HomeMade modern : smart DIY designs for a stylish home

305 Pages·2015·39.55 MB·English

by  Uyeda

To my mother and father—for putting tools in my hands, ideas in my
head, and love in my heart.
© 2015 by Ben Uyeda
Published by Running Press,
A Member of the Perseus Books Group All rights reserved under the Pan-American and International
Copyright Conventions Printed in China
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2014943133
E-book ISBN 978-0-7624-5607-9
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Digit on the right indicates the number of this printing Cover designed by Jason Kayser Interior designed by
Frances J Soo Ping Chow Edited by Jordana Tusman and Amy Azzarito Typography: Pacifico, Archer, and
Brandon Text Running Press Book Publishers
2300 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-4371
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This book is intended only as an informative guide for those wishing to know more about making
furniture. Always follow safety instructions on power equipment and other tools. Information in this
book is general and is offered with no guarantees on the part of Running Press. The author and
publisher disclaim all liability in connection with this book.
Contents

1: The HomeMade Modern Philosophy
Why Is DIY Important?
Setting Expectations: I’m Not a Craftsperson!
What We Mean by Affordable and Sustainable
2: Hunting, Gathering, and Investing
The Materials
Wood
Metal
Concrete
Ready-Mades
The Tools
Hand Tools
Power Tools
Hardware and Connectors
Book Codes
3: The Projects
Living Room
Plywood Media Console
Iron and Wood Console
Geometric Modular Plywood Coffee Table
Crane Floor Lamp
Box Sofa and Daybed
Concrete Nesting Tables
Ironbound Bookcase
Ironbound Bookcase
Concrete Bucket Stool
Dining Room
Simple Plywood Table
Pipe Table
Zipstitch Chair
Pendant Baseball Bat Lamp
Knit Bench
Kitchen
Concrete Kitchen Island
Pipe and Board Shelving System
Pipe and Wood Bar Stool
Herb Garden Wall
Home Office
Flip Desk
Angle Iron Desk
Plywood 3-D Printed Desk
Upgraded Pegboard
Bedroom
Platform Bed
Garment Rack Closet Solution
Pine Night Stand
Concrete Night Stand
Vertical Valet
Outdoors
Concrete Planter
Geometric Dog House
Concrete Fire Pit
Lounge Chair
Metric Conversion Chart
Acknowledgments
Index

1. The HomeMade Modern Philosophy

The best way to minimize waste is to make more
projects from the things you already own.
Growing up in a home with four children and parents on a tight budget,
my siblings and I quickly learned that if we wanted something, we’d
have to figure out how to make it ourselves. Our bedtime stories
consisted of books like Robinson Crusoe, Swiss Family Robinson,
Little House on the Prairie, and Tom Sawyer. Whether they had a home in a
treehouse or a raft for adventure, the heroes in these books made what they
needed. So when, as a twelve-year-old, I wanted a sword, I found a book on DIY
blacksmithing at the library and built my own forge on our concrete patio, using
my mom’s old hairdryer, drain pipes, cinder blocks, and a car’s leaf spring. I
actually managed to forge my own metal sword before the concrete grew so hot
that the patio exploded.
And despite the explosion (or maybe because of the explosion—quite
exciting for a twelve-year-old!), I was undeterred in my quest to use DIY as a
way to get the things I wanted without spending much money. After a childhood
spent making things, design was so ingrained in what I wanted to do that I went
to school for architecture. My interest was always in doing more with less, so it
wasn’t a surprise when I started my own environmentally friendly firm,
ZeroEnergy Design, and later, FreeGreen, a Web-based media company that
distributes green home designs on the Internet.
And that’s how I was spending my time, when, in 2013, I grabbed a beer
with a furniture designer friend and listened to him complain about how
impossible it was to design quality furniture at affordable prices. According to
my friend, the fault was with corporations and consumers for their misplaced
values. He seemed resigned to the fact that his career would consist of making
high-end custom pieces for rich people in the hopes of eventually becoming
famous enough to offer an affordable line of products made overseas. It was a