Just Call Me Bob {Villa}

I woke in a Bob Villa sorta mood today and had a hankerin' to build something. I thought about it for a little while, and after throwing around a couple of ideas, I finally settled on this:

You might remember this cute little thing from an earlier post. It's an "aged wood bench" from World Market and retails for $149. When I saw the price it felt like someone reached down my throat and puched my stomach from the inside.

I love this little bench. I really wanted this little bench. I have the perfect spot picked out for this little bench. But, there is no flippin' way I'm spending one hundred and fitty dollas on it...even if I love it almost as much as my kids.

After analyzing the picture for a while, and channeling my inner Bob, I came up with a way to recreate the look for only a couple of bucks...no seriously.

The best part...it only requires a few supplies:

* a table saw{if you don't have one, the guys at Home Depot do}

* a piece of wood {I used a leftover piece of 8x8x12 board, they retail for about $7}

* a wooden dowel{I used a cedar ballister. It cost about $2.50}

* Screws

* Wood Glue

The World Market version measures 34inches x 18inches, so I started out by cutting my board into three piecs: one at 34 inches, and two at 18 inches.

Then I dry fit my three cut pieces and measured the distance between the two legs.

Next, I found the center of each leg and measured up four inches from the bottom,

and drilled pilot holes

After that, I drilled pilot holes in the ends of my ballister and applied wood glue.

Then I screwed each of the legs to either end of the ballister.

I did the same for the top of bench. I centered the board on the legs, drilled pilot holes

applied some wood glue

then screwed it on.

When I referred back to the inspiration pic, I realized that the support dowel looked like it when through the board and protruded out the side. So, I decided to cut two, 1 1/2 inch pieces of ballister and glue them to the outsides of the legs, so that I could achieve the illusion of the wood extending all the way through the board. This wasn't a necessary step, it's purely aesthetic, but I think it adds a little somethin' somethin'. But you be the judge.


I decided to use my bench as an end table, since I didn't have one. But I think it would look super cute in the entry way, by the front door, or in a childs room. Really it would look fabulous anywhere.

I had to give my bench a good sanding. It had spray paint and spackle, and who knows what else on it since it had been sitting in the basement for a few years. You can still sorta see a little of the red spray paint, but it doesn't bother me too much. I didn't stain the wood, but I did give a nice coat of lemon wax just to help bring out the grain.

Now I realize that my little bench isn't nearly as beautiful as the World Market version, but bare in mind that it cost me under $10 to make, while the inspiration version retails for $149. So, while my bench may be a little rough around the edges...literally, I saved myself a whopping $139, so who really cares.