DIY Coffee Table

Holy cow, you guys. I am currently feeling all sorts of pleased with myself. Want to know why?? Because I JUST BUILT A COFFEE TABLE. 

Like, with my own two hands. From wood and stuff. And I used power tools. And I still have all my fingers!

So, let’s back up a bit. I have been obsessed with all things Shanty 2 Chic for, like, ever. If you’re not familiar with them, they are two completely adorable sisters {like the kind you want to hate because they’re so cute but you can’t because they’re so cute} who are totally badass and have made pretty much all the furniture in their houses. And they offer free plans for pretty much everything they build, and they’re actually quite easy to follow. 

{You know who else apparently loves the new coffee table? Fletcher. Because he insisted upon lying down right next to it every time I tried to take photos.}

I made my coffee table from their plans for a DIY Crate Coffee Table on Wheels. I really couldn’t believe how easy the plans were to follow. I only messed up once, and that was because I am an idiot and accidentally cut the 1x6s into legs rather than the 1x4s. Oops. 

Aside from these picture ledges that I made for my living room wall {you may have seen them on Instagram} this coffee table was the first thing I’ve ever built. But now I’m totally hooked and I’m frantically making lists of other things I’m going to make. 

The coffee table we were using before was an old one that we got from Pottery Barn when we got married. {Yeah. 13 years ago.}

It worked well, and I loved all the storage it had, but there were a few issues. First, it was getting all scratched up on the top and wasn’t looking all that spectacular anymore. Also, once we moved the navy sectional into this room, a big, bulky, black coffee table started to look… well, too big and bulky and dark. And I will do you a favor and won’t show you what was in the drawers, which, while as I mentioned are awesome for storage, they become depositories for all sorts of random things. Let’s just say that my findings included several napkins, a measuring tape, my mother-in-law’s high school yearbook from 1958 and a chip clip clipped onto a pencil, which I believe at one point was being used as a Star Wars blaster by Mason. 

But then I was faced with a problem for this new coffee table. Because it’s all open, I was a little concerned about how I was going to keep the bottom shelf from becoming a random dumping ground of crap. 

So I decided to go to Wayfair, because they have approximately 8 billion different options for storage baskets. {Ok, so just over 2,300. Still, that’s a ton.} I had something very specific in mind, which sometimes can be trouble, but it totally worked out this time, because I found these beauties.

They are absolutely perfect. 

They’re big enough to be able to fit cards, dice, and other games, but small enough to keep the open look of the coffee table. And I love that they give a nice warm, fall-y feeling to the room, because they look like they’re made from a super cozy sweater or throw. 

I am absolutely loving the whole thing. 

Whatever you do, don’t be too impressed with this styled coffee table, because it lasted about 3 seconds after the boys got off the bus. *Sigh* Someday I’ll be able to have a beautifully styled coffee table…

But then I bet I’d miss the chaos.

You tell me: Have you ever built anything? What’s your favorite thing to build? And if you haven’t, what would you love to be able to build yourself?

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above may be affiliate links. Among others, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”