How to Best Arrange a Living Room with TV and Fireplace
Finding the perfect furniture layout for a sitting room can be tricky. Determining the right place for your furniture while ensuring your fireplace is the center of attention, is key. And then the question comes in…where do I place my TV? Do I opt for a...
How to Build the Restoration Hardware Heston Desk
One of my most asked about builds is this DIY modern wood desk. This desk is a real beaut and a real conversation starter. But the best part… it’s another easy build for less than $200 vs. the $2000 you’ll pay in the store! So, let’s get...
Easy How to Build a Mid Century Modern DIY Platform Bed
MID CENTURY MODERN DIY PLATFORM BED I have built a lot of furniture, but never have I ever, built a bed!! To walk into our newly remodeled master bedroom and know that I have literally built every single thing in there, is an amazing feeling of accomplishment! This...
4 Advantages of Buying Leather Furniture
Ever since the old days, leather has been a valued commodity, sought after for advantageous properties that nothing else could provide. The earliest, most simple furniture was probably an animal skin on the ground to provide man a warmer, more comfortable spot to sit...
Easy How to Build an End Table Using Only 2×4’s | Free Plans
See just how simple it is to build an end table. Follow my easy step-by-step tutorial on how to build an end table. A few weeks ago, I shared the coffee table I built for my son and his new bride. Today, I’m sharing how to build an end table to match that...
Easy Steps for How to Build a Modern Bench
Wrapping up our 2-week bench series with a simple wood bench DIY. Last week I shared how to build a bench with purchased legs. This week I’m sharing how to build a bench AND legs. Such a super-easy build! And like I said last week, if you can build a...
Easy How to Build a Bench with Purchased Legs
Today I’m coming at you with a two-week “How to build a bench” series. I have built several tables and benches and want to share with you just how simple they are to build. I thought we would start with the bench and next month I’ll share a...
How to Get a Straight Edge on a 2×4 Piece of Wood
In most all of my furniture build tutorials, I encourage you to get rid of the manufactured edge on all of your boards. Ripping all of the boards down to a different width and making them a straight edge, gives your furniture a more finished look. Today, I want to...
Easy How to Build DIY Arched Bookshelves: Step By Step Guide
My daughter has been asking for bookshelves in her bedroom since early last year. Seeing the Ikea Furniture Billy Bookcases, turned DIY arched bookshelves, all over Pinterest, I was in love. I knew just the style to build for her room. But how difficult would it be to...
My Top Building Projects of 2023
I never imagined building furniture and DIY projects would be such an incremental part of my life. Following my husband’s wakeboarding accident, Pinterest was just hitting the stage. With lots of hours spent in therapy waiting rooms, I had a lot of time on my...
Easy How to Build a DIY Built In Mudroom Bench
A few years ago, I decided to tackle a project that would bring more order to my home. The constant mess of backpacks, coats, shoes, and kids’ stuff strewn all over was getting to me. Our mudroom serves as the entry point from the garage to the kitchen. While...
Easy Guide on How to Sand Wood for a Smooth Finish
Ok, I’m just going to put it out there before starting this post all about, how to sand wood for a smooth finish. I loathe sanding. I think I literally say that every time I get to the stage of sanding. BUT I love a silky smooth finish! So, in the end it’s...
How to Build a Modern Coffee Table-Pottery Barn Dupe
As usual, when looking for a modern coffee table build, I perused Pinterest for the perfect fit. Usually when I don’t find anything that catches my eye there, I search my favorite furniture stores for ideas. My go-to’s Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel,...
Choosing The Right Outdoor Patio Furniture to Fit Your Style
With so many options available, choosing the perfect patio furniture can be a daunting task. Where do you even begin? In this article, I’ll walk you through the process of choosing the right patio furniture to fit your style. With so many factors to consider,...
A Year in Review-Top 5 Furniture Builds of 2022
Where it all began. Furniture builds. Building furniture was my therapy following my husband’s life-changing wakeboarding accident. As I share in my About Me page, (you can find my full story here) I never in a million years imagined this would be the path...
How to Build a Modern End Table-Pottery Barn Dupe
As promised, this week I’m sharing my Pottery Barn-inspired Modern End Table. This beauty matches perfectly with my modern coffee table I shared last week. You can get the plans for that build here. But just to recap, here’s a quick view of the coffee...
How to Build a Mid Century Modern Slatted Bench
MODERN SLATTED BENCH Last week I shared how to build a modern dining table inspired by a recent West Elm Collection. After building this beautiful table, I knew I had to build a bench to match its mid century modern style. With two key features for the bench to...
Easy How to Build MCM Nightstands Topper
Last week I shared how to build the mid century modern nightstand I built for my master bedroom. As promised, this week I’m sharing the topper you can add to these nightstands and the hardware I chose. After I finished building the nightstands, I loved them BUT...
How to Seal Pine Sap on Furniture
SEALING PINE SAP Every now and then you build something and then finish it, only to have to redo the finish….TWICE! A few weeks after the Pottery Barn Brooks Dining Table dupe was built, finished and delivered to its new home, it started leaking pine sap. I...
Easy DIY How to Paint a Fabric Chair
Have you ever attempted to paint a fabric chair…on purpose? A couple months ago, I gave my kitchen nook a bit of a makeover. After adding a couple sliding barn doors, shiplap and fresh paint, this chair was in need of a new look too…. I had two options:...
Loved It Then, Not So Much Now–New Furniture!!
It was time! It was actually way past time! Sorry red couches you had to go. You served us well over the last 7 years, but it was time to move on. Time for something more modern and neutral. Time for new furniture. I remember how excited I was when I found this red...Quick and Easy Coffee Table Makeover
Coffee Table Makeover…Friends, my poor husband has had to park his car out in the driveway for the last few weeks now. Between my evergrowing collection of tools, irresistible project pieces that I just can’t say no to, and furniture that I am building, I...
How to Restore Old Musty, Cigarette-Smelling Furniture
So, you found that perfect furniture piece to restore. Your thinking, “Everyone else is doing this. How hard can it be to restore furniture? After all, I’ve binge watched HGTV and they make it look so easy. I’ve got this.” Only to get the piece...How to Restore the Look of an Old Dresser
Over the summer my daughter, Lauryn, asked me to do a makeover of her bedroom. Normally, I keep my summers free of more involved projects. However, my kids know my love and passion for building projects and creating new spaces, so she had me at makeover. :) Today I...Featuring Saving Grace Vintage & The Winner Is…
Where is your happy place? You know, that place you go that evokes a sense of nostalgia or just an overall warm, fuzzy feeling. A place that brightens your mood and helps you forget about the stresses of life. Maybe it’s a favorite coffee shop, Starbucks anyone?...How to Bring Life Back to an Old Furniture Piece–Updating a Sofa Table
How do you bring life back to an old furniture piece that has sentimental value but is very much out-dated? Of course, you don’t want to throw it away but it has become an eye sore amongst your up-to-date furniture. I had a client recently who had this very...How-To Guide to Mixing Paint Colors at Home
Does anyone else get mesmerized by all the paint chips at say, Home Depot or Lowe’s? I can get lost in that section; ideas swirling around in my head of all the changes I want to make in that instant. But sometimes, even with all those gazillion different paint...Antique Painting Technique Using Annie Sloan Black Wax
Lately, I’ve had a few requests to do some custom projects. My latest project was from a lady (who is now a friend :) ) who purchased a couple items, I had refinished and posted on a local vintage site. This new friend, asked me to paint some chairs and a...How to Make a Coffee Table Using Pallets
We had a fabulous time last week down in Florida. Starting the week off with my cousin’s beautiful wedding (by far the most gorgeous I’ve ever been to) in Pensacola and spending the rest of the week (which went by way too fast!) in Destin. We had sunshine...My Top Five Favorite Building Projects
We took Auston (our oldest) back to college a couple weekends ago. It’s never easy to say goodbye. The ten hour car ride home feels so long. With the miles separating us farther and farther away from each other. I decided to pass the time by trying to organize...Baby It’s Cold Outside–Coffee table redo
As my mom would say, “It’s not fit for man or beast to be out there!!” And for that reason, I’ve been finding indoor projects…ones that don’t require my garage tools. :) Currently, I’m in Minneapolis (a.k.a the frozen tundra)....Finally…The boys’ room
I’m back!!! I kinda disappeared for a couple weeks. Had a great time with family, friends, food…too much food. Time to reset and get back to real life..schedules, kids’ school, eating right (most of the time:) ), and projects. It was relaxing...From existing table to farm table
It was last year, at about this time, that I decided to do something very bold in my DIY project venture. As I do with a lot of my renovations I take on, I decided one morning I just needed to take the plunge. I had been doing some research on what I wanted in a...
Hi! I'm Nicole
Interior Designer. Fearless DIYer. Sharing interior design tips and building project tutorials. Let’s design and build something beautiful together. For more design tips, projects and behind the scenes, follow me @designtobuild.nicole
More About Me