DIY Pallet Bench

I have like pallets on pallets on pallets right now and have been in search of ways to turn them into furniture or functional pieces.

So I found this....

From here 

...and thought, I can definitely make that. Just cut a pallet in half, add legs, add support and you've got yourself a bench.

Supply list:

For the Bench:
-1 decent, not rotted, pallet
-2x4 left-over pieces in our garage
- 3" wood screws
-Power drill
-Primer (like my go-to Zinsser 123 for all surfaces)
-Paint brush
-Interior Paint + Primer (left over from painting walls in our house)

 For the Cushions:
-3 yards duck cloth fabric ($15) or buy king-size pillow cases you like
-2 king-size pillows (from Ross, $17 for the pair)

Happy crafting!

Cool Trunk Turns Side Table

I love rethinking the use of everyday objects and re-purposing them into something else useful.

I was handed down this really pretty silver and gold trunk and for years I used it as my living room coffee table. Once I had more space, I obviously needed a bigger coffee table and began to brain storm on how I could make use of this trunk. It was too pretty to just put in the closet.

Then I came across this....

From this blog

 You just add pretty feet to the trunk's bottom and voila! Table. I don't like all my furniture to be super matchy-matchy, but let them compliment each other.  This trunk is perfect for our guest room as a bed side table since the color scheme is pretty, but earthy and a metallic accessory would be the cherry on top.

I used the legs that were cut off left-overs from my crate coffee table project and just so happened to be the perfect height of 4 inches. I attached them with super glue... no lie... and that was that. Super easy, functional for pillow/ blanket storage, and a little metallic flair all in one. You can find wheels or legs at any Home Depot or Lowes and make the table as tall as you'd like.

Had I purchased legs specifically for the trunk, I would've needed to drill holes in the bottom for the legs to screw into and reinforced stability with super glue. I may be doing this in the near future to a couple other trunks I have :)


I hope this inspires you to remake something in your own home

Cheers

DIY Crate Coffee Table

Have you seen this floating around in the Pinterest world?

How pretty and different! It reminded me of some things I've seen at Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware, but what a home run of a deal costing a grand total of $60 or less!! Compare that to $350 (on the cheap end) at any retailer.

I HAD to make this... obvi. It's just too cute and easy and I followed the steps above minus the stencil design.

Shopping List:

-4 Crates: 10/ ea at Michael's Craft Store or FREE if you ask your local liquor store.

-Reclamed wood. Mine was free pallet wood from the curb, but you can ask a local store for a free pallet or buy wood at Home Depot/ Lowes

- Minwax Stain. I prefer dark like Ebony or Jacobean. $27, but a little goes a long way

-Legs or wheels. Mine were 3 ea.

-Paint Brush

- 1 3/4 inch Wood screws

-Power Drill

-Dremel or saw to cut the center pieces and base from the pallet wood

1. Assemble Crates with wood screws

Arrange the crates like the above pictures and screw together. I used 4 per crate, but fasten how you deem fit so they make 1 sturdy piece all together.

2. Cut pallet wood to make base and center

I measured the base of the 4 crates (that are all now one single piece) and cut my pallet boards so that they can be fastened around the perimeter of the base. This helps elevate the table a bit and gives you a strong base to which you'll attach the legs.

At this stage you have a whole in the center of the table, which would look fine if you left it as is. You could always cover it with a pretty tray. I chose to add the 2 cut wood pieces so it can act as a surface as I planned on filling the cubby with wine corks. You could also attach them to where they'd be flush with the crates on top to create a flat surface.... so many options! 

3. Attach Legs/ Wheels

There are tons of options when it comes to furniture legs and the prices can range from $1.50- $30/ leg or wheel. Mine were $3 each and I actually ended up cutting off 1/3 of each one as I didn't like how high it made the table. I then used those left over leg cuttings to add to a cool silver trunk in our guest room to make a side table. Hardly anything goes to waste in our house :)

4. Stain

I love to see a stain bring out the natural beauty of the wood grain. You could choose to paint the table with latex paint, but I preferred the stained look.... it's more Pottery Barn and looks expensive when it's complete :) Let the stain dry a few days so it has plenty of time to set.

Here is my work in progress:

Once the stain is dry, bring your work of art inside and add your wine corks or books/ candles and make it your own.

Happy Crafting!

Dining Set Makeover

I was very blessed to have a loving grandmother who passed down most of her furniture to me which was a huge money-saver when my husband and I moved into our new home last year. One of the pieces was a dining set with which we shared family dinners and sweet memories as far back as I can remember. Selling/ giving it away now just wasn't an option for me, but it really needed an update. The table is solid wood except for the table top which is some kind of particle wood with laminate glued on and the chairs are solid wood and early-American style.

I turned to Pinterest, naturally, and fell in love with these photos and knew I had to have that color combo.

My supply list:
-All-surface primer like Zinsser 123 primer (for table), spray paint primer/color in 1 for chairs (for convenience)
-Stain Stripper and plastic flat-edged tool (if your table is stained)
- Flat Cream chalk paint (used paint I already had and bought the chalk additive for a        FRACTION of the chalk paint cost! It has to be FLAT though... no gloss or satin)
-Bunishing Glaze like this one from etsy
-Glidden Sample size paint in Stewart House Brown. Cheap and didn't even need the whole thing!

***I was so excited to start the project that I completely forgot to do a before pic, but I have a few pictures along the way :)***

1. Strip stain
Brush on stain stipper with a paint brush and let sit for a minimum of 30 minutes, then scrape off with flat-edged tool. The stain will easily peel away if it's set for long enough. This method is SO much easier, in my opinion, than sanding.

Wipe table down with damp cloth once all the stain is removed to assure table is clean of stain solution.


2. Prime
Apply primer with paint brush or roller. The primer will set after a couple hours, but I suggest to let it at least sit over night.


3. Paint
I painted the table's top first so I could easily correct any drips/ mistakes with the cream paint when I did the bottom half.

Here's a progress pic.... the curtains are another DIY that you can find here :)

4. Apply Wax
The wax does 2 things: Protects your paint from every day use and alters the color/ look of the paint.
I used a damp rag and a little wax goes a long way. Just dab and smear it around until you've achieved the look you want. The top color won't look much different but make sure you give it a good even coat since this surface will get the most wear.

For the chairs, once they're dried from the spray paint coats, apply the wax in the same fashion OR you can find pretty chairs for a GREAT deal at retail stores such as Marshall's, Ross, or At Home aka Garden Ridge.



Finished product:

I couldn't part with my chairs quite yet, but I'm in love with the mix of curved benches and banquet chairs pictured below. Maybe one day :)

This is just step one in our dining room makeover as I have so many other DIY's in mind.... watch out for those posts in the future!

Happy crafting!