Since I’m Stuck At Home...

Well hello everyone! If you are like me, you are sitting at home going CRAZY. My kids are fighting, complaining of being bored and real estate? Well most people would rather stay home than buy houses. Of course that didn’t happen until interest rates shot back up through the roof.

So, what am I doing to keep my sanity? Woodworking, of course. I have a few projects to share since I have an abundance of time these days. I thought I would start with my favorite though… the rustic range hood. I know, I know, I’m a little obsessed with range hoods but they add so much character to the kitchen.

A few months ago, I created a range hood around the current vent. I hated to trash it since it was brand new, so I got creative and built around it. You can see info for that here.

I couldn’t decide what color I wanted so it’s seen a few updates.

I think of the two, I liked the black best because there was contrast in the kitchen. But it still wasn’t what I wanted. I had been thinking about a wood range hood for a while - just to warm up the kitchen a bit. I thought about a herringbone range hood, a ship lap range hood… you name it. Finally, though, I found what I wanted…

I like the general design, so I got to work making it. I used the left over 1”X6” common wood boards I used for my beams (more on that later). I measured the width, cut the ends at a 45 degree angle and voila! Done. The final product made me giddy. It was just what I wanted. And bonus? The hubs loves it too. Winning! Note: The hood above just butted up the edges. I like a cleaner look, so I mitered the ends at 45 degrees. I just think it looks more finished that way.

The bottom front piece is darker than I want, but I don’t have mineral spirits. Once we can run errands again, I will buy mineral spirits and even out the color (helpful hint: If stain is too dark, rub a rag with mineral spirits on it to lighten the color). Same thing for the ceiling…. I don’t have the paint :( It’s funny being able to do projects but not finish them because you need one or two items but shouldn’t leave the home. If that’s the worst thing we are worrying about, though, life is good.

Stay well everyone!