[carousel-horizontal-posts-content-slider]
Showcase
My wife needed more storage space in her bathroom. We originally had shelves, but opted for something that she could close up and hide her beauty products if needed. Thanks for the great plans!
Length of Time
4 days: 1 day for cutting, 1 for sanding and constructing, 1 for primer and paint, 1 for top coat
Modifications
My wife didn’t want the three small drawers, opting instead for one large door and more shelving space inside. I completed the cabinet door with plywood instead of glass and added a jigsawed plywood red cross on the front for a little more character.
Finishing Technique
Filled some holes with wood filler and sanded down. Followed with 1 coat of primer, 2 coats of semi-gloss white paint (to match our bathroom walls), then 3 coats of Minwax Polycrylic (sanding in between coats).
I’m still relatively new to woodworking, so I hit a few snags. The two most difficult parts of this project were keeping the box and the door square, and finally mounting it to the wall in our bathroom (a wall which was not even). I mounted it to the wall using two 2″ wood screws into studs and two drywall anchors and screws.
Showcase
I appreciated the crib plans and wanted to show some pictures of what I did for the mending straps with photos.
This build cost me approximately $600 for materials. It was straight up $300 for all the maple wood. Sand paper, scews, tung oil and woodshop rent time made up the rest. It took about 2 months time to build. I had a full woodshop and a master woodworking to advise me. This crib was my first woodworking project ever. If I didn't have the woodshop and the master woodworker to ask advice I know this crib would not have been completed or come out as beautiful as it did.
I agree with Josh and will repost his recommendations. Wish I had them when I had been working on my crib.
Estimated Cost
$ 500-600 for materials. Work time and equipment will increase cost!
Interior dimensions: the width meets federal spec but the length is 1/2 inch too long at 53'1/2. Simply cut all your length boards to 53 instead of 53'1/2 if you like. If I were to do the crib again, I'd probably cut the length to 52'1/2 inches, as this would be a perfect fit for almost all mattresses. If you go this route, remember to keep the mattress support slats flush with the top of the support frame to give a level surface. The pictures indicate the slats being inset a bit.
What helped us:
Wood spacers to place between the rails during installation.
We wanted to be able to disassemble the crib, so we put some finishing screws on the side of the crib and did not use glue
I would add recommending buying krieg jig PLUGS. They look much better than wood filling all the holes and probably save time and money for all the wood filler you use and wait time for drying and refilling the gaps that happen when the wood filler dries.
I did not make the slanted leg supports but instead did a straight leg support. I was told that the the slanted leg design might not hold up over time because they are a weak point of the body and with normal usage they are susecptible to breaking.
For all the postings on federal law. The law applies only to cribs for public purchase. If you are building it for your own use. You can make the slats however far or close you want. It is only a requirement for selling.
Design confidential has a nice section on Lumber and The Raw Deal. Since I cut my own wood my length was nominal measured instead of the 'actual'. For example: 1×3's are actually 3/4 x 2 1/2. https://www.thedesignconfidential.com/2010/09/build-it-lumber-and-the-raw-deal
Because of this my slats ended up meeting the federal guidelines. It did cause some other problems for me, particulary with the mattress frame. See Josh's recommendation above.
Hope that helps out anyone building this.
Home / Shopping / Studio
My oldest little guy is starting first grade in just a couple of weeks. To say that we all have mixed emotions about this would be an understatement. If you follow me on instagram, you might remember this from earlier in the year. Well this year will officially mark the first time he is away at school all day, for five days of the week. It will be the first time he begins his day in the morning rather than the afternoon and the first time he takes the bus to school. He is not excited for any of these things aside from riding the bus, somehow that is exciting to him. I guess I can see why for a guy his age.
My boy is a social creature, almost to a fault… but, spending all day with his classmates doesn’t quite have the same appeal as being home with us, at least for now. I can tell he is apprehensive and frankly I don’t blame him. This marks the first of many more years he will go to school- all day long- and then off to college and in classes – all day long – only to then start a career and work – all day long. I suppose I feel a bit like this marks the end of the carefree years of his childhood and the period of time when school is merely a glorified playtime a few hours of the day. In two weeks he truly begins the ‘grown up’ portion of his life and I think I am mourning because of this. But, I do this silently… I simply don’t want to suggest that this is something to fear or something to be sad about any more than he already is. Instead, I am focusing on making this transition exciting and fun as best I can.
If I know my boy, the fastest way to his heart is through the office supply aisle… er uh… I mean school supply aisle. I really have no idea where he gets this from…
1 // Backpack 2 // Name Labels 3 // Reusable Sandwich Bags 4 // Binder 5 // Incredible Ideas Notebook 6 // Lunchbox 7 // Stapler 8 // Pencils 9 // Notebook 10 // Address Labels 11 // Glue Sticks 12 // Backpack 13 // Cute Notes 14 // Mommy Contact Card // Hanging File Folder 16 // Let’s Get Together 17 // Post-It 18 // Mesh Sorter 19 // Backpack
Aside from getting him all of the typical things that are necessary for school – like cool pencils and binders – this school year I plan to super-size the idea of back to school shopping and not only round up some fun items for him to sport to class, but to make sure these things are unique and personal just for him.
For those of you who have boys, I know you feel my pain when it comes to finding items for them – once they are elementary age – that are deemed ‘cool’ in their eyes, are fashion forward without being too trendy and still boyish by nature without having superheroes or weaponry all over them. So in my quest to make this experience extra special for him, I online shopped my heart out and managed to find some fabulous supplies that fill these requirements. From special notebooks that inspire him to cute notes I can sneak into his lunch, I hope to remind him that I adore him and that I am thinking of him while he is away for the day, without completely embarrassing him with uncool or babyish things, of course. I gathered up some gorgeous gear in blues and reds to keep things tough and boyish and then made it interesting by breaking that up with greens, yellows, and the uber-fab black, gray and neutral as a base.
1 // Brilliant Thoughts 2 // Glue Sticks 3 // Lunchbox 4 // Colorful Comic Thank you 5 // Pencils 6 // 7 // Sharpie Gel Highlighter 8 // Red Backpack 9 // Desktop Organizer 10 // Eraser 11 // Reusable Sandwich Bags 12 // Slide Into Fun 13 // Worthwhile Notebook 14 // Backpack 15 // Hanging File 16 // Red + Yellow Notepad 17 // Post-Its 18 // Binder 19 // Tape
While he is certainly growing up right before my eyes, he is still very young and because of this there are a few things I can do to make both of our lives easier and also more fun at the same time – especially since most of his free time at this age involves his social life and school itself isn’t particularly homework heavy yet.
// I created a mommy contact card that he can carry with him, just in case he needs to get ahold of me while he is out and about.
// To help him during his pre-phone calling years, I ordered a series of ‘let’s get together’ playdate cards. He can give these to his friends and they can pass them along to their parents so we can set something up for them. Otherwise, it’s fairly difficult to arrange for playdates once the parents no longer need to pick their kids up and drop them off at their classroom. Six and seven year olds aren’t really able to coordinate this on their own yet.
// I made a gorgeous ornament from Tiny Prints to use as a backpack marker and I’m hoping it will help him to know which is his. It’s no fun to come home with the wrong one when there are several that look similar, and these little guys don’t pay much attention to what they are grabbing. I can’t tell you how often this happened last year, eek.
// Cute name labels should help him keep track of his supplies.
// Personalized address labels should make it easy to keep in touch with his friends and family who have recently moved – there are quite a few, and having his playmates become his pen pals definitely makes the loss less difficult.
By helping my cutest guy get all stocked up on school supplies, whether he truly needs them or not, I think it’s made him feel like a big kid who actually does need them and it seems like he is beginning to get excited about joining the ‘big kid club’ of school-goers! He may still be a tad nervous about the whole thing, but I know once he is there and settled in on his first day, he will be just fine.I just hope my attempt at creating some fun around an otherwise not so fun series of events and new situations helps ease his transition a bit, because it is breaking my heart to see my independent little guy, prefer to be home with his family. He normally dives right in with gusto and loves every second of anything that involves other kids. Apparently even he has a limit on his fun meter.
This post is sponsored by Tiny Prints, where every choice is a stylish choice.
Plans
- 2 – 1×4 at 38-3/4” – Back Legs
- 1 – 1×4 at 24-1/2”– Front Apron
- 2 – 1×4 at 20-3/4” – Front Legs
- 5 – 1×4 at 24-1/2” – Bottom Seat Slats
- 2 – 1×4 at 21-1/2” – Seatback Frame Top and Bottom
- 2 – 1×4 at 28-1/2” – Seatback Frame Sides
- 1 – 1×4 at 27” – Seatback Frame Center
- 7 – 1×4 at 23” – Seatback Slats
- 2 – 1×4 at 4-1/4” – Arm Rest Rear Supports
- 2 – 1×4 at 30-3/4” – Arm Rests
- 2 – 1×4 at 3” – Arm Rest Front Supports
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 out your Back Legs. You will need 2 of these exactly the same. This diagram shows you how to mark out the shape you need for the Back Legs. Use your circular saw to cut this out. If you simply connect the dots between the dimensions outlined below and use a circular saw to make these cuts, you won’t have to worry about the actual angle for each corner. Prepare the Back Legs to be attached to the Front Apron by drilling pocket holes on the inside front end. The ‘front’ of your Back Legs will be the end with only 1 angled cut, and the ‘back’ will be the end with 2 angled cuts. Select a side of the Back Leg to be the ‘inside,’ and make sure that the other Back Leg is the opposite, or a mirror of the first Back Leg.
Cut out the Front Apron and attach as shown to the Back Legs with glue and pocket screws. When you attach the Front Apron, you will see that it is a little shy of covering the ends of the Back Legs – don’t worry, it will hardly be noticeable since this will be one amazing chair!
Drill a pair of pocket holes in the top end of the Front Legs (to later attach to the Arm Rests) and another pair of pocket holes approximately 8” down from the top end of each Front Leg, both on the side of the leg that faces the back of the chair. Attach the Front Legs to the Back Legs as shown with pocket screws.
Attach the Bottom Slats to the Back Legs as shown using glue and countersunk 1-1/4” screws or brad nails. The Slats should be spaced 1/4” apart.
Prepare the Seat back Frame pieces for assembly by screwing pocket holes in the ends of the top and bottom pieces and center piece. Assemble the Seat back Frame as shown using pocket screws.
Attach the Backrest slats to the Backrest Frame as shown using glue and countersunk 1-1/4” screws or brad nails. The Slats should be spaced 1/4” apart.
Lay the entire chair on its side – it’s almost time to attach the Backrest to the chair! Measure 15” from the ends of the back legs as shown. Next, mark a 2-3/4” perpendicular line (lay down painter’s tape and mark on the tape if you do not want to mark on the wood) from this 15” measurement. Draw a 1” line parallel to the long edge of the board in the direction of the chair’s front (this line will be 3/4” from the edge of the board). Draw in the 3rd side of this triangle – you now have the angle for your Backrest – which is a comfy 110°! Repeat this process on the inside of the other Back Leg.
And now it’s time! Line up the Backrest to the Back Legs along the angles that were just drawn. Clamp the pieces together and drill 1/4” holes for the bolts. Insert the bolts and tighten with nuts.
Drill pocket holes in one of the 3-1/2” ends of the Arm Rest Rear Supports. Assemble the Arm Rest Rear Supports to the back of the Arm Rests with glue and countersunk 1-1/4” screws or brad nails as shown. The Rear Supports should extend 3/4” beyond the side of the Arm Rest.
Attach the Arm Rests to the Front Legs and to the Backrest (via the Arm Rest Rear Supports) as shown with glue and pocket screws, countersunk 1-1/4” screws or brad nails.
Attach the Arm Rest Front Supports to the Front Legs and Arm Rest as shown with glue and countersunk 1-1/4” screws or brad nails.
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 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. // Post May Contain Affiliate Links
Design / Home / Shopping / Studio
We are nesting! But not the ‘having a baby’ kind of nesting, let’s not get crazy… We do have a new addition to the family with these nesting tables, however. They create a highly functional set and they work easily with many different styles – so many that I’m having a hard time deciding where they will ultimately live. At the moment, I have them in my family room, since they give my boys a great surface for playing with their Legos, that can slide out of the way when they’re done (read… not be seen by me and not on the floor). I tend to incorporate quite a bit of vintage into every single space in my home and it has been fun to see these tables work that look.
I styled these cuties with three completely different looks, and for three completely different uses. While every single one of these spaces has a mix of modern and vintage with both high and low price points, I think the various styles will give you a good grasp of their versatility. There is nothing quite like a fab mix of pieces that is entirely unexpected! Don’t you love that?
Target Room Essentials items for this space // Nesting tables / Scholar lamps / Mug
For this look I channeled my global granny self, added a bit of that hipster handmade vibe with a dash of Copacabana thrown in, for a Beachy Brazilian touch. Yep, totally random, but oh how happy I would be in this space.
We will call the gal who lives here “Babs,” and she is a veritable ‘Girl from Ipanema’ (World Famous Brazilian Bossa Nova song)and boy she has lived quite the life. She loves to reminisce about all of the memories she has made along the way and throughout her travels. She could sure tell you a tale or two about her go-go dancing days, but your mother probably wouldn’t like that much. But now she is settling down a bit and prefers to stay closer to home where she can sip her hot cocoa in her big cozy chair and knit blankets for her grandkids – or the new neighbors down the street.
I channeled my inner 80’s glam girl self, with a punch of black lacquer and brass, and then threw in some beachy natural texture to the mix for the perfect ‘Barbie and the Rockers’ goes to Big Sur design moment. Ya, I kinda love a look that is equal parts chic and yet still totally weird.
Target Room Essentials Items // Nesting tables / Bathroom tray / Desktop Storage
I call this gal Gemma and she is a true downtown girl who loves the art scene and can be found at every hip new spot in the city. From art gallery openings to coffee shops, she is constantly on the move and never stays in one place too long. She wears black like it’s her uniform and loves the way her red lipstick pops against her pale skin, especially when her hair is pulled back in a sleek low slung ponytail.
Meet Zoe, my inner flower child babe with a quirky fun loving outlook on life. This gal is a bit more feminine, and fresh out of college with her first real world job. She loves to hit up the flea market when she isn’t driving down to visit her parents in Connecticut, for the weekend.
Target Room Essentials Items // Nesting tables / 3×4″ candles / 3×6″ vanilla candles / Embroidered Pillow / Wire bins / iPhone dock / Kitchen towels / Bubble tumbler / Dinner Plate
She’s a single gal who loves her nephews and can’t wait to start a family of her own one day. For now she is content with her two cats, though she thinks she may have over done it in the mothering department, since they are a bit on the bratty side. They absolutely never do as they are told. Zoe loves to listen to music and sing along with the broom handle as her microphone, but of course she always sounds better in the shower… who doesn’t?
So which look resonates with you most? Are you more of a downtown girl or a flea market vintage loving gal? Maybe you love to knit and travel is your favorite pastime!
This post is sponsored by Target. Shop Room Essentials to make modern life easier.
Showcase
I did this project as my very first DIY. I think it turned out great considering my work space is an apartment and I only own a Circle Saw, Drill, Hammer and Screw Drivers, etc. I used reclaimed wood for the front doors (didn’t get the middle to be a drawers, unfortunately). I wanted to lacquer the outside, but instead I used a super high-gloss gel paint. Really happy with the outcome.
Thank you very much for posting the plans…couldn’t have done this without it
To Read More About This Build, Visit This Blog Post
Design / Home
Wow, what a summer it has been so far! I hope you all are enjoying this break from the school year and the warm weather is kind to you. Maybe you are even making the most of things and wandering with a carefree mind. Regardless, I hope you make amazing memories wherever you may go. As for me, I am knee deep in projects and living vicariously through gorgeous images on pinterest and a complete and utter room envy. The places I find myself drawn to most, right now, seem to bring the lovely tranquility of vacation and travel into the home environment. I think I might donate a kidney to have this bath, just as it is, as part of my daily habit.
While I silently sob over the fact that I am slowly transitioning into a vampire, since I hardly ever see the light of day, I thought I might share a bit of insight into my home life, myself, and life as it happens with two dueling entrepreneurs and business owners living under the same roof with 2 small kids. Eek, it’s utter chaos all of the time.
Here are my five tidbits for the day, and if you would like to see the previous Room Envy articles, feel free to read: Room Envy // The Trust Fund Hippie , Room Envy // Simple Singapore Sling, Room Envy // The Stone Cold Fox, and Room Envy // The Jetset Outdoors
One // In my past life, I was a makeup artist. And by past life, I simply mean my former life, but the one that feels like it is so remote and distant now, that I hardly recognize it as my own. But, a makeup artist I was indeed. I used to do makeup for weddings and photoshoots, even for the Kings Royal Court Dance Team – which any of you who follow sports might know is our NBA team’s group of dancers (cheerleaders of the professional dancy persuasion for the Sacramento Kings). I was fortunate enough to get to head out to the arena prior to each home court basketball game and style the girls for the night, then watch the game from the tunnel. We did touch ups either before or after their halftime performance and would be very up close and personal to the team goings on, heading into and out of the locker room (this is where the tunnel leads essentially), and with any celebs that were getting a bit of in person hang time with the team without having to be center stage out on the floor while they are watching the game. It was quite fabulous, if I do say so myself.
Two // I wasn’t always in an artsy profession. After my stint as a makeup artist, I worked in the Commercial Real Estate industry with an emphasis on Retail. This would be shopping centers and restaurants, all the places you shop essentially. I worked with a team at CB Richard Ellis, which is one of the largest commercial brokerage firms in the world, and certainly one of the most esteemed. We did both leasing and sales, and we worked a crazy amount of new development projects from the ground up. This basically means we did quite a bit of dirt dogging and land assemblage, then found the developer that would best suit the project and worked the sales of pad buildings and leasing of inline space throughout the entitlement process. My team also had quite a few tenant rep accounts which means we were instrumental in creating their roll out plan for entry and expansion into new and existing markets. So, all those stores you love to see come to your neck of the woods, that is because of a group like mine that helps plan out the retail tenant’s master plan for locations in an area.
Three // I’m scared of the dark. Yep, I know… It’s like I’m 5 years old with this one, but I truly don’t like the dark and I have a bit of trouble seeing in the dark to top it all off. I have difficulty seeing the various shades of black and gray and discerning uneven pavement or ground if I am walking at night outside… like through nature. I’m sure you can guess how often I do that, pretty much never, but I have in the past and it’s a bit of a nightmare.
Four // I’m also terrified of things that are vast especially if they involve water, like the deep ocean or extremely large creatures that live in the deep ocean. The book turned movie, Life of Pi, would be my worst nightmare ever… In fact, the whole Tiger aspect of the story line would be way less scary to me, than being adrift on the open ocean. I know, go figure.
Five // I’m utterly fascinated with the concept of space, the universe, and the beginning of time as it relates to our existence. Though there is something of a fear that I associate with this since it registers as one of those things that is vast and frankly blows my mind a bit, but I absolutely love hearing new theories on this and learning about the new tidbits we discover and either prove or disprove about this subject in general.
Showcase
Built these from plans found on The Design Confidential. Changed a few things but the plans were great! Thank you!
Plans
- 2 – 2×4 at 8’
- 1 – 2×4 at 6′
- 1 – 1×4 at 8’
- 1 – 1×4 at 6’
- 2 – 2×4 at 27 1/4” – Legs
- 2 – 2×4 at 28 1/4” – Side Frames
- 2 – 2×4 at 12 1/2″ – Front Legs
- 1 – 2×4 at 24” – Top
- 1 – 2×4 at 17″ – Front Apron
- 1 – 2×4 at 21” – Seat Support
- 1 – 2×4 at 21” (ripped to 2-3/4” wide) – Center Seat Support
- 3 – 1×4 at 20 1/2” – Seat Slats
- 3 – 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 the sides. Set the Kreg jig for 1-1/2” material and drill pocket holes in each end of the 28 1/4” piece as well as the top only of the legs. Assemble using glue and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws. The Front Leg will sit perpendicular to the Side Frame piece (28 1/4″ piece) and flush with the outside of this piece as well so they will form a 90 degree angle.
Cut the piece for the top and the Front Apron. Drill pocket holes in both ends of the Front Apron using your Kreg Jig set for 1 1/2″ stock and assemble with glue and 2 1/2” pocket hole screws. Place the Top on the legs and secure with glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws using the pocket holes you created in the previous step.
Cut the pieces for the seat supports. The center support will be a 2×4 ripped to 2-3/4” wide and will be located ¾” down from the top of the side frame piece to allow for the seat slats and flush with the bottom of the other seat support and the side frame pieces. Attach the pieces to the side frames using glue and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws.
Cut the pieces for the seat slats. Set the Kreg jig for ¾” material and drill pocket holes in each end. Attach to the back seat support using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. Secure the center of the slats to the center seat support with 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 deg. (see drawing). Once the angles are cut, drill pocket holes in the end of each slat. Attach to the back 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 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. // Post May Contain Affiliate Links
Showcase
First off let me just say how much I love the site. The directions are easy to follow and make building great furniture easy. My first project was the Emmerson King size bed.
We looked everywhere for bed that was fabric covered tufed headboard that was affordable. With no luck my husband told me about this site and I thought I would give it a shot.
The bed building part of this project was a breeze. For the most part I built it myself and it was the first time I’ve taken on a project like this. Before this, I’ve never built anything. I did need some help from my husband moving and assembling it.
Estimated Cost
Let’s see if I can remember. The first trip to the hardware store was about $300 but that included the Jig and that was just under $100 so wood $200 ish. Linen fabric $120 and the other misc items to complete the upholstering was another $200. The foam was the biggest cost in the other misc supplies. In the end it was under $650 but compared to the RH bed we were looking to buy we saved about $2500.
Length of Time
The bed part didn’t take long. I would say about 20 hours working at night and some time during the weekend. Keep in mind I was new to a lot of these tools and took my time learning how to use them. The tufting part took a lot longer but work work on a couple here and there until it was completed.
Modifications
I made a couple modifications…
First was the height of the head board. We extended the height by about 10″. If you think this would make it unstable it won’t. That sucker is super stable and solid.
Second was the height of the legs. We wanted to be able to store items under the bed. I originally extended them to 15″. Not sure what I was thinking — it was way too high to climb up. The final was about 10″ just a couple inches more but really made a difference. We also Routed and stained the legs with a Expresso colored stain.
The last was covering the side boards, foot board and head board with linen fabric.
Home / Travel
It has been a crazy couple of months and I’m glad to be slowing down just a tad. With a million and one projects all converging on me at once, my baby seester’s wedding and all the festivities that come with it, I haven’t had a moment to stop and catch my breath. Of course this means I haven’t had as much time to enjoy summer and my babies like I planned to. Since this my favorite time of year, I plan to soak up every last second of it before we start the schoolyear and are reduced to weekends and weekday evenings. Really we don’t even get that since there are sports to be played and homework to be done.
While I can’t exactly head out on an extended vacation from now until then, I can make an effort to set aside time to simply wander and be free. To play in the sand and let the waves roll over my toes while my gorgeous boys have grand adventures in the sun. And of course I can enjoy the memories we make, for years to come. I’m feeling like it’s so very important that we make sure we have many more adventures like this, while the boys are still young. No schedules to keep or tasks to be done, just pure unadulturated fun.
We had the fabulous opportunity to do exactly that… to wander and find new places to explore with no precise plan and an adventurous spirit. It was such a lovely day for all of us, and since it happened to be the day after my sister got married we were fresh on the heels of exhaustion and in much need of relaxation. My cousin ‘Loo Hoo’ was in town from Florida, for the occasion, so we were chomping at the bit to get out of town for the day and leave our worries and our stresses behind.
We actually started out with a fairly precise plan only to find that we weren’t alone in our ideas and quickly needed to find another fun adventurous alternative for the day. If this hadn’t happened, we never would have stumbled upon one of Northern California’s greatest beachy treasures, as far as I am concerned. Living just outside the greater Sacramento area we are fortunate to be near the ocean in one direction as well as the mountains in the other. But our mountains just happen to rest alongside the gorgeous Lake Tahoe with fabulous beaches and beachfront marinas, quite often to be found with dining and roving waiters serving drinks.
It’s not the Mediterranean, but it’s certainly one of our greatest little gems out here in the west.
There are dozens of beaches that line the lake’s edge, but one of our favorite’s, thanks to this little segue of ours that day, is definitely Round Hill Pines. I never even knew this place existed and I suppose it’s not surprising since it only recently reopened after sitting vacant for a very long time. Formerly a fabulous Resort and Marina in it’s heyday, it is currently under renovation and should be ready take on it’s former role as an adorable lakefront series of cabins, complete with tennis court and swimming pool, sometime in the very near future I hope! It was so very perfect for our little family with our wide range of ages and had a ton of fun for the older kids too (me of course). You can rent kayaks, paddle boards, jet skis, and large floatation devices that seat many people at once! I couldn’t even guess what those are actually called, but I’m sure you know what I am referring to.
After our day at the beach we headed into town, which had live music happening in multiple spots, and we had amazing food at one of our favorite places to eat. Just perfection…
Have any of you had the chance to wander + be free? It was lovely to get to know my surroundings a bit better, there is such beauty here that I don’t often take advantage of.
The print at the top is something I made from one of my photos that day. To me, it is everything that is summer and carefree fun. You can purchase it here.
Plans
By special reader request, these fabulous Free DIY Furniture Plans to Build a Dawson Large Desk and perfect for those of you who need a wide solid work surface! I can see this in so many different and gorgeous finishes and with the flip of a drawer pull, this beauty will transform from rustic to vintage and even to modern! Can’t wait to see what you do! Xx… Rayan
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!
- 1 – 1×2 at 4’
- 4 – 1×3 at 8’
- 1 – 1×4 at 6’
- 3 – 2×4 at 8’
- 2 – 4×4 posts at 6’
- 3 sheets of ¾” plywood
- 4 – 4×4 posts at 30-3/4” – Legs
- 2 – 2×4 at 19-1/2” – Side Frames
- 2 – ¾” plywood at 17-3/4” x 19-1/2” – Side Panels
- 2 – 1×2 at 19-1/2” –Upper Side Drawer Spacers
- 2 – 1×3 at 19-1/2” – Lower Side Drawer Spacers
- 1 – ¾” plywood at 20-3/4” x 61” – Back
- 1 – 2×4 at 61” – Lower Stretcher
- 2 – 2×4 at 15” – Lower Drawer Frame Side
- 2 – 2×4 at 17” – Lower Drawer Frame Bottom
- 2 – 2×4 at 3-1/2” – Upper Drawer Dividers
- 1 – 1×4 at 61” – Upper Stretcher
- 2 – 1×3 at 22-1/4” – Inner Drawer Spacers
- 2 – 2×2 at 22-1/4” – Inner Panel Frame
- 2 – ¾” plywood at 16-1/2” x 22-1/4” – Inner Panels
- 1 – ¾” plywood at 26-1/2” x 68” – Top
- 2 – ¾” plywood at 14-1/2” x 22-1/2” – Large Drawer Box Bottoms
- 4 – ¾” plywood at 11-1/2” x 22-1/2” – Large Drawer Box Sides
- 4 – ¾” plywood at 11-1/2” x 16” – Large Drawer Front & Back
- 2 – ¾” plywood at 14-1/2” x 22-1/2” – Smaller Drawer Box Bottoms
- 4 – 1×3 at 22-1/2” – Smaller Drawer Box Sides
- 4 – 1×3 at 16” – Smaller Drawer Box Front & Back
- 1 – ¾” plywood at 21-1/2” x 22-1/2” – Center Drawer Box Bottom
- 2 – 1×3 at 22-1/2” – Center Drawer Box Sides
- 2 – 1×3 at 23” – Center Drawer Box Front & Back
- 2 – ¾” plywood at 13-1/4” x 16-3/4” – Large Drawer Fronts
- 2 – ¾” plywood at 3-1/4” x 16-3/4” – Smaller Drawer Fronts
- 1 – ¾” plywood at 3-1/4” x 23-3/4” – Center Drawer Front
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.
Edge banding will be applied to the exposed edges of the plywood prior to assembly.
Cut the pieces for the legs, the side frames, and the side panels. Set the Kreg jig for 1-1/2” material and drill pocket holes in each end of the frame pieces. Attach to the legs using glue and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws. Orient the pocket holes on the top frame piece so they face up, and the pocket holes on the lower frame piece will face down. This way, they will be hidden and won’t have to be filled.
Set the Kreg jig for ¾” material and drill pocket holes in all four edges of the panels. Secure the panels to the legs and the side frames using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. The front face of the panels will be located 1” back from the outside face of the legs.
Cut the pieces for the upper and lower drawer spacers, and drill pocket holes in each end. Secure to the legs as shown using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. The back face of the spacers (the side with the pocket holes) will be flush with the inside of the legs.
Cut the piece for the back and drill pocket holes in each shorter edge. Secure to the legs using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. The outside face will be flush with the back face of the legs.
Cut the 2×4 piece for the lower stretcher. Set the Kreg jig for 1-1/2” material and drill pocket holes in each end. Secure to the legs as shown using glue and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws.
Cut the pieces for the lower drawer frames. Drill pocket holes in the upper end only of the 15” pieces, and both ends of the 17” pieces. Assemble the pieces in an “L” shape (as shown) using glue and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws. Secure the assemblies to the legs and the lower stretcher using glue and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws.
Cut the pieces for the drawer dividers and drill pocket holes in one end only. Secure to the top of the lower stretcher using glue and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws.
Cut the 1×4 piece for the upper stretcher. Set the Kreg jig for ¾” material and drill pocket holes in each end. Secure to the legs using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. Use a few 1-1/4” brad nails through the upper stretcher into the top of the drawer dividers to further secure them in place.
Cut the 1×4 pieces for the inner drawer spacers and drill pocket holes at each end. Secure to the vertical lower frame pieces and back as shown using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. The spacer pieces should be flush with the inside face of the vertical pieces to allow for the inner sides to be positioned.
Cut the pieces for the inner panels and 2×2 frame piece. Drill pocket holes in the top and side edges of the panel. Set the Kreg jig for 1-1/2” material and drill pocket holes in one end only of the 2×2 inner frame piece.
Secure the panel to the frame piece using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. The outside face of the panel (without pocket holes) will be flush with the outside face of the 2×2. There will be a left and a right – the pocket holes in the 2×2 pieces will face opposite directions to secure to the vertical lower drawer frame piece.
Secure the inner panel assembly to the back and the vertical lower drawer frame piece. Use glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws through the inner panel, and 2-1/2” pocket hole screws through the 2×2 frame piece. Use a few 1-1/4” brad nails through the back into the back end of the 2×2 frame piece.
Cut the piece for the top. Secure the top to the desk frame using glue and 1-1/4” brad nails through the top.
Cut the pieces for the drawer boxes. Drill pocket holes in all four edges of the bottom as well as each end of the sides. Assemble the drawer boxes as shown using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. Install the drawer slides according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions, locating them ¾” back from the front edge of the sides.
Cut the pieces for the drawer fronts. Mark the position for the drawer pulls and drill the holes. Shim the drawer front in the opening – there will be a 1/8” gap around all sides – then drive screws through the holes for the drawer pulls into the drawer box. Open the drawer, and secure the drawer front using countersunk 1-1/4” screws from the inside. Remove the screws from the holes for the drawer pull then finish drilling the holes. Install the drawer pull.
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 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. // Post May Contain Affiliate Links
