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Design / Home / Shopping / Studio
You may have spied one fabulous little bar cart in my Outdoor Oasis Reveal a few days ago, and I’m excited to share the details about this beauty! I think my two favorite things about this cutie are that it’s actually meant for outdoor use and that I nabbed it at a serious discount from one of Wayfair’s Daily Sales. Somehow when furniture is able to live outside, but looks as if it is meant for inside use, it makes me ridiculously happy. It makes me feel like I will reap the reward of durable construction and get the benefit of using it for multiple things and in more than one spot.
I have the great outdoors and entertaining on my mind, and I’m determined to find myself every single possible luxury I can for my personal staycation, and I would like to find these things for as few dollars as possible! Of course…
I am a deal finder by nature. I will research the best deals on something till my scrolling fingers are tired and then start again once I have rested. No joke. I personally scour the Wayfair Daily Sales almost daily because I’m a tad cuckoo like that, but for the rest of you normal things out there, you might like to scan the daily sales headlines to see if something appeals to you and then of course do a happy dance when you find a screamin’ deal. My barcart was one of those happy dance inducing items for me and I did indeed gt a screamin’ good deal on it!
Above you can see some of my staycation staples and current faves from the daily sales that are happening right this minute. The individual links for these beauties are further down but most of these items come from the Outdoor Furniture Favorites Sale. If you are looking for some fab stuff at a great price, you are welcome to sign up for the daily sales using the email submit form below! It’s a tad addicting, but totally worth taking on a new obsession if you are in the market for anything home related!
1 // Managua Storage Box 2 // Pellier Garden Stool 3 // Heartland Chair 4 // Moorea Swinging Lounge Chair 5 // Raymond Fire Pit 6 // Cambridge Rug 7 // Molokini Chaise Lounge 8 // Indoor Outdoor Pillow 9 // Rocky Beverage Caddy 10 // Basel 9′ Umbrella
I was provided with a gift card from Wayfair, all opinions and staycation dreaming are 100% my own!
Design / DIY / Entertaining / Home / Studio
I gave you the sneak peek last week, and today I get to share the full reveal of this formerly unused space in my backyard! I was asked by my friends at Home Depot to create a fun DIY outdoor game as part of a new edition of their Style Challenge Series. Of course I absolutely adore a challenge that not only stretches my creativity but also benefits my little family! If I can work a project into something that also helps me add fun and function to my home, then all the better as far as I’m concerned!
I bring you my outdoor lounge area and the most fabulous badminton setup you ever did see. Or at least that I ever did see…
I will be sharing the sources and details with you shortly and of course life wouldn’t be complete without a few DIY projects in the mix, now would it? First on the list… Head on over to The Home Depot’s blog to get the full tutorial for creating your own DIY Macrame Badminton Net!
Here in this crazy yard of ours, it’s hot in the summertime. Too hot to actually enjoy, which is such a bummer when you have young kids who want to run and jump and play all the live long day. It’s also a pretty big bummer for this gal who loves to be outside and adores outdoor entertaining that doesn’t involve a sweat off as the designated group activity. With virtually no mature trees in the entire yard except for this little cluster of plum trees in the far corner, it’s fairly slim picken’s if you are hoping to nab a cozy spot in the shade.
And then it occurred to me… If I couldn’t bring the shade to outdoor living space, then perhaps the solution is to bring a new living space to the shade. And just like that my Outdoor Oasis was born, and she’s quite the star of the show.
Without wanting to incur the cost of an entire backyard renovation at this moment in time, I decided to improvise by using items that would create a non-permanent living space and one that I can bring in a store away during the wet season here. I used a heavy duty jute rug as the foundation and then built in the fun that would keep even the littlest occupied while the grown ups got down to business with some friendly competition. There were sword fights, bug stomping, fort making, and some good old fashioned r and r. I even managed to sneak in some healthy treats that are normally pretty tough to get these kids to eat. Of course it helped that it was 100 degrees plus in the sun and that I froze some of the fruit to give it just a bit of refreshing coolness. Anything cold and sweet is considered a popsicle to the Bird so he was on cloud 9 with the crazy good spread to choose from.
It makes me feel pretty damn good to finish another space here and to have created something that works overtime in the memory making department. We definitely don’t get as much of that as I would like… But now we have the Oasis to call our own and something fun for everyone to enjoy, regardless of their age!
Showcase
This is our second project from the site and once again extremely happy with the finished project. The table is exactly what we wanted for our back patio and was thrilled when we found it on the site.
It was an easy build with two of us and only took a couple of weeks to complete.
Estimated Cost
Table was $200 and the benches were $100 for both. Entire project just under $350 including supplies.
Length of Time
One weekend to build. Took two of us a full Saturday and about 4 hours on Sunday.
Took a week of evenings to sand with and electric sander, 2 evenings to stain and another 2 evenings to seal.
Modifications
The only modification we made was we reversed the support beams on the benches. They only reason we did this was because we felt it would provide more support on the benches since they were 120″ long.
Lumber Used
Pine – after building we wished we would of used a better quality of wood. The end result looks great but it would of been easier to get all the boards even.
Finishing Technique
We sanded or days. 120 grain sand paper followed by 200 grain sand paper.
Then we beat the table up! We wanted a rustic look so once the table was sanded. We hammered, hit screw sides in to it, pierced with a screw driver and hit it with what ever else we couple think of.
We used MINWAX Wood Finish Provincial 211 to stain it and then finished with a high-gloss outdoor sealer.
Knowing what we know now we would of sanded and stained the wood first. We really wanted the table to look rustic and getting the stain into some of the grooves and the bottom of the table and benches was difficult. We did sand most of the bottom beams prior to building but still it was hard getting under the benches and table.
The finished table is solid and heavy. We built the table on the patio which was perfect since I don't think I could over moved it more than a couple of feet.
Design / Home / Shopping / Studio
It’s no secret that I have something of an eclectic style. I love a mix of old and new, both vintage and modern, and I of course I can’t help but interject a bit of handmade wherever possible. I might even go so far as to say I have a slight obsession with the hunt that comes with finding the perfect unique pieces that fit together like beautifully choreographed moves in a dance. Regardless of the style I choose for a space, the one thing I never go without is a bit of classic geometry and a splash of bold black and white.
Adding this type of modern and bold touch helps me create the perfect eclectic mix and rounds out a look by giving the eye a fun place to rest before moving on to the next exciting element.
It’s also no secret that I shop with a real world budget. Nothing makes me happier than finding pieces that not only sync with my design sensibilities but that allow me to maximize my budgetary constraints. I hate to skimp or sacrifice on the pieces I feel I truly need to complete a space in the way I imagine it in my mind. In real life and with real world considerations, my go-to solution for styling a room is Target. Because not everything can be vintage or handmade when you create perfectly dressed space. There must be a mix of new and modern style to create a look that is both cohesive and unique.
Let’s not forget the importance of function. If you haven’t provided the functional staples your inhabitant needs to get through the day and night comfortably, then that cute person will inevitably take the room apart every time life happens. That is a constant battle I don’t care to partake in so I do my best to include a place for everything that is easy to use and helps keep the space looking good all the livelong day. I choose bedding that is easily washable yet bold, storage bins and bags for toys or laundry that make a statement all on their own, and accessories that are both stylish and serve a purpose or sit well out of the way of the actual living area in use.
If I can choose these stylish functional staples to be budget friendly and bold with a bit of classic geometry to liven up the place while grounding it to pull the look together, I’m a happy gal.
NOTE // This post is sponsored by Target. Shop Room Essentials to make modern life easier.
Design / DIY / Home / Studio
I know I have been a horrible, no good, downright rotten blogger for the past few weeks, but life is kicking me in the pants these days. Aside from my little seesters wedding, which is tomorrow (yahoo), and all of the duties that come with that, I have had some rather major projects going on behind the scenes here at the House of TDC. One of those projects is the Home Depot Style Challenge / Outdoor Games Edition, and while it has to stay under wraps for just a bit longer (these will start to roll out on the 14th) I figured the least I can do is give you guys a sneak peak to get you excited and as my way of saying I heart you… even though I have dropped off the face of the earth for a bit and have been ignoring you. I promise I am still alive and kicking (barely) and hopefully things will even out a bit by next week and we may just get some sort of regular posting schedule going again! Fingers crossed…
I can’t wait to share this full reveal with you guys! It’s soooo good, and there are adorable pictures of my boys, which makes me slap happy to think about! What I am fairly certain I can share with you for now is that we had a gorgeous little family picnic and for once I managed to get my boys to eat fruit without a fight. Penn is much more willing than Blake, but I am fairly certain they will both get scurvy at some point in their lives. Is that still a thing? At least Blake will eat vegetables, I suppose that is something. Somehow putting food in little bowls makes it all the more enticing. Do you guys find this to be the case with your kids? Such a fight… during the super hot summer months here in Northern California, chilled or frozen fruit is a healthy way to have a treat and cool down at the same time. Mama loves to multi-task so of course this is ideal for me!
Likewise, this gal loves a good set of DIY supplies. How about these pretties? I won’t let the cat out of the bag on what these gorgeous materials are actually for, but I am a sucker for the amazing aisles of ‘stuff’ at Home Depot that I can imagine as becoming something great. Hopefully you guys share my nerdy love for all things home improvement store related because I know for sure you will share my love for what these babies become. So so good! Promise!
In the meantime, I have quite a few other fun things to share with you and I will be back shortly to do exactly that! Yahoo!
Plans
Free DIY Furniture Plans and instructions on How to Build an Indoor Outdoor Slab Round Dining Table. This beauty can be adapted to suit your needs, with modifications to make this build that much more unique. This table is suitable for indoor or outdoor use depending on what you choose to construct it out of and how you finish it (hence the mods). 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!
- 1 Sheet 3/4″ Plywood
- 2×4 at 8′
** Your selection of lumber can be chosen to reflect your particular use. For outdoor use, choose something that will wear well such as redwood or cedar if possible (or finish with a good sealant) and if you plan to finish the table top with concrete, you can choose a relatively inexpensive plywood that isn’t pretty but will get the job done.
- 2 – 48″ Round Circles from 3/4″ Plywood
- 4 – 2×4 at 26 1/2″ – Legs
- 1 – 2×4 at 32 1/2″ – Frame
- 2 – 2×4 at 14 1/2″ – Frame
- 1 – 2×4 at 43 1/2″ – Base
- 2 – 2×4 at 20″ – Base
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.
To enlarge the images in this plan, simply click on the image for each step.
Begin by cutting all of your boards to length and drilling your pocket holes if you choose to use a Kreg Jig for construction. Set your jig for 1 1/2″ material and place pocket holes in an unconspicuous location. For the Base pieces these are best at the inside edge of the shorter pieces and facing downward so they aren’t seen. You will not need pocket holes on the legs but you will need them on the Frame pieces in a similar manner as with the Base pieces only you will also need them on the outside edges of the shorter pieces and the outside edges of the long piece. You will probably want to place these facing up so that they are hidden once you attach your table top.
To cut your 48″ rounds you can begin by cutting your sheet of plywood in half so that you have 2 pieces that are 48″ x 48″. Then place a nail in the center (find this by drawing a line from corner to corner on the diagonal) and tie a string around it. Then tie a pencil to the other end so that it is just as long as the distance between your nail and the edge of your plywood (on a flat edge not a corner). Holding your pencil upright, pull your string taught and then draw a circle by simply running it around the outside edge in a circular motion, all the way around. Cut 2 of these out using a jig saw or band saw.
Once you have cut and drilled your pieces, you will lay them out and fasten as you see below in the diagram. You will use glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws to connect all of your pieces or you can use your countersink bit and 2 1/2″ wood screws to fasten the legs to the Frame pieces. I wouldn’t recommend using this method for attaching the shorter Frame pieces to the longer Frame piece if you can help it since you will have to come up and in at an angle and it’s difficult to get your screw sunken deeply enough this way.
We are working from the top down in constructing the base frame of the table so you will flip your base frame over before attaching the table top to it.
Begin this step by attaching the Base Pieces to each other using 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws and glue. Just like in the previous step you will want your pocket holes to be inconspicuous so you will have them facing up if your table looks like mine below. Your pocket holes will be place on the inside of the shorter Base pieces to attach them to the longer Base piece. Then you will place this X shape onto your base frame as shown in the previous step. There will be a 4″ overhang of the Base pieces to the legs.
You will then switch to your countersink bit and predrill down through the Base pieces and into the legs. Then fasten in place using glue and your 2 1/2″ wood screws.
Once your glue has finished setting up and all of your base frame is assembled, you will focus on securing your 2 table top rounds together using glue and 1 1/4″ wood screws in a few select spots. Be sure to countersink for a more finished appearance and just in case you accidentally place a screw where your top meets your base frame.
Then place your base frame onto your 2 table top rounds and attach using your countersink bit to predrill and your 2 1/2″ wood screws. Attach through the Frame pieces in several places all along the length of the frame pieces. Don’t make swiss cheese here, but make sure you have your base frame attached to your table top well enough that it doesn’t come off when you attempt to flip this upright.
The top should overhang the base frame by 6 1/4″ on all sides.
Flip your table upright and either apply edge banding to the table top rounds, fill the edges of your top with wood filler and sand smooth prior to finishing and sealing, or cover the table top with a thin layer of concrete. The idea here would be to simply give it a concrete finish (thin layer) rather than creating an actual concrete table top, which would be extremely heavy and not desirable for this piece. Follow the instructions from the manufacterer of your products for proper directions on the application.
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. // 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!
Showcase
Design / Shopping
It's Friday! For many of you that means the weekend and a couple of days off of work… I am definitely jealous! I am smack in the middle of shooting for the Home Depot Style Challenge and I can't wait for you to see all of the fun I have planned for that, but for now some gorgeous goods I have gathered in my Great.ly boutique from some amazing Makers both near and far! I think this collection of pieces brings a bit of a beachy laid back vibe with just a touch of humor. Can't go wrong with that lineup…
I'm all about the watercolor art and of course pineapples are the new black, am I right? This wall hanging would lighten the mood in any space and these days that is just what I am seeking. By now you have probably figured out I like myself a bit of macrame and that vintage vibe so this plant hanger is perfect for adding a bit of both of those things and some greenery too. I am starting to think I have might also have a bit of a thing for rag rugs… who knew I would revisit this so soon after the 90's? Certainly not me, but here I sit regardless, loving on these rag rugs. This pedestal dish is one piece from a collection of work handcrafted from resin in the most fabulous colors. It looks a bit like sea glass with it's gorgeous matte finish and I heart that in a non sea glass kind of way. Oh how this chunky hand knit throw makes me swoon, and wish I was a bit better at knitting… or maybe that I had more time for making. Either way it's divine, don't you think?
Visit Friday I'm In Love for more in this series…
Showcase
Spotted on our Instagram Hashtag #builtTDCtuff, this collection of DIY outdoor furniture pieces built by furgason5 is absolutely spectacular. They built two Reef Sofas, a Reef Club Chair and a modified Reef Coffee Table to complete this gorgeous outdoor living space. What a view they have from their new fabulous space! I am more than a little jealous, aren’t you? Xx… Rayan
Psst… Don’t forget you can showcase your build right on the site by posting a showcase if you are a registered member. If you prefer to share on social media, be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram and use the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and you might see your work featured here and on our Instachannel!
To Read More About This Build, Visit This Blog Post
Shopping
Happy Father's Day to all the cute boys out there! I hope you have a wonderful day filled with sawdust, laughter and amazing food. Preferably with your family and children, unless of course your children are wild animals like mine, then perhaps a nice Daddy Time-Out might be enjoyable for at least part of the day?
In honor of all of the Dads and Moms out there who love to build and make, we are kicking this day off with a giveaway for one very cool tool. Or maybe you very much dislike to build and struggle with it but like every grown person you need to make repairs every now and again… Either way, this guy promises to make your task not only easier but perfected so that can't be a bad thing, am I right?
I will be sharing a project with you in a few days and putting this tool through the wringer to see just precisely what it can do. Since this is actually an area I commonly struggle with, it should help me tremendously, so I'm pretty excited!
TO ENTER // Click HERE to check out all this baby has to offer, then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me:
1. how this tool might help you in your DIY projects going forward.
OR
2. how this tool might have kept a DIY failure from occuring… and what that DIY failure was (trust me, I have meellions).
I will choose a winner at random using random.org, from the comments below. The Giveaway ends at 11:59 PST on June 30, 2014. The Prize is a BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX* Lithium Cordless Drill/Driver with AutoSense Technology.
This Post is sponsored by BLACK+DECKER, all opinions and musings are 100% my own, you know I have a lot of them. Thank you all for supporting these folks who help keep this blog running and allow me to offer fun and unique content like this! And sometimes free stuff! Yahoo.
Design / Home / Shopping
Showcase
When I saw this beauty, built by Upcycled Treasures, it knocked my socks off! That finish, those lines.. it's just a stunner! They actually made some mods to this DIY dining table that I kind of like. In fact it makes me look at the original inspiration piece in a bit of a different light, which is of course what our plan is modeled to look like. I'm starting to think that sometimes big retail could take a note from our builders here at TDC and learn a few things… what do you think? She has a full blog post about her process and the modification they made so you will want to read all about it. But for now, take in the beauty and enjoy this eye candy! Xx… Rayan
To Read More About This Build, Visit This Blog Post
