NewlyWoodwards

an unconventional home

Project Alert! Homemade dog gate and re-done office chair

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Now that we’re done working on the little house, we’ve been working on some smaller projects around our house. And, they don’t have to get done right away, which makes it so much more fun.

We keep the dogs on the main floor of our house. It is good for many reasons – they don’t destroy anything upstairs, they don’t leave us any gifts when they are out of our sight and we don’t have to vacuum dog hair upstairs. Until now, we have been using a plastic kiddie gate. However – the gate was rickety and a bit of a pain to put in and take out. Ryan decided to make it look a little nicer and make it work better with a built-in gate.
Here’s what he built and installed. 

I think it looks great and it’s so much easier to use than the removable gate. This keeps the doggies downstairs but makes it easy for us to go upstairs. It’s made of 2x4s, reused railing from his parents and door hinges. I spray painted everything white to go with the woodwork.
(Should I paint that frame around the family tree white?)
I also re-did a chair that I swiped from my parents. They were going to sell it in the garage sale, but I kinda liked the chair and thought it would be a good office/sewing chair. It has sat in the garage for a few months so it was finally time.
I didn’t take a before shot. It’s not like me, but I realized that I was already done painting before thinking of a before photo. I guess I shouldn’t give Ryan too hard of a time for taking few before shots at the little house.

I simply spray painted it white. It was originally off-white, so it covered nicely. Then, I covered the seat in burlap. I’ve been itching to use burlap since seeing Layla’s curtains and Emily’s headboard (among many other places… burlap is hawt right now).
I also whipped up a pillow with the leftover burlap. I followed the instructions in the videos recommended by Joi last week (1 and 2). It didn’t end up quite square but I like it anyhow. It was so simple… there will definitely be more pillow-making in my near future. I’ll be more careful to get it square next time.
Speaking of sewing – I found this nifty little drawer on Ryan’s antique desk that’s perfect for the sewing machine. 
I love that I can have the desk space for the computer and the cutting mat.
Do you see that blue ticking-stripe fabric in the photo? That may become a pillow soon.
Thoughts?

Comments

  1. I would love to know how you did your family tree. Ihave been working on one but not sure how/who to put oneach side. Any tips would be helpful. Thanks!

  2. very cool gate, great job on the chair, and I like your pillow too! 🙂
    gail

  5. Stopping by from ASTPL! Love the doggy gate. I hate those other kinds but because of how wide our spots are – I can’t do one like yours. I so wish I could cause it looks “finished”. Btw, I would paint those frames white. 😉

  6. The gate and chair both look really good.
    This is my first time to your blog. I also started a new KNOCK OFF KNOCK OUT party and I bet you have some things to put in the party-it’s every Monday. I would love to have you submit this idea next Monday. I hope you come over and become a follower and subscribe and I will do the same.
    Cheri
    Its So Very Cheri

  7. LOVE the burlap chair. So cute! And the gate is ingenious. Casco’s past the gate stage, but if he weren’t I’d be copying this.

  9. That gate is fab!

    And I love the pillows, I never knew how easy it was til I saw those videos. Makes me love youtube so much!

  11. That gate is such a good idea! We have a plastic gate to keep our dog downstairs too and it looks really awful and is probably at least 20 years old. I might be adding this project to the honey-do list 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration!

  12. That gate is great! We just use two baby gates, one to block the kitchen and one for the steps. Ryan’s is much nicer, if he wants to make another I’ll take it. 🙂