How To: Custom Bench

Here is how to create the custom bench as found in "Take a Tour: The Girl's Bedroom (closet)."  Sorry...I did this project quite a while ago so I don't have all the steps in picture form.  Enjoy my attempt to "remake" steps.  Remember, I had all of the supplies/materials and tools on hand so it cost me = FREE

1. I cut a ply wood (FREE) for the seat to the length I needed (to fit between the shelves).  The wood was 1.5 inches thick and 9.5 inches wide (that's how I got it...nothing special).

2. Then I wrapped it like a present with batting (which I already had-FREE) and scrap material from a previous project (FREE).  I used my staple gun to tack it down.

3. I already had the wood for the legs.  They were reclaimed from a previous project.  They were previously 4x4 fence posts (I had used it as legs for a short kids table for a party).

4. I cut a piece of ply board (1/2 inch tick-left over from another free project)

5. and screwed the legs to the board. 

(I hope you can see it below the legs of the bench...

that brown part sandwiched between the seat and the legs).

I did it this way because I wrapped the seat first (yes, on purpose). 

I needed the legs to be as far out as possible for balance, so I had to attach it last.

 6. Then I screwed the plywood piece to the seat section. 

Tada...Custom Bench

Cost? FREE

I'll probably end up painting the legs to match the girls room...

...when I kick it up a level.

For now...it's functional so it works;)

Mileka:)

Take a Tour: The Girls Bedroom (Closet)

 

Total $6

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This is a work in progress!  We have all 4 girls sharing the same room.  They refuse to sleep apart from each other (oh...how cute!).  But...this makes their room a challenge.  Things can get pretty dangerous in a short amount of time.  If you have girls you know what I mean.  Being extremely busy also makes getting projects done (like the girl's room) a challenge, so I do what I can here and there.  I want to keep their room simple....no, I need to keep their room simple or it looks like a hurricane dropped in for a play date. 

1.  We removed the closet doors to create more space in the room.

DOOR REMOVAL = FREE

2.  I put up a "window treatment" on their closet to hide the junk on the upper closet shelf.   

I used the curtain rod from their window. 

"WINDOW TREATMENT" = $2 (Goodwill-Dollar Day)

3. I created a desk area using interlocking cubes and the side railing of a bed frame.  The bed frame was free & I had everything I needed to put it together.

DESK TOP = FREE

CUBES = $4 (Garage Sale)

CUSTOM DESK TOTAL = $4

4. The desk needed storage so I used plastic tubs I already had. 

I put numbers on the boxes because 

each child has an assigned number-assigned by birth order.  

I found the number stickers in a pile of free stuff left out on some one's sidewalk.
STORAGE = FREE

5. The girls needed something to sit on so I made a bench that would fit under the desk when not in use. 

I already had all the materials needed for the project.

CUSTOM BENCH = FREE

GIRL'S ROOM CLOSET:

"Window treatment" = $2

Custom desk = $4

Storage bins = FREE

Custom bench = FREE

TOTAL = $6

This is what it is so far. 

I have plans to do more as time permits. 

You will see posts about their room (in the future).

The Girl's Room...to be continued!

Mileka:)