Rustic X Benches {Pottery Barn Knock Off}

I've been sewing a lot and needed to switch things up with a few warm days we had last week.

I've been wanting to build a bench for the foot of our bed for some time, and finally got around to building it.

While I was at it, I made a second bench for my friend as a wedding gift.

Here's the plan from Ana White.

I bought my wood from Home Depot and each bench cost $18.00. 

The plans were straight forward except for the angles to cut on the diagonal "x" pieces.  I had to recruit my husband to figure out the geometry for the angled cuts to fit properly.  (Geometry was the lowest grade I've ever received, I stink at it)

I also was excited because my parents got my husband a Kreg Jig for his birthday last month.  He opened the box and I squealed "a Kreg jig!!!"  He looked at me and asked: "what is this?"  So maybe his gift was more for myself, but it is awesome.  

I used oil based primer, then painted my bench ivory from a $1.00 can of Oops paint I used to paint my sewing entry table.  Then some polyurethane to seal it.

For my friend's bench I used oil based primer, then exterior white paint, and a coat of exterior polyurethane so her bench could be indoor or outdoor.

So it works great at the end of our sleigh bed.  The empty frame above the headboard isn't trendy decor, but I actually have been wanting to finish a painting to go in the frame.  But I've changed my mind and something else is going on that wall when I get around to it.

Overall a nice little bench.  However, I was glad I had plenty of wood filler to conceal my imperfections as a beginner builder.