you, it's going to be amazing and mind blowingly inexpensive!
To follow along with our progress check out…
The Design Plan
Home / Travel
I mentioned our little family vacay and break from reality last week and today I thought I would share a bit more of our travels with you. It’s always interesting when you travel with young kids and the road ahead is never an easy one especially when you are traveling by car. If you happen to be traveling a road paved with ocean views, well then all the better to suffer the rest with. We were planning to head down to Southern California for a few days and hit some of our favorite kid-centric theme parks and the beach. At the last minute we decided to break up our long drive down by stopping half way to stay in a coastal town near Hearst Castle. It’s been a dream of mine to walk the grounds of that massive compound filled with historic architectural goodness and I am happy to report I got to do precisely that!
It takes nearly 5 hours to travel from my neck of the woods to Cambria, which lies south of Monterey along the coast. For those of you who have ever enjoyed the company of a toddler on a long car ride, you know how precious those calm moments can be when they are sleeping for any portion of the drive. The Bird, is not the greatest of travelers, and can exhaust even the most experienced of child wranglers in a matter of minutes. I kid you not. I count myself lucky that we had 45 minutes of absolute peace and quiet with his short little nod off, and I managed to capture the moment on film as it so rarely happens. Pure bliss… and hey, as it turns out, proof of my existence, which also rarely happens, since I’m virtually always behind the camera. Perhaps I should turn that camera around in selfie mode more often… probably not though. Not precisely my style. But who knows, life is full of surprises, eh?
We only stayed one night in this most adorable little town of Cambria, but I will cherish the couple of days we spent there, forever. As luck would have it, the only hotel room we could find at the very last minute was right on the ocean. It was terrible and I hated every second of it. Obviously I’m kidding.
It was ridiculous and mind blowing and I didn’t waste one second of my time there – soaking in the views and enjoying the local fare.
We spend quite a bit of time hitting the beaches of Lake Tahoe in the summertime, and Penn seems to remember how fond of playing in the sand he is. He was asking about the beach for days prior to our trip and neither of these babes could wait a single minute to get their toes in the sand… or their shovels… and of course their buckets. Blake is pretty consistently on a mission to build and create great and amazing structures in the sand, while Penn is constantly out to destroy. It isn’t exactly a match made in beachy heaven for those two but they still manage get more sand in their ears and eyes than you can imagine and they always enjoy every second of it.
Even the restaurant next to our hotel had amazing views and was right on the ocean. I’ve decided I think it makes the food taste just a bit better, but the food was pretty spectacular all on it’s own.
We watched the sun set while we walked along the path above the water and it was breathtaking. I could watch the waves forever, it’s absolutely mesmerizing to me, and this particular place was more beautiful than I can capture with my camera.
If you follow along with me on Instagram then you might already know that we had breakfast at the most delicious bakery that happened to have gluten free muffins. As a gal who can’t have gluten without some fairly upsetting consequences, I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to get to eat a muffin. It was absolutely divine. I wish the remainder of our trip was as carefree and wonderful as the beginning was, but we can’t have everything in life, now can we. It was all still magical because it was the first real vacation we have ever taken as a family, sadly. We manage to sneak in some trips here and there when the mister and I have conferences or work related events, but this was purely vacation which made it extra-special. I think my mind is still sitting on the beach somewhere and it is taking me much longer to jump back in to work life than I expected.
PLACES OF NOTE //
Cambria Landing Inn + Suites
Moonstone Beach Bar + Grill
Linn’s Restaurant
If you have a chance to explore a bit of the Central California Coast, I highly recommend making a stop in Cambria. It was splendid.
