When her brother requested a toy box for his kiddos, Ayisha at The Pursuit of Handyness headed straight to Ana White for plans. Ayisha modified the dimensions to fit her brother’s designated space, drew out her cut list, and headed to a local lumber yard to score all her wood for only $29. Ayisha knew the toy box was a big hit when her little niece and nephew immediately climbed inside {Giggle}!

If you aren’t quite ready to delve into a build-from-scratch furniture project, reworking a piece to fit your vision might be a great option. Thrifty Décor Chick Sarah found a bargain wood and metal table from TJ Maxx that wobbled and had a thin, warped tabletop but held promise to be a real beauty with a little love. Sarah worked her magic and now has a new table she loves!

If you love the look of a backsplash but aren’t quite ready to dish out the big bucks or break out the wet saw, Beth from Sawdust and Embryos offers a user-friendly paint alternative. Beth has become quite the pro at painting backsplashes to get all the look of tile but without the fuss. The taping is definitely the most tedious part, but it’s something pretty much anyone can do with a little patience.

One of my good friends Mandi from Vintage Revivals has an awesome sense of style and a knack for bringing her personality to every corner of her home. When Mandi updated her hallway, she knew she wanted to replace her old wall sconces. She came upon a design she loved and knew she could easily recreate… with a bowl! Is Mandi a clever chica or what?!?

My painted stripe curtains have been one of the biggest difference-makers in my living room update, so I can totally share in Melissa’s excitement over these curtains she painted for her craft space. Over at The Happier Homemaker Melissa shares how she beat the big price tag for long, pooling panels with the help of IKEA’s budget-friendly prices and some paint samples. I just love those chunky stripes!