Building the Hyde Pottery Barn console table

If my American Indian ancestors gave me a name it would be "She who is Cheap". The problem is that I also have expensive taste. I love, love, love Pottery Barn. I also love Michael Kors, Coach, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, and all things pretty. Especially shiny things. ::sigh::

Anyways, I have had this bare spot in my living room that has been asking me to put something from Pottery Barn there. Through much painstaking research I have decided that I wanted something like the Hyde Pottery Barn Console Table. Okay, not something like.... I wanted the Hyde Pottery Barn Console Table, but it also would cost $500.

Hahaha!! $500 for a console table. That's just ridiculous says my cheap, fugal self.

So I look at ebay and craigslist... nope, no one selling my dream table. And then a miracle happens.... I stumble across Ana White's blog. If you have not yet virtually met Ana White then you are missing out on life, my friend. Seriously, she has Pottery Barn knock offs, Pier One knock offs, knock offs of things I don't even know about and they are ALL beautiful.

Find the full build plan for the Hyde Console Table at Ana's Website.


The Build
This was my first building project so I was a little nervous. The Man was supportive, but I knew that he thought that I was going to ultimately destroy it.

Buutttt… I built it while he was at work. However, it was really interesting because I failed to think about things like wood clamps to hold the wood together but by the time he got home it looked good! This picture is how I improvised (it's a nursing skill).

When he got home he walked over to the table, wiggled it and it wobbled! My heart actually stopped and gave me this look like "I knew it!"

I replied, "It's left leg is sitting on a magazine."

He says, "You did that on purpose, didn't you." 

I said, "Uh, yep." (nope!) 

He removed the magazine and that baby was solid as a rock. That moment will probably be the highlight of 2013.

The table after it was completely built! Getting ready for some stain! I decided that I wanted to make it look exactly like the Hyde table at Pottery Barn and stain it a dark walnut color, but I didn't know that Pine, stainable wood glue and stain don't make a good threesome. I probably did something wrong! ::shrugs:: The stain didn't take well to the legs at all. I think it was mostly because if the nails and the wood filler, but it ended up looking pretty good on the table top. 

I even used gel stain which is supposed to be the best kind of stain, but, oh well! So I ended up painting the legs an off white color and leaving the table top the walnut color. I actually like it better this way!

Here is a closer look at the top. I had some trouble staining over the "stainable" wood filler and I'm not exactly sure why (if you know-- please share), but I think it just made it look more antique so I really don't care. I like it. 

So, that's my first build! I'm VERY happy! I think I'm hooked now! I can't take much credit though because Ana White is amazing. Seriously check out her website if you're planning on building anything. Love her!