We decided that rustic was the way to go with the living room, so I searched around for a rustic coffee table plan. Found this at http://www.diypete.com/how-to-build-a-farmhouse-st... and built it. The instructions on Pete's site are quite detailed, so I'll only list out the differences.

We were quite busy during the holidays, so this project and others were placed on hold. As a result, I had to complete it in parts and didn't really get to take pictures and document the entire process. But here we are.

Tools:

Table saw or Miter Saw

Sander

Kreg Jig

Jointer

Planer

Materials:

Wood. Cut list on Pete's blog. See link above.

Glue

Sanding pads

Protective gear

Stain

Step 1: Cut and Mill

The wood that I got from the yard had defects and warps, so I had to mill it. I just bought a used Jointer off Craigslist, and this was my chance to try it out. I cut the pieces 4-5" longer than needed to account for snipe. Once milled, I cut the pieces to length.

Materials and cut list on Pete's site.

Step 2: Drill Holes and Assemble

Pretty much what it says in the title.

Step 3: Connect the Cross Beams

Pete screwed in the cross beams, I decided it would be easier to glue them. The angles on the joins make it difficult to clamp the beams. To fix that, I cut small blocks at 60 degrees and used them to brace the clamps. See above.