diy furniture Archives - A Dabbled Dwelling

Goodwill Bookshelf Flip: Turning a Small Find into a Stylish Gem

February 28, 2025 by kelsey.mackall

While browsing Goodwill, I stumbled upon a small bookshelf for just $14. It wasn’t much to look at. Scuffed, outdated, and in need of some serious love, but I saw its potential. With a little creativity and a few simple upgrades, I knew I could give it new life and turn it into a stylish, functional piece for my home. Sometimes, all it takes is a little vision (and a good deal!) to transform something old into something beautiful.

Bookshelf Flip

To give my Goodwill bookshelf a charming makeover, I decided to add adorable scalloped edging for a whimsical touch and embellish it with cute little flowers for extra personality. Using Loctite Power Grab, I securely attached the scalloped trim along the edges, instantly elevating the piece with a delicate, custom look. Then, I carefully placed decorative floral appliqués, making sure they were firmly adhered for a seamless finish.

For the perfect finishing touch on my Goodwill bookshelf flip, I chose a warm gold paint to bring out its charming details. The rich, inviting hue added a touch of elegance while complementing the scalloped edges and delicate flower accents beautifully. It gave the piece a vintage-yet-modern feel, making it look like a high-end boutique find rather than a thrift store rescue. The warm gold not only highlighted the texture and depth of the design but also made the bookshelf a true statement piece, adding a cozy, sophisticated glow to my space.

Goodwill Find Turned to Gold

My Goodwill bookshelf flip turned out even better than I imagined! With a little creativity, Loctite Power Grab for secure detailing, and a warm gold finish, I transformed a simple thrift find into a stunning, one-of-a-kind piece. The scalloped edges and floral accents added the perfect touch of charm, making it look far more expensive than its $14 price tag. This project was a great reminder that with a little vision and the right materials, you can breathe new life into almost anything. Now, my once-forgotten bookshelf has a new home and a whole new story to tell!

Easily Access Both Sides of the Dollhouse with This Useful Stand

March 28, 2024 by kelsey.mackall

I got an adorable dollhouse from Melissa and Doug for my middle daughters birthday. She desperately wanted one, and plays with it a lot. When I redid her room I wanted to make the dollhouse accessible with a way to contain all of the pieces that go with it. It was hard to find exactly what I was looking for, so I built a stand that would accomplish what I needed.

How I Built a Dollhouse Stand

I started with an idea and a sheet of plywood. Since I needed to build a space for a storage drawer I started by building, well, a box. I cut the plywood to size and used wood glue and my nail gun to build the outside of the box.

I made sure to add a face and a back to the box, and then added these adorable feet. After the glue was dry I sanded the entire piece to ensure that it would be a smooth finish when I painted. I built a drawer box to fit in the face of the box and then added soft close drawer hardware.

Woman attaches furniture feet to drawer box

I built a drawer front using plywood and 1x4s, and then painted the entire thing white. A word of warning, keep the paint out of reach of your toddlers! When the paint was dry, I used construction adhesive to attach a lazy Susan to the top of the drawer. The dollhouse sits on top of the lazy Susan and viola! The dollhouse spins and is easily accessible from both sides.

Rotating Dollhouse Stand Success

This project kind of started as a whim, but I think it was super successful. My girls can easily play with both sides of the dollhouse and when it’s not being used we can have the cuter front side on display. I love the drawer because it is a place to keep all of the little pieces. This is such a cute addition to my girls’ room and it gets used A LOT. Click here to see it in action!

I Wanted to DIY a Potting Bench

December 29, 2023 by kelsey.mackall

My front porch needed some love, and a potting bench was the perfect solution. I knew I could build one and give it an extra special touch. Some wood and a mosaic tile top came together nicely to create a beautiful addition to my porch.

How to Build a DIY Potting Bench

This project is a very good one to start with. It’s a simple build with just 2x4s, a plywood top, and 1x4s for trim. I started by building the table legs with 2x4s. To attach them I used my Kreg Jig to drill holes for pocket screws but that is not necessary for this build. I used additional 2x4s for the sides and to give additional structure and support to the potting bench. I added 1x4s around the table top and along the top of the bench to give it a more finished look. When I attached the trim with my nail gun I left a little space on the table top to slide in the plywood top and get it ready for paint.

I painted it a beautiful dark green and then added a tile mosaic to it with construction adhesive. After I attached the tile I used a dark grout with a tile float to grout the spaces in the mosaic. When adding grout it’s important to add enough to fill in all of the spaces. After that use a damp sponge to clean the excess grout off of the tile.

Finished!

Now that the potting bench is finished it is an amazing a beautiful addition to my porch. As an added bonus it holds my plants and provides a space for me to care for them. Click here to see the video of this build.