DIY Junior Loft Bed (Plans by Ana White)

I assisted a friend in building a loft bed for her daughter.  We followed free plans by Ana White for the junior loft bed. We made a few modifications such as changing it to fit a full-sized mattress (more details down below). The loft bed is the largest furniture item that I have built thus far. I have learned a lot from working on the project. In this post, I’ll share the steps we took to build it.

CLICK HERE to view more DIY furniture projects.

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Homemade junior loft bed

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.  That means if you purchase an item via one of these links, I’ll receive a small commission at no added cost to you.  This helps keep the content on the site free and I appreciate the support! :o) For more details read my disclosure policy.

Tools and Materials

The following items are some of the tools and supplies we gathered to build the junior loft bed.  For a complete listing of what is needed to build the loft bed check out Ana White’s free plan.

Tools

• Circular saw
• Kreg Jig
• Kreg Mobile Project Center (I love this workbench)
• Clamps
• Belt sander
• Orbital sander
• Drill / Driver

Materials

• Bed rail brackets (knockdown hardware)
• Pocket hole screws
• Behr White paint

How to build a Loft Bed

Continue reading for in progress photos, modifications to the original plans and lessons learned from building the junior loft bed.

3 Modifications to the original plan

1. The biggest modification made to the original loft bed plans was adjusting the size to fit a full-sized mattress instead of the twin mattress. In addition to increasing the length of the bed, we added a 2×6 board to the middle of the bed for extra mattress support.
2. The other major modification we made was using knockdown hardware instead of pocket hole joints for connecting the bed together.  We wanted this bed to be something that could be assembled and disassembled easily because the bed was built at my home but needed to be transported to another.
3. The final modification made to the project was using 4×4 posts instead of 2×4 posts. This added additional stability to the bed.

Building the loft bed

We used pocket hole joinery to bed most of the bed. I used the Kreg Jig K5 to create the pocket holes. For the bed rails and mattress support, we used bed rail brackets.  I purchased 6 pairs of bed rail brackets as well as a bracket for the center mattress support board. The center support is a 2×6 board cut the same length as the bed rails. This board was not included in the original plans. We added it to support the additional weight of the full-sized mattress.

Building the junior loft bed with a mixture of pocket hole joinery with the Kreg Jig and knockdown hardware with the bed rail brackets.

We painted the bed with white paint and sealed with a satin finish. We used a paint roller. (I think we regretted not using a paint sprayer.)

Painting the junior loft bed with white paint

The kid approved of the new bed.

(The stairs were completed after the bed was delivered to the home. Originally we used nails to hold the steps in place.  This did not hold up for long and screws were used to secure the steps.)

Homemade junior loft bed

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DIY Junior Loft Bed | Free Woodworking Plans by ANA WHITE

The post DIY Loft Bed (Plans by Ana White) appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Star Wars Inspired End Table

Hello everyone! Today I’m excited to share my latest creation: a Star Wars Inspired End Table.  This was a really exciting project to work on for three reasons:

1. It’s Star Wars Themed
2. It’s my first project with dado joints
3. It sparkles

Stay tuned for a YouTube video.  I hope to upload it my YouTube channel over the weekend.

Star Wars Themed DIY Projects

In honor of Star Wars day, I have teamed up with a few fellow bloggers to share tutorials on how to make some Star Wars inspired projects.  Please take a moment to check out each project:

• Yoda Wall Art – Hazel and Gold Designs
• Lightsaber Headboard – Mother Daughter Projects
• Wooden Star Wars Sign – Abbotts at Home

Here’s a list of my other Star Wars themed projects:

• How to build a Star Wars TIE Fighter Shelf
• TIE Fighter Shelf (The Force Awakens Edition)
• Star Wars Marquee Wall Art Tutorial
• BB-8 Push Toy
• Darth Vader Necklace
• Crochet Princess Leia Hat

DIY Star Wars Inspired End Table

Now, let’s get started!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.  If you purchase an item via one of these links, I’ll receive a small commission at no added cost to you.  This helps keep the content on the site free and I appreciate the support!

Tools and Supplies

The following items are the tools and supplies I gathered to build this Star Wars themed end table.

Tools

• Router
• Homemade Router Dado Jig (tutorial coming soon!)
• 3/4″ Dado Router Bit
• Up Spiral Router Bit
• Router Circle Jig (alternatively can use a jigsaw)
• Jointer
• Planer
• Circular Saw
• Silhouette (for cutting Rebel Symbol stencil)

Supplies

• Sheet of 3/4″ Plywood (1)
• 1″ x 6″ x 8′ (1)
• Wood glue
• Glitter
• Cardstock (for Rebel stencil)
• Red acrylic craft paint
• Paint brush
• Black paint
• Stain
• Sealer
• Mod Podge
• Clear Matte Spray
• Pour-on High Gloss Finish

Cut List

Project lumber

For ease of use, I cut the plywood into manageable chunks.

• 24″ x 48″ (2) – Plywood
• 20″ x 22″ (2) – Plywood
• 1×6 – 21″ (4)

Mill the 1×6 with a jointer and a planer prior to starting step 1.  For details on that process, check out my blog post on How to Make a Wooden Cutting Board.

How to build the Star Wars End Table

I have SketchUp plans in the works. This is something I hope to make available before the weekend is up.

Step 1: Glue up the 1×6 boards

1×6 edge jointed panel

First up, create a panel with the 1×6 boards. Glue the edges and clamp the boards together. After 15 minutes have passed, use a scraper to remove excess glue from the squeeze out.  Let the glue dry completely before removing the clamps.

Step 2: Create dados

I opted for dado joints for this project because alignment critical.  I felt a dado was the best form of joinery for the project.  I whipped up a little jig for my router to create dados.  The jig was inspired by a Popular Woodworking Magazine article.  You can read about it here.

On a quarter sheet of plywood mark off the center from the short side and long side.  Create a dado along the lines. Repeat this step for the other end of the quarter sheet of plywood.

At the midpoint of the 20” x 22” pieces of plywood, create a dado on each side.

Creating dados in plywood with a router

Step 3: Cut circles

With a router and a circle cutting jig, cut out 4 circles.  (Alternatively you can use a jigsaw.)

• 20″ diameter circle with the dados (2)
• 20″ diameter circle from the 1×6 panel (1)
• 19 1/2″ diameter circle (1)

Cut the 19 1/2″ circle into quarters.

All done cutting the circles. I finished cutting the other parts of this project too. Tomorrow I’ll assemble it. Hopefully everything will fit together. . #imnervous #notfeelingoptimistic #woodworking #woodwork #woodworker #dowoodworking #circle #circles #woodencircle #plywood #pine #garage #garageshop #sundayfunday

A post shared by Ashley Grenon (@handmadewithashley) on Apr 30, 2017 at 4:51pm PDT

Step 4: Notch out the table “legs”

Find the center of the 20″ x 22″ pieces of plywood and notch out a portion of the board to make a lap joint with the other table leg.

Plywood joint

Step 5: Assemble the table base

To assemble the table base:

1. Place 1 circle with dado side up on a flat surface.
2. Attach the legs.
3. Attach the base top.
4. Insert table shelves.

Use wood glue and clamps to secure the joints.

Assembling table base

Inserting table shelves

Table base assembled!

Step 6: Paint the base, stain the top

Painting the table base

Paint the base and seal it with your favorite sealer.

Table top stained with ECOS Paints Woodshield

Stain the table top.  I used ECOS Paints Woodshield (Pine Needles).

Step 7: Paint the Rebel Symbol

I used my Silhouette to create a Rebel stencil about 16″ in diameter.

Rebel Logo stencil

I traced an outline of the symbol and painted the symbol red.  Allow the paint to dry before continuing onto the next step.

Painted the rebel symbol red

Step 8: Add glitter

Add glitter to the Rebel symbol.  I used Mod Podge to adhere the glitter the table top. Once the Mod Podge dries, seal the glitter with a coat or two of clear matte spray finish.

It’s so shiny Getting close to finishing up this project! I should have started it a week ago. This top is the 2×6 I resawed earlier. I didn’t have any issues with it warping. I think that’s probably because that scrap has been sitting my garage for many months. . #rebel #starwars #starwarscrafts #starwarscraft #geek #geekcraft #geekywoodworking #woodworking #dowoodworking #woodworker #glitter #red #rebelsymbol #starwarsday #may4th #maythe4thebewithyou #maytheforcebewithyou #diy #handmadewithashley

A post shared by Ashley Grenon (@handmadewithashley) on May 3, 2017 at 10:12pm PDT

Step 9:  Coat the top with resin

Before applying resin, try to remove as much of the loose glitter as possible.  Mix the resin according to the package instructions and apply a coat to the surface of the table top.  Allow for it to completely cure before continuing onto the next step.

Pour-on resin

Resin applied to the table top

Step 10: Attach table top to table base

Secure the table top to the table base.

Resin cured.

Top secured to the table base

Step 11: Make it spin!

This step has not been implemented yet, but it is a modification to the project that I plan on making.

Star Wars Inspired End Table

If you build this Star Wars inspired end table, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @handmadewithashley or Twitter @handmadewithash.   I’d love to see your pictures!

DIY Star Wars Inspired End Table

DIY Star Wars Inspired End Table

DIY Star Wars Inspired End Table

Pin it!

Pin it! How to build a Star Wars Inspired End Table

I’m linkin up to:

• Kim Six Fix
• Remodelaholic
• Tater Tots and Jello

The post DIY Star Wars Themed End Table appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Storage Bench with D. Lawless Hardware – August’s FFFC

I have a bad habit of starting new projects before completing old projects.  About a year ago, I started to build a storage bench following plans by Ana White.  I was about half way done with the building portion of it when I stopped working on it.  I don’t recall what distracted me from completion, but it sat in my garage for months!

(Instagram informs me that I took this photo 52 weeks ago from today.  Yikes!)

Today I’m working on an entry way storage bench. I can’t wait to get this one done! #woodworking #krejjig #garageshop #shanty2chic #anawhite #sawdustfriday #pockethole #letsdothis #diy

A photo posted by Ashley Grenon (@handmadewithashley) on Aug 28, 2015 at 11:06am PDT

When I joined August’s Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest, I looked around the house for a piece of old furniture that could use some TLC.  I then got the idea of revisiting the bench project. Today, I will share the steps I took to build and finish the bench.  However before I begin, I want to first give the Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest and this month’s sponsor the proper introduction!

The Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest

Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest

The Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest is a monthly furniture decorating contest.  Each month there is a new theme and a new sponsor.  August’s theme is “class it up,” and August’s sponsor is D. Lawless Hardware!  D. Lawless Hardware has a huge selection of hardware for really good prices.

The Fab Furniture Flippin’ Hosts

The Storage Bench

I am really happy with the final look of the storage bench.  I used 4 large 2″ ring pulls from D. Lawless Hardware in the Dark Antique Bronze (item number P3031-DAB).

DIY Storage Bench with pulls from D. Lawless Hardware

Here’s a close up on the pulls:

Large 2″ Ring Pulls (Dark Antique Bronze) from D. Lawless Hardware

DIY Storage Bench

Building the Bench

I closely followed Ana White’s plans for the Alexia Storage bench.

Bench sides assembled

Attaching the bench back

Attaching a decorative trim

Finishing the Bench

Once the surface of the bench was prepped, I stained the seat portion of the bench with Danish Oil (Dark Walnut) and I painted the bottom portion of the bench with an off-white color.

I forgot to precondition the wood before staining and I was a little worried about the appearance, but I have successfully convinced myself it gives the bench a lot of character.

That moment when you realize you forgot to precondition the wood before staining. I keep telling myself it gives it character. #almostdone #diy #woodworking #thatmomentwhen #diyfurniture #woodwork #woodworker #wood #kregjig #anawhite #shanty2chic #danishoil #watco #furniture #buildersgonnabuild #buildallthethings #storagebench #bench

A photo posted by Ashley Grenon (@handmadewithashley) on Aug 25, 2016 at 6:35pm PDT

Installing the Hardware

After the finish dried, I installed drawer slides for the drawers and installed the ring pulls.

Trying to decided on where to place the pulls

Drilled holes for installing the ring pulls

DIY Storage Bench with D. Lawless Hardware – August’s FFFC

DIY Storage Bench

DIY Storage Bench

DIY Storage Bench

DIY Storage Bench with pulls from D. Lawless Hardware

The post DIY Storage Bench with D. Lawless Hardware – August’s FFFC appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Bailey Console (The Instagram Builders Challenge)

On Monday, I finished building a Bailey console for the Instagram Builders Challenge.  Raechal from Desert Woodworks organized the challenge.  Ana White and David Sheinkopf were judges for the challenge.  Ana created plans for the console, and contestants had 3 weeks to build the console.

The challenge’s sponsors are:

Have you signed up yet?!? Registration closes on June 20th so go register now at @desertwoodwrks #diyfurniturenation #makersgonnamake #builderschallenge

A photo posted by Ana White (@anawhitediy) on Jun 15, 2016 at 11:49am PDT

I really enjoyed participating in the challenge. I had so much fun following along with everyone’s progress via the #igbuilderschallenge hashtag.

Today, I want to share with you the steps I took to build my console for the challenge.

Disclosure:  This post contains some affiliate links.

Tools and Supplies

The following items are some of the tools and supplies I gathered to build the console.  For a complete listing of what is required, check out Ana White’s plans for the console. (Which at the time of me writing this is not available, but I think she will release them soon!)  Plans are available here!

Tools

• Circular Saw
• Kreg Jig
• Kreg Right Angle clamps (I adore these clamps, a must if you use pocket hole joints)
• Orbital Sander
• Brad Nailer

Supplies

• ECOS Paints WoodShield (Special Walnut)
• ECOS Paints WoodShield Satin Varnish
• Behr Mint Parfait
• Bi-fold door hinges
• Cabinet door hinges
• Wood glue

Building the Console

Step 1: Cut the lumber

For this build I was able to avoid a lumber trip.  All of the boards came from my lumber rack.  I ripped a sheet of plywood with my VersaCut and made all of the other cuts with my Japanese handsaws.

Ripping plywood with the Rockwell VersaCut

Boards cut with a Japanese handsaw and saw guide

Step 2: Create pocket holes

Next, I used the Kreg Jig pocket hole system and drilled pocket holes on the boards.

Pocket holes created with a Kreg Jig K5

Step 3: Assemble the console

First up, I assembled the console’s frames.  Instead of creating a console with drawers, I opted for a console with a shelf and bi-fold doors.

Console’s frame

Console shelf attached

Cuts for the console’s doors

Step 4:  Fill in the pocket holes and sand

Once the console was assembled, I filled in the pocket holes with wood filler.  I then cycled through several grits of sand paper to prep the surface for painting and staining.

Step 5: Stain, paint and seal

I stained the top of the console with ECOS Paints Woodshield in Special Walnut.  The base of the console was painted with Behr’s Mint Parfait.  I stained the console top prior to attaching it to the base.

Priming the console

Staining the console’s top

Behr’s Mint Parfait

Painting the console’s base

Step 6: Install the doors

This was the trickiest of all the steps, because this is the first project where I had to install door hardware.  I purchased 4 door knobs from Anthropologie.

Glass melon knobs from Anthropologie

I made a little progress during my lunch break. Just gotta install the doors #diy #woodworking #diyfurniture #kregjig #buildersgonnabuild #buildallthethings #anawhite #console #woodworker #diyblogger #buildlikeagirl #igbuilderschallenge #itscrunchtime #procrastinationprobs

A photo posted by Ashley Grenon (@handmadewithashley) on Jul 11, 2016 at 10:49am PDT

DIY Bailey Console

DIY Bailey Console (The Instagram Builders Challenge)

DIY Bailey Console (The Instagram Builders Challenge)

The post DIY Bailey Console (The Instagram Builders Challenge) appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Apothecary Console

Hello everyone, today I want to share with you my latest creation: a media console!  Several months ago, my sister approached me with the request of helping her build a media console for her home.  She found plans by Ana White for the Apothecary Cabinet Console.  We left off the doors and drawers in favor of having open shelves.  We worked on this project over the course of several weekends and my sister is very happy with the final result!

My TV Stand! #anawhiteplans #kregjig #minwaxstain #jacobean #coffeeglaze

A photo posted by LifeStyleW/Brit (@lifestylewithbrit) on Jun 16, 2016 at 6:50am PDT

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links.

Tools and Supplies

The following items are some of the tools and supplies we gathered to build the Apothecary Console.  For a complete listing of what is required, check out Ana White’s plans for the console.

Tools

• Circular Saw
• Kreg Jig
• Kreg Right Angle clamps (I adore these clamps, a must if you use pocket hole joints)
• Orbital Sander
• Brad Nailer

Supplies

• Minwax Wood Stain (Jacobean)  (This is the same color we used to stain her rustic coffee table.)
• ECOS Paints WoodShield Satin Varnish

The top of the console is pine and the base is built from MDF.
 

Building the Console

Step 1: Cut the lumber

First up, we cut down all the lumber with my mini circular saw.

The lumber is cut

Step 2:  Create pocket holes

Next up, we used the Kreg Jig pocket hole system and drilled pocket holes on the boards.

Kreg Jig pocket holes

Step 3: Assemble the console

Next we began to assemble the console piece by piece.  The Kreg right angle clamps were incredibly useful at this step.

Attaching the first pieces

Adding one more board

Adding two more boards

Getting closer

Step 4:  Fill in the pocket holes and sand

Once the console was assembled, we filled in the pocket holes with wood filler.  We then cycled through several grits of sand paper to prep the surface for painting and staining.

Catching up on the queue of projects. Once I’m caught up I hope I never start a new project without finishing an old one! #diy #woodworking

A photo posted by Ashley Grenon (@handmadewithashley) on Feb 13, 2016 at 2:06pm PST

Step 5: Stain, paint, and seal

We stained the top of the console with Minwax Wood Stain in Jacobean.  The base of the console was painted white.  We stained the console top prior to attaching it to the base.

Console base painted white

Attaching the top of the console

The apothecary console was sealed with a few coats of ECOS Paints WoodShield Satin varnish.

DIY Apothecary Console

DIY media console

DIY media console

Pin it to Pinterest!

FOLLOW ME on Pinterest.

DIY TV Console

The post DIY Apothecary Console (Plans by Ana White) appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Rustic Console Tutorial

Hello, everyone! Today I want to share with you my latest creation: a rustic console!  This is a pretty easy build that you could knock out in couple weekends.  Follow along for steps on how to build one of your own!

Rustic Console model

(For sneak peeks on upcoming projects follow me on Facebook and Instagram!)

DIY Rustic Console

Disclosure:  This post contains some affiliate links.

Tools and Supplies

The following items are some of the tools and supplies I gathered to build the rustic console:

Tools

• Handsaw (or any saw of your choice)
• Jigsaw
• Kreg Jig
• Drill
• Driver
• Orbital sander
• Belt sander
• Various clamps

Supplies

• ECOS Paints Woodshield Stain (Pine Needles)
• ECOS Paints Woodshield Varnish (Satin)
• Various grits of sandpaper
• Foam brushes

Lumber

• 1x6x10 (3)
• 1x4x10 (3)
• 1x8x6 (1)
• 1x2x8 (1)

My current passenger. #diy #woodworking

A photo posted by Ashley Grenon (@handmadewithashley) on Mar 11, 2016 at 8:43am PST

The estimated price of all the supplies and lumber is roughly $150.

Cut List

• A) 1×2 – 14 1/2″ (4)
• B) 1×4 – 43 1/4″ (2)
• C) 1×4 – 43″ (2)
• D) 1×4 – 28 3/4″ (4)
• E) 1×4 – 14 1/4″ (2)
• F) 1×6 – 48″ (2)
• G) 1×6 – 43 1/4″ (4)
• H) 1×8 – 48″ (1)

Lumber cut into the appropriate sizes

How to build a Rustic Console

For this project, I finally sat down and learned how to create models in SketchUp!  You can download the PDF woodworking plans for the console here.

If you’re interested in learning SketchUp, I highly recommend the video tutorials by Matthias at Woodworking for Engineers.

Step 1:  Taper the table legs (optional)

If you would like to add a little flair to your console, taper the ends of each table leg (board D) with a jigsaw.

Tapering the table legs with a jigsaw

Step 2:  Create pocket holes

I used a Kreg Jig pocket hole system for a majority of the joints in this project.  Drill pocket holes in the locations indicated on the diagrams.

Drilling pocket holes

Step 3:  Assemble the console legs.

Assemble the table legs

To form a pair of table legs, sandwich board E between boards D.  Offset board E 1″ from the edge of board D.  Repeat.

Assembling the table legs

Step 4: Connect the pair of legs with an apron

Attach the aprons

Connect the pair of legs together with boards C.  This will form the frame of the console.

Rustic console frame

Step 5: Attach shelf supports

Attach the shelf supports

Attach the shelf supports (boards A) to each pair of legs.  Attach the shelf supports adjacent to the inside edge of the table leg pairs.  The first set of shelf supports are placed 13 3/4″ from the top of the leg.  The second set of shelf supports are placed 25 1//2″ from the top of the leg.

Attaching the shelf supports

Step 6: Edge join the console shelves

Create the top shelf by edge joining boards F and H together.  Board H should be in the middle.

Create the two lower shelves by joining boards G and B together.  Board B should be in the middle.

Gluing up the shelves

If neccessary, use a belt sander to smooth down the  joints.

Step 7:  Attach the console frame to the top shelf

Attach the top shelf

Attach the top shelf to the console frame.

Attaching the top shelf

Step 8:  Attach the lower shelves to the console frame

Attach the lower shelves

Attaching the lower shelves

I made some great progress on the console. Up next: sanding! Has anyone used a scraper? I think I may try one in the future. #woodworking #diy #warpedwood #kregjig #buildallthethings #buildsomething #wood #furniture #diyblogger #diyfurniture

A photo posted by Ashley Grenon (@handmadewithashley) on Mar 15, 2016 at 9:42am PDT

Step 9: Sand, stain and seal!

Thoroughly sand the console.  Use your favorite stain and sealer to finish the console.

Staining the rustic console

I used ECOS Paints Woodshield stain (Pine Needles) and satin sealer.

DIY Rustic Console

If you build a rustic console, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @handmadewithashley or Twitter @handmadewithash.   I’d love to see your pictures!

DIY Rustic Console

DIY Rustic Console

DIY Rustic Console

DIY Rustic Console

The post DIY Rustic Console Tutorial (FREE Plans) appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

May’s Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest – Chevron Barstool makeover with Country Chic paints

I had a barstool sitting in my garage collecting dust for the past year.  It was a cheap generic barstool and the result of a failed furniture flip.  (I did a poor job prepping the surface and the paint peeled.)

Before the second flip

I decided to revist the project for this month’s Fab Furniture Flippin contest.

Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest

The Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest is a monthly furniture decorating contest.  Each month there is a new theme and a new sponsor.  May’s theme is “bling bling,” and May’s sponsor is Country Chic Paint!

Country Chic Paints

Country Chic Paints are eco-friendly, and designed for people who love to refinish furniture and home decor!

Our fab hosts

May’s fab hosts are Carrie from Thirty Eight Street and Thea from Sweet Tea Refinishings. Our fab hosts kicked off this month’s contest with blinged pieces of their own. Be sure to check out Carrie’s and Thea’s furniture flips. If you are a blogger and you are interested in participating in future contests, please send an email to info@fabfurnitureflippincontest.com.

Fab Flipping the Barstool

Here are the steps I took to updated the look of the barstool.

Step 1:  Prep the surface of the stool

First up, I sanded the surface of the stool with 220 grit sand paper removing.  I followed up a coat of primer.

Prepping forthe barstool makeover

Step 2:  Paint the surface with a base coat

Next up I applied two layers of Country Chic Paint’s All-in-One Decor paint.  I used Sea Storm.  The paint was easy to apply and I love the color of the blue.

Painting the stool with Sea Storm Country Chic Paint

Step 3:  Paint the feet of the stool

I really like this little touch.  Tape off about 2 inches from the bottom of each leg, and paint the “feet” with the metallic cream.  I used Country Chic Paint’s Silver Bullet.

Painting the feet of the barstool

Step 4: Create a chevron pattern on the seat of the stool

I used painter’s tape, a X-acto knife and a straight edge to create the chevron pattern on the top of the stool.

Applying a chevron pattern to the stool

Finally, I applied the metallic cream to the exposed areas on the top of the stool.

Chevron Barstool Makeover

I am happy with the barstool’s updated look!

Chevron barstool makeover with Country Chic Paints

The post Chevron Barstool Makeover – May’s FFFC appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Stuffed Animal Storage

What’s a DIY blogger’s worst fear? Losing all her in progress photos! I recently wrapped up building a wooden stuffed animal zoo (and unfortunately, I suffered from a bit of memory loss).  I built the toy storage following free plans by Ana White!  I also followed Jamie at That’s My Letter’s blog post on her build of the toy storage.  This is a really easy project, and you should be able to knock it out in one weekend.

(For sneak peeks on upcoming projects follow me on Facebook and Instagram!)

Stuffed Animals

Empty Stuffed Animal Zoo

How to Build A Wooden Stuffed Animal Zoo

As I mentioned earlier, I lost most of my in progress photos.  *insert sad face* Once you have the frame of the toy zoo built, sanded, stained (or painted) and sealed it’s time to add the hardware and rope!  This was actually the hardest part of the entire project for me.

For the finish, I used ECOS Paints Woodshield Stain (Special Walnut) and Varnish (Satin).

Install the Eye Screws

You will want to have a pair of pliers on hand for screwing in the eye screws.  By the time I reached the last eye screw, my hands were pretty sore.

Screw eyes for supporting the rope

Eye screws inserted from a far

String and secure the rope

I cut four pieces of rope (one for each side), looped it through the eyes of the screws, and secured each end with a rope clamp.  Closing the clamps was a bit of a tedious process.  In hindsight, I think I would have used one long piece of rope so I would only need to secure two ends.

Rope and rope clamps

My son thinks the toy zoo could double as a jungle gym

Rope installed and secured

DIY Wooden Stuffed Animal Zoo Storage

This wooden zoo is a really nice way to store your little one’s stuffed animals!

My stuffed Domo-kun collection

An empty zoo

DIY Stuffed Animal Storage

DIY Stuffed Animal Zoo Toy Storage

The post DIY Stuffed Animal Storage (Plans by Ana White) appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

Poang Makeover

Painted Poang Makeover

I enjoy lounging around in my IKEA Poang. It has served me well over the past couple of years, however, there has always been one thing I didn’t like about it:  it’s a little bland in appearance and I enjoy colorful things.   This month I participated in a furniture decorating contest, and I used the opportunity to give my little chair a pop of color!  Today, I want to share with you the steps I took to update its look.  However before I get started, I want to introduce you to the Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest!

The Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest is a monthly furniture decorating contest.  Each month there is a new theme and a new sponsor.  February’s theme is “Make a Statement,” and February’s sponsor is DecoArt!

DecoArt

DecoArt carries a huge range of paint products!  If you are a crafter or a DIYer or a fine artist or a mixed media artist, they got you covered.  (I love their Triple Thick Gloss Glaze!  I used it to seal the bowling pins for my scrap wood bowling lane project.)

February’s fab hosts are Carrie from Thirty Eighth Street and Charlotte from Ciburbanity. Our fab hosts kicked off this month’s contest with amazing pieces of their own. Be sure to check out Carrie’s and Charlotte’s furniture flips. If you are a blogger and you are interested in participating in future contests, please send an email to info@fabfurnitureflippincontest.com.

The Poang Makeover

The original Poang

I like the natural appearance of the Poang, but I really wanted it to have a bit of color.  The happy medium I reached was to paint the Poang’s edges and leave the other areas unpainted.

I removed the chair’s cushion and got to work!

Poang Frame

Each contestant in this month’s competition received up to 2 jars of DecoArt’s Chalky Finish Paint and a jar of their finishes.  For my fab flip I chose Fortune and Heritage.

DecoArt Chalk Paints

I first painted the edges of the Poang with a few coats of Fortune chalky paint.

Painted the Poang sides green

Once the edges dried, I used a stencil to paint a pattern on the chair’s frame.  Here I alternated between Fortune and Heritage.  The chair’s home is in the playroom, so I choose a pattern that felt fun.

Painting with a stencil

The new look works the space, but in hindsight I wish I painted the entire chair a solid color, maybe in Smitten. It’s a pretty pink color.

Painted Poang Chair Makeover

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DIY Herringbone End Table Makeover

When I moved out of my parents home, I received a set of old furniture they purchased when I was an infant:  a coffee table, an end table, an old sofa set.  The coffee table had a  recent makeover.   It was past time for the end table to receive a fresh start too!  Today, I want to share with you the steps I took to update its look.  However before I get started, I want to introduce you to the Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest!

The Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest is a monthly furniture decorating contest.  Each month there is a new theme and a new sponsor.  January’s theme is “a fresh start,” and January’s sponsor is General Finishes!

General Finishes carries a nice variety of water based and oil based finishes.  They are best known for their gel stains.  Each participant received one quart of a General Finishes chalk paint, and the winner will receive a full case of General Finishes products!  General Finishes was September’s fab sponsor as well.  I participated in that month’s contest and painted a kids art table with their milk paint.

January’s fab hosts are Stacey from Anastasia Vintage  and Evey from Evey’s Creations. Our fab hosts kicked off this month’s contest with freshened pieces of their own. Be sure to check out Stacy’s and Evey’s furniture flips. If you are a blogger and you are interested in participating in future contests, please send an email to info@fabfurnitureflippincontest.com.

End table before the makeover

I painted the end table with a few coats of General Finishes Key West Blue chalk paint.    It is a light, soft blue.  It is a very pretty color.   The chalk paint was really easy to work with and had good coverage.

I created a herringbone pattern on the table top with white chalk paint.

End table after makeover

Herringbone end table makeover

Fab Flipping the End Table

Here are the steps I took to freshen up the look of the end table.

Step 1:  Prep the surface of the table.

Before painting, I sanded down the surface of the table with 220 grit sandpaper.

Sanding down an old end table for this month’s Fab Furniture Flippin Contest. It’s cold outside! I need to invest in a good pair of warm working gloves and a patio heater. Brrrrrr. #babyitscoldoutside #fabflippincontest #fabfurnitureflippincontest #fffc #furnituremakeover #sanding

A photo posted by Ashley (@handmadewithashley) on Jan 18, 2016 at 8:40am PST

Step 2:  Cover the end table with a few layers of chalk paint.

I applied 3 coats of chalk paint to the surface of the end table.

General Finishes Key West Blue Chalk Paint

Step 3:  Create a herringbone pattern with tape and white chalk paint.

I wanted to create a pattern on the table top’s to make it more visually interesting.  I settled with creating a herringbone pattern.

1. First, I taped off the perimeter of the table’s top
2. I used tape to divide the table top into 4 portions
3. I taped off diagonals, 3 inches apart
4. Finally, I painted the appropriate sections

Taping and painting a herringbone pattern

Step 5:  Seal the deal!

Once all the paint dried, I sealed the table with a satin varnish.

Herringbone End Table Makeover

I am super happy with the end table’s new look.  I hesistated using the Key West Blue chalk paint because light blue is a little out of my comfort zone but I loved how this color turned.  It really fits the piece.

Herringbone end table General Finishes chalk paint makeover

My husband really likes the blue too.

DIY Herringbone End Table Makeover

I’m linking up to:

• The DIY Showoff
• Home Stories A to Z

The post Herringbone End Table Makeover – January’s FFFC appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.