Copycat

Jenna of Jenna Halvorson Designs needed to find a use for a leftover six-foot slab of butcher block that was taking up precious space in her garage. Her husband had the genius idea to build a coffee table and found the perfect inspiration in a wood and metal table from Restoration Hardware. The couple purchased some steel and enlisted the help of a friend trained in welding. Jenna says, “It looks like a thousand dollar table and is sturdy as a rock. Which is great because it will double as a train table most of the time!”

Whitney from Shanty 2 Chic had an empty space between the couch and window in her living room that she was always struggling to fill. The answer? An open bookshelf design from Ana White that would provide the needed height without blocking the natural light. Whitney again busted out her power tools to whip up this bad boy for under $100. That’s $700 less than her Pottery Barn inspiration!

Here’s a really cute Thanksgiving idea from Ashley at Simply Designing. With just a bit of felt and a little hand-stitching, she made these little pilgrim boats filled with candy. Wouldn’t these make darling place holders at the “kid’s table?” You could also fill them with small gourds or pinecones if the candy might prevent your little ones from “gobbling” up their turkey.

It’s a grocery store… No, wait, it’s a lemonade stand… How about a post office? This play stand made by Jaime from That’s My Letter is so versatile I cannot possibly list all its uses. Jaime built the stand using plans from Ana White and then created interchangeable buntings and signs so the stand can quickly and easily change functions. You have to check out all Jaime’s pics because they are too stinkin’ cute! LOVE!

When six chairs in need of an update came knocking on her door, Jennifer of Contemporary Harbor was inspired to give them a makeover and make a table to match. With the inspiration of a farmhouse dining set from Pottery Barn, Jennifer got to work repainting the chairs and then constructing a new planked tabletop. I love how Jennifer simplified the build by reusing the legs from an outdated table. What a smartie!