DIY Rustic Farmhouse Coffee Table with Footstool Storage

Here's a little project I recently completed. Our new rustic style coffee table!

I've seen similar DIY coffee tables and knew I could build one too. 

Here is our old coffee table. I had replaced the top with a sheet of pine, but I really wanted the proper planks. The kids use the footstools as chairs to do stuff on the coffee table and they were just a bit too tall to fit under the table. So, with in mind, I decided to design a higher table with room to store the stools underneath.

This was my first design, but I could't slide the stools under with the bottom rungs in the way.

I also found it wasn't that sturdy. But by adding some diagonal braces, it was sturdy as.

Then I just removed the end braces and just placed one in the middle.

My top pine planks I fixed with a middle and some side braces.

I also used black screws to make it look more rustic.

The diagonal braces I used Liquid Nails to glue, then nailed them on to secure them.

I used a Walnut stain on the top and a black stain on the base. Lastly I added a clear poly to seal and protect.

And our footstools fit neatly underneath. The kids also like they can fit their knees under the table as well. Winners all round!

:) Julie