cover image The Handbuilt Home: 
34 Simple Stylish and Budget-Friendly Woodworking Projects 
for Every Room

The Handbuilt Home: 34 Simple Stylish and Budget-Friendly Woodworking Projects for Every Room

Ana White. Potter Craft, $22.99 trade paper (192p) ISBN 978-0-307-58732-9

Ever wrestled with nails, screws, and hex wrenches on “ready to assemble” shelves, chairs, or tables, all the while thinking that you could just as easily make the same design cheaper and better from scratch? If so, White cheers you on. Her principles—“keeping plans simple, using standard off-the-shelf materials and working with the most basic tools” make for well-thought-out projects even a rank beginner would itch to try. Each piece of furniture is identified with icons for difficulty, cost, and time required, so you don’t get caught unawares mid-project. The proof of this DIY book’s value is in the “Getting Started” section, which describes simply the tools you’ll need. You can use this book to build 34 simple designs, such as tables (including a Lego coffee table), chairs, beds, and benches. Author and blogger White (ana-white.com), who first built furniture during her newborn’s naptime, still remembers her fear of firing a nail gun. Those of us who still feel that fear should be glad she’s there as a guide. (Oct. 9)