Yay! It’s that time again when I team up with Upcycled Treasures, Brave New Home, The Gathered Home, Designer Trapped in a Lawyer’s Body and Delineate your Dwelling to provide you with AMAZING tutorials each month inspired by our favorite stores. Hence the title. If you missed out on our projects from last year, don’t worry! I’ll link them up in the bottom of this post. So, you can see from the image that we have amazing projects this month. This month was DIYs inspired by Anthropologie. I chose to make a DIY Knife Block with bamboo skewers. I love it and know you will as well!
Want to see my inspiration?
via Anthropologie
I saw those last year and just fell in love with them. I needed/wanted the larger size, which rang in at close to $70. I can be frugal and knew that I could make one for much less than that… $50 less. I didn’t keep the exact tally, but I think my wood project boards came to about $12 and I used about 10 packages of skewer sticks (which were .97 a piece). I came in at just over $20. #stealofadeal
I know your curious about the process, so I’ll give you a step-by-step.
1. Decide on your size (based on knife sizes). I knew that I wanted mine to be about 12 inches tall by 12 long. Buy boards. I bought project craft wood pieces (found in the lumber aisle) that were 3/8″ x 4″ x 36″. You will need enough pieces (my pieces were 12 inches) for all sides (8 total).
Mark your wood at 12 inches and use a saw to cut.
2. Repeat on all pieces. You will end up with 8 pieces total.
3. Take three pieces and wood glue and then clamp together. Repeat with another three pieces so that you have (2) sets of three pieces glued together. Let dry.
*Marvel at my uneven cuts. Ha. It turned out alright.
4. Attach one 12 inch board (the bottom piece) to an end 12 inch board using a brad gun.
Then attach 1 of the glued 3-piece boards to the bottom and to the end board.
5. Repeat until you have attached all pieces.
6. If you have uneven wood at the top, then go crazy with the orbital sander.
7. Use wood filler in all the brad holes. Let dry and lightly sand.
8. Stain. Let Dry. Fill with Bamboo Skewers.
I wondered how well the knifes would stick in place and they haven’t budged. It’s really perfect for them.
Overall, I’m thrilled with this little project. The only downside is that I don’t have a cute/finished kitchen for my block to set out in. =)
Edited 10/5/2016: I had to include a recent picture of the knife block in action.
If you loved this project, then I know you will love the other five projects in this series!
Stop by: Upcycled Treasures, The Gathered Home, Designer Trapped in a Lawyer’s Body, Brave New Home and Delineate Your Dwelling to see more!
Want even more inspiration? Check out last year’s Anthropologie Inspired Projects.
cassie says
May 4, 2015 at 5:25 amthat looks fab and is such a great idea! i hate my knife block- it takes up way too much space!
Ashley Mayes says
May 4, 2015 at 7:55 amThanks Cassie! We are loving it so far!
Kristi says
May 4, 2015 at 8:36 amAbsolutely BRILLIANT! LOVE this!!!
Ashley Mayes says
May 5, 2015 at 8:08 amThanks Kristi!
Katie says
May 4, 2015 at 9:59 amThis is such a great idea and those skewers are freakin’ genius! Now I want one of these in our kitchen!
Ashley Mayes says
May 5, 2015 at 8:09 amYou should totally make one! Your woodworking skillset is definitely better than mine!
Amy W says
May 4, 2015 at 10:20 amSo clean and simple! And I love the look of all those skewers in there. Very cool DIY!
Ashley Mayes says
May 5, 2015 at 8:09 amThanks Amy!
Brynne@TheGatheredHome says
May 4, 2015 at 11:23 amIt looks great, Ashley! I love the color stain you used too, and that shot from above with all the skewers is art in itself! 🙂
Ashley Mayes says
May 5, 2015 at 8:09 amThanks Brynne. The stain was whatever we had in the cabinet (I think walnut though…wiped off fast so it didn’t go dark).
Anima says
May 4, 2015 at 9:44 pmGod, That is so damn cool idea. The bamboo skewers , I could never have thought of it. Genius 🙂
Ashley Mayes says
May 5, 2015 at 8:10 amThanks Anima! You could also use little dowel rods, but you’d be paying more. Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica says
May 4, 2015 at 10:13 pmI ABSOLUTELY Love this DIY!…I wish I had power tools and a house…anyways, you did a GREAT job Ashley and I like your finished project (stain and casing) more than the original…So cool!
Ashley Mayes says
May 5, 2015 at 8:11 amThanks Jessica! I really like the Anthro version, but it was a bit rustic for my taste. I tried to make it a bit more clean/modern.
Julia@Cuckoo4Design says
May 5, 2015 at 5:58 amIt’s so cool and looks awesome
Ashley Mayes says
May 5, 2015 at 8:11 amThanks Julia! We desperately needed somewhere to store the knifes, so it was a perfect DIY.
Jen @ Fresh Crush says
May 5, 2015 at 8:00 amNice work! Great job on building the box — you got skills, girl! I use bamboo skewers for my knives too, they are sooooo gooood! 🙂
Ashley Mayes says
May 5, 2015 at 8:12 amThanks Jen! I’m not sure about having skills, but we are slowly figuring things out (trial and error!).
Katie says
May 5, 2015 at 8:44 amOMG!! I love this! What a great project and knock off!!
Ashley Mayes says
May 6, 2015 at 4:02 pmHa, thanks Katie! You should make one.
Jennifer @ Brave New Home says
May 5, 2015 at 2:11 pmAhh, this is soooo cool! I’m kinda bummed I already have a knife block cause I totally want to make one of these. And love that you included a photo of yourself ; ]
Ashley Mayes says
May 6, 2015 at 4:03 pmlol, I guess you could give the current one some sort of epicycle and make one? I’m not looking my best in that one. =)
Kyla @HouseOfHipsters says
May 5, 2015 at 2:38 pmSeriously? So cool lady! Absolutely genius!
Ashley Mayes says
May 6, 2015 at 4:04 pmThanks Kyla! I really love it. =)
Corinna - For My Love Of says
May 6, 2015 at 8:59 pmThis is so cool! Nice job figuring that out.
PS can you put together a post on easing into using power tools and which ones are beginner friendly? The noise gives me jitters but I want to learn!
Ashley Mayes says
May 7, 2015 at 2:42 pmThanks Corinna! You are the second person to ask me for a post like that. I feel like a superstar…lol. I’ll put it on my to-do list but I only use the “easy” tools.
Lori says
October 24, 2016 at 6:51 amHi Ashley! Love this. I have the typical knife block…eh… I want this classy looking one! Putting it on the “to do” list!
Would you consider sharing this at our weekly Dishing It & Digging It Link Party? We are live Sundays @4pm. We’d love for you to share your creative ideas.
http://www.thestonybrookhouse.com/2016/10/dishing-it-digging-it-link-party-119.html
Ashley Mayes says
October 25, 2016 at 10:43 amThanks Lori! You should totally add it to your to do list. It’s pretty easy!
Deb says
October 27, 2016 at 7:48 pmI love this Ashley! Pinned! It looks fabulous in your kitchen too.
Ashley Mayes says
November 3, 2016 at 8:49 amThanks Deb!