First things first: thanks for being such good sports about our little April Fool’s Day prank (seen here).
Sherry couldn’t stop giggling while she put together that over-the-top nautical doggie mood board (at one point Katie Bower called and I heard a laugh-snort as she described it). Every comment—whether people fell for it or recognized the joke immediately—made her day, and that made mine. With the house feeling especially harmonious, I finally had the energy to start a big new build.
I could no longer avoid it: it was time to build a behind-the-Karl console table for our living room. We needed more surface area than a padded ottoman could provide, and a long console behind the sectional would offer lamps for reading, a place to set drinks, baskets for remotes, and extra display and storage space. The only catch: Karl is 140 inches long, so we needed a console to match—nearly 12 feet. Store-bought options of that size are virtually non-existent unless you’re commissioning a custom piece for thousands of dollars.
After weighing options, we ruled out a couple of floating shelves because they left too much unused space underneath and wouldn’t give the weathered, handmade look we wanted to balance the modern rug and sectional. Instead, I settled on a customized DIY solution inspired by Ana White’s modular office bookcase.
I knew I couldn’t move a single 12-foot unit easily, so I designed the console in three 4-foot sections with one long tabletop to create a seamless look. The two end pieces would borrow the open-shelf feel from Ana’s design, but I simplified the interior to save material and effort. My rough sketch looked much less polished than Ana’s plans, but the concept was clear.
To finalize dimensions I tested with an existing hallway console we own, tucking it behind Karl to check lamp clearance and overall height. It was just barely deep enough for our lamp, so I increased the depth slightly to avoid any lamp-shade collisions. The new console will sit just above the sofa back but below the cushions for balance and function.
With measurements in hand, we went to Home Depot and had most of the wood cut to size in-store, which saved time and made it possible to fit everything in our car. We chose basic whitewood to keep costs down, using poplar 1x2s for visible trim. There was no reason to splurge on expensive lumber for hidden structural parts—this was a functional, budget-friendly build.
At home, I relied on my Kreg Jig to create strong pocket holes and join boards cleanly. To reach the 16-inch depth I wanted, I laminated a 1×8 and a 1×10 together; nominal sizes can be smaller than marked, so two boards side-by-side gave the exact depth I needed.
I assembled the top and the wide “leg” panels by joining boards with pocket screws, then clamped everything tightly for a precise bond. Since a single long tabletop will cover the seam between sections, only the exposed ends needed to be finished neatly. That allowed me to focus detail work where it would matter visually.
After adding rails for extra support, I built the bookshelf end by attaching the two side panels and back, then installing the two internal shelves. I pre-drilled pilot holes to speed up the process and reduce splitting, and used 1×2 trim to create a finished edge on the outside of the shelf.
All told, it took me about one and a half Clara naps—roughly two hours—to finish one of the end sections (without the tabletop). I built two end pieces and a middle section; the second end piece went faster as I ironed out the process. I did make one small mistake on the first unit by placing some pocket holes where they would be seen on the interior shelves, but wood putty fixed that easily.
The middle piece is mostly built already and includes some top-entry storage, which will be handy even though it sits between the two end units. For the long tabletop we’ll use reclaimed pallet slats for a rustic, weathered look that contrasts nicely with the painted base. The base will be stained a dark tone so it visually recedes behind Karl, letting the varied, worn tabletop become the focal point as Sherry prefers.
So far, the two end pieces and the nearly finished middle section cost around $65 in materials, not including the reclaimed-top materials. Because we’re reusing pallets for the top, the total project should remain very budget friendly. We’ll share a full cost breakdown and final photos when the console is complete.
Have you tackled any DIY furniture projects lately? Did you use plans from Ana White or other online plans to guide you? Her designs are a great resource for affordable, doable builds.