Anyone with a home has spent time envisioning the
furniture that will someday go inside. You spend time flipping through
countless catalogues, scrolling through pages and pages of design blogs,
even strolling through furniture stores.
But sometimes you can't find what you want at the right price. You can, however, make it yourself.
Building your own furniture might seem intimidating, but many
do-it-yourself fans claim that when you break it down, these projects
can be relatively simple.
It all starts with a plan.
Because the plan is key and drafting your own plan is more complex,
many first-time furniture builders might feel more comfortable turning
to professionals. Luckily, you can commission furniture plans from a
carpenter for more extensive projects, buy some online, check out a
building book or find a DIY expert that's crafted furniture before to
help you out. The experts at a home supplies store can even pre-cut wood
for you and help walk you through simpler projects, like building a
shelf.
(Photo: Bill Vuehlke, (Ridiculously Simple Furniture Projects)Or
you can turn to the queen of do-it-yourself furniture plans, Ana White,
an Alaskan mom whose more than 650 plans are available for free. Just
type "build your own furniture" into Google and her plans will pop up.
White was inspired by Pottery Barn, but the furniture giant doesn't
ship to White's remote home in Alaska. So she made her own. Many of her
plans are direct copies of designer furniture, and you can see the
stunning finished projects all over her blog.
"If you have the confidence, that's where it all starts," White said. "Having a DIY spirit and having a desire to do it."
For Spike Carlsen, a carpenter and author of "Ridiculously Simple
Furniture Projects," the furniture you see in magazines really is not
difficult to do on your own.
"If you study things and just plan one step ahead it's amazing what people can build," he said.
His leaning ladder bookcase project copies a design frequently seen by major furniture chains,
only it doesn't cost $350. The bookcase is made of standard-size lumber
and uses just three tools: a jigsaw, a hammer and a drill. His
project's total cost is just $30.
For less than $100, you can build Ana White's version of a farmhouse table seen at Anthropologie,
which retails for $2,000. Wood and screws are all you need to complete
this
project. Because the modern farmhouse table is supposed to look
rustic, you can even leave a natural finish on the wood and it will
still look exactly like the original design.
Or if you like a style, like the popular apothecary dressers,
but don't need dressers, you can spin them into a something you do
need, like a TV stand. The key to making this project shine is finish,
as it is with many projects, White said.
Designer furniture is often made of high-quality wood that has been
finished to perfection. Take a photo of the project you're trying to
copy to your local home center and ask them how they can help you
achieve the finish you're looking for.
If you're really having trouble wrapping your mind around the idea of
building your own furniture or you're worried about finishing, start
simple. Go to a yard sale
and buy some old furniture to refinish. That will help you gain some
confidence and knowledge on finishes before you start working on your
own furniture.
Try a wipe on polyurethane and a high gloss to maintain the wood's
natural look. Otherwise try a rich stain to add match the color you're
seeing in the magazine. You could also paint the wood, especially if
you're using a cheaper wood, and sand the edges to give it a more
vintage look.
"People are often too hard on themselves," she said. "It isn't about
this project being absolutely perfect. It's about the end result. You
are, for a small fraction of retail price, improving your home and
storage functionality. It's about the big picture."
http://homes.yahoo.com/blogs/project-center/diy-versions-designer-furniture-144059819.html
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