Disclosure: This project was in partnership with Behr Paint, however all opinions are 100% my own. Affiliate links may be included in this post.
I really like building things. I’m not an expert in it by any means, but I’m pretty good at basic builds. I’ve most definitely mastered the art of those built-in shelves I make, as I’ve done three sets of them now. 🙂
As I’ve said before, my Pap did a lot of woodworking. Now he was the expert. Unfortunately, by the time I wanted to learn about that stuff, he had already hung up his hat in that department, but I think that feeling I get when I feel a little sawdust against my palms comes from him.
In our kitchen remodel, we ripped out cabinetry in one corner and knew we were going to eventually build banquette seating there for a breakfast nook. This is what it looked like when we first got the house:
Well when it finally came time to build that banquette seating, I was all about doing it myself. I drew up the plans, I did the measurements, bought the supplies, started putting it together – everything. I think in the back of my head I thought that if I could just do this one project all by myself and it turn out ok, that somewhere my Pap would give me a nod, a big grin and say “Good job.”
I really picked the wrong project for that validation I thought I needed.
This banquette is not a difficult build for two people. It is a difficult build for one person, as Grunt Labor so lovingly pointed out to me when he came home one day and found me with glassy eyes, drinking a beer, staring at the halfway completed banquette that wasn’t anywhere near square. I felt like such a failure, but he was right, it wasn’t a one person job.
Palm Print Pillow / Tiger Stripe Pillow / Malachite Pillow
In order to get this thing square and level and all that other good stuff, you need one person holding the lumber steady and level while the other is screwing it together.
So, after dropping all of my crazy notions into the bottle of beer I was drinking, Grunt Labor, Nicky and I all ended up putting the banquette together. Grunt and I built the bases, then Nicky came over to help with the cutting of the panels to go on the front and sides of the banquette because I was wrapped up in getting the rest of the house ready for an upcoming party. It truly takes a three man effort around here often and I am so damn lucky that God saw fit to give me two husbands for the heavy lifting and mopping up of my emotional breakdowns.
I may not have gotten that nod from my Pap that I was hoping for, but I’m damn sure certain I got a big ole’ belly laugh from him.
You can find the full tutorial for how to build the banquette on Behr’s Designer Stories. Just remember, this one calls for reinforcements. 🙂
And if you want to see our full kitchen remodel, it’s here.
Disclosure: This project was in partnership with Behr Paint, however all opinions are 100% my own.