If you have been interested in building console table, you have come to the right place! This was a fun project to do and we’d recommend it for anyone who wants to create their own solid, personalized furniture that you will feel incredibly proud of.
In this post, we’ll share why we decided to build this table, the inspiration we drew from, the materials we used and some high-level instructions.
Full disclosure, as with any other DIY project, this project may be a bit time-consuming, but because this build is solid, the result is definitely worth it. So if you’ve been eyeing console tables on Instagram or Pinterest, this is your chance to create your very own console table that’s not only functional but also pretty awesome.
Background
Believe it our not, this is a project that has been years in the making. We started working on this DIY console table in 2022, the same week we welcomed our baby boy into the world. I (Dejene) like to think that we were a little delusional to jump right back into woodworking but I can only blame that on lack of sleep! So needless to day, it took us much longer than we anticipated to finish this build because of the birth of our child and us moving to a new home. So you might notice that we started building in one house and finished in our current home.
We wanted to build this because we wanted a nice console table for our home but couldn’t find one that fit our style. After looking around online for DIY woodworking inspiration, we found Shade of Blue Interiors Modern Farmhouse Buffet build which looked like such a solid, classic furniture piece that we could adapt and make our own, so we decided to build a very similar version of this wood plan.
Did we mention this was a FREE woodworking plan? Thank us later. If you didn’t know, we found 20 other websites that offer free woodworking plans and you’re more than welcome to check that out if you’re curious.
Tools List:
Miter saw
Kreg Jig (for pocket holes)
Kreg Concealed Hinge Jig (or a 1 ⅜” forstner bit and Installation Template)
Kreg Cabinet Hardware Jig
Orbital sander and sandpaper
Clamps
Measuring tape
Level
Safety equipment (goggles, gloves, etc.)
Materials List:
Wood boards (for tabletop, cabinet, apron, and shelf)
Table legs (we used Osborne Wood Server Kitchen Island Leg)
Bun feet (our original bun feet are discontinued but these are similar)
Wood glue
Wood filler
Stain or paint of your choice (we used Sherwin Williams
2 packages of Everbilt soft close inset cabinet hinges (1 set per package)
- 2-Home Depot Sumner Street Satin Brass Cabinet Knob
Our Modifications for the DIY Farmhouse Console Table
As mentioned before, we found a free woodworking plan from Shade of Blue Interiors Modern Farmhouse Buffet for this build.
We thought through some modifications to this wood plan for it to better fit our style and space. We looked to change out the feet and slightly alter the dimensions to suit our needs. The nice part about this console table, is that it can be used in many places throughout the home. In fact, our original plan was to use this in our dining room, but since the design is so versatile, we realized we could move this around in any area of the house and it would still be useful.
So you could make adjustments to create a console table, entry table, buffet table, or even centerpiece furniture for an end of a hallway. Another example is if you decide to use this behind a sofa, you may want to adjust/remove the cabinet doors altogether. But a console table is usually incorporated in a room against a wall or behind a sofa to add additional storage or a place to stage your home’s decor.
Size
We decided on a length of 62 inches, a depth of 15 inches, and a height of 36.5 inches. We wanted to keep it on the slimmer side to stay with the intended design of the piece. We would also suggest that the height of table top remain consistent across any design choice to retain functionality and aesthetics. Make the table frame too short and you may end up with something that looks like an intricate stool. Make it too tall and you’ll have a console table on stilts that’s may look awkward in your space or have little to no functionality.
Doors
You may choose to design your farmhouse console table with or without cabinet doors. We chose to incorporate cabinet doors since we are using the piece for extra storage and don’t want the items to be seen. The adjustment here is that we used soft close inset hinges instead of the overlay hinges in the original plan.
Shelves
In the original plan, there are two shelves in the inside of the console table. We intend to have shelves but at this time, we’re just keeping it open.
Legs
We changed out the legs that were suggested on the original woodworking plan. We chose Osborne Wood Server Kitchen Island Leg. The bun feet we chose are no longer available but you can use any bun feet that you find at your local home improvement store that fits the length needed.
DIY Farmhouse Console Table Instructions
You can find the very detailed woodworking plan here: Shade of Blue Interiors Modern Farmhouse Buffet. Below are our “Cliff’s Notes”:
Cutting and Assembly
Cut the wood pieces for the tabletop boards according to the wood plan (photo below)
Using the Kreg Jig, drill pocket holes into the sides of each required board to prepare for assembly.
Once the boards have been prepared with screw holes, apply wood glue on the each side to be screwed together.
Screw the boards together to create the project panel and table top.
Assemble the table frame by creating the apron with the table legs, rails, and bottom shelf.
Attach the Osborne Wood Server Kitchen Island Leg to the top rails in the same manner as table top with pocket hole screws.
Once the top portion is complete, move to the bottom shelves to give the console table more stability and storage. The bottom shelves can be attached after making sure they are level by using pencil lines to mark equal height from the floor on all corners of the shelf.
Creating the Cabinet Doors
Drill 2, ¾” pocket holes on both ends of the cabinet doors, then drill pocket holes on all 4 sides of the door panels. Attach the door panels to the door rails first, using 1” pocket hole screws and wood glue. Because you want the panel to be inset, place a piece of cardboard about the same size as the door panel on your work surface, then the panel on top. Then place the door rails flush on both ends of the panel. Drive the pocket hole screws in.
Sanding and Painting the Console Table
Fill all screw holes and gaps with wood filler. Once dried, sand the entire surface with an orbital sander for a smooth finish. Then apply whatever stain or paint you’d like and allow it to dry thoroughly before applying your final seal/top coat.
- We decided to apply a paint wash to this console table to neutralize the orange tones from the oak. We chose a paint wash over full strength paint so we could still see the oak wood grain. We created this paint wash with about 1/3 Sherwin Williams paint and 2/3 water in a plastic cup (this ratio will vary depending on how thick your paint is and how translucent you’d like your finish to be). Mix it together and apply to the console table with a chip brush.
Related Post: Choosing the Right Grit Sandpaper and Sander to Prep Wood Furniture for Paint
Let the paint wash sit for 30 seconds then wipe with a cloth, similar to how you would with a stain. Repeat this process until you achieve the finish that you like.
Installing the Cabinet Doors and Handles
If you have a Kreg Concealed Hinge Jig, clamp the hinge jig into place however far from the edge you want, and drill the cup hole. Once the cup hole is drilled, while the jig is still in place, drill pilot holes for the screws in the screw holes provided. If you don’t have a Hinge Jig, you can still drill a cup hole for the concealed hinge, using a drill (or drill press), a 1 ⅜” forstner bit and Installation Template.
Once both doors are attached, make sure to adjust the doors to match up evenly when closed.
If you have a Kreg Cabinet Hardware Jig, adjust the hole width to 3”, clamp jig into place on the door (however far down you want your pull to be), and drill holes. If you don’t have one, measure and mark holes, drill and attach pull.
Let Us See Your Build!
Choosing to create your own DIY farmhouse console table allows you to create a unique piece of furniture tailored to your style and space. We hope you have the same satisfaction we did of building this functional and stylish console table that adds a touch of charm to your home.
If you want links to the decor on the console table, visit our LTK shop!
We’d love to see what you created! Share your build with us by tagging us on Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok @hammerandhandsaw.