Getting Benched

I got a workbench! A custom-made-for-my-5'1"-self workbench!  Wanna see it? Here it is!

As I've gotten handier and taken on more and more projects, I realized that I really need a dedicated workbench for doing projects and for storing my tools and hardware.  I looked around but the workbenches I saw at Sears or Lowe's or Home Depot weren't doing it for me - they were pricey and didn't seem to fit the bill.  Plus, they were all out of the box, which meant they were just too tall for me.  My dad is handy and has a workbench so I talked to him about it.  He offered to build me a simple one to my specific measurements.  It would be nothing fancy: just 2x4s, some posts and planks, plywood, and peg board.  But oh my ... I was so excited and it sounded perfect!

First, I had to determine the spot for my bench: garage or basement.  That was an easy one - basement all the way.  Our basement is unfinished and used only for storage.  It's also huge. And now, it's my workroom.  I decided to put the bench on this wall:

Next, I figured the size of the bench and sent the measurements to my dad.  He cut all the lumber at his place and then came up to my house on a Friday, when we assembled the bench together.  I wish I could do a tutorial, but my dad is the mastermind behind this build.  It took us 5 hours to build the bench (he had already precut almost all of the wood that we used). Here is another picture of it finished!

I'm going to have to paint the bench or at least use Poly on it ... but you know me and you know I want to paint it. I'm not sure what color just yet.   I love the functionality of this bench. I have a perfectly sized work surface, a really great Craftsman vice that my dad bought for me, a shelf for storing things, pegboard to hang tools and an open spot for my Shop Vac.  Now for organizing!  I took a few minutes on a Saturday afternoon when my parents had the kids and took this ...

and whipped it into shape by turning it into this:

and this

I bought the white shelves (made of heavy duty resin) at Lowe's for about $30.  I definitely need at least one more for that wall, which will be my paint area.  The pile o' tools and hardware on and around the work bench is getting organized pronto with the help of another inexpensive shelving unit from Lowe's, pegboard and maybe some shelves.  I think I'm going to go with a fun, bold, punchy color palette down in my work shop, like this picture from House Beautiful:

Aren't those stripes to die for? They're fun and feminine but not too silly or girly-frou-frou.  Let's talk about your home work area! Do you have a work bench or a dedicated work space for projects? Where do you get 'er all done?

See you swoon,