My workbench in pictures.

Back when our workshop had a table saw and little else, we were impatient to get started, so we got started.  We built these "boxes" (cabinet carcasses) out of cheap plywood with the little direction in mind for how we would use them.  They weren't great, but they were reasonably square, and they were all pretty close to uniform dimensions.



The lack of plan meant they spent months just up against a wall in the workshop, and sort of became a de facto workbench (we added feet when this use became obvious).  It didn't hurt that these were a better working height than the workbench we intentionally built, which is great for my 6-foot-tall husband.




(My workbench is to the left.  My husband's is on the far wall.)

So we drew up plans in Sketchup to finish them proper.



And this is how it looks today after a second coat of poly went on the worktop.  We're planning to paint the base, but haven't decided what colour yet.



Also, my husband gave me a protective apron for my birthday (today!), because I keep wearing my "good jeans" out there, and then getting covered in whatever finishing product I'm using, or glue, or sawdust... all kinds of things.  My apron will fix that.

The bench is awesome and your apron is gorgeous!

The bench is awesome and your apron is gorgeous!

Thanks!  I love my apron!  We have named it Domopron, and I had an urge to get some fabric paint to paint Domo's face on it.  But I like it as it is, and it is waxed so I wasn't sure how paint would take to that.   So I'll just keep it as is and call it Domopron.

Very cool! And I'm so envious of your workshop, not to mention your skills! 

Very cool! And I'm so envious of your workshop, not to mention your skills! 

That workshop is the thing keeping us sane in our incomplete house.  If we could just get the exterior render done so the walls stop leaking (not in our skill set!), then we could focus on building a kitchen, and then life will become infinitely more convenient.  But we can't really afford the render job because of Theresa May, so we buy power tools instead (they're much cheaper, and we can rationalise them because we'll need them when the time comes to build the kitchen).

Meanwhile, as my husband pointed out to me recently, this time while we wait is giving us a chance to practice our skills, so when the time comes, we'll have a nicer kitchen.  Don't envy us.  You should've seen our early work from January! 

Please teach me your ways (including making a domopron! haha)!!!

I feel like you are definitely person I would get along well with! hah

Please teach me your ways (including making a domopron! haha)!!!

I feel like you are definitely person I would get along well with! hah

Yes, I think we would get along well.  You seem to have the "I'll try that!" spirit that I can identify with. 

My ways are mostly made up of unfathomable levels of bravado followed by consternation while I really figure out how to do something after boldly claiming I could do it.  But that's what makes it fun!   "I can do that!" followed closely by, "Hmm... now how do I do this?"

Yes, I think we would get along well.  You seem to have the "I'll try that!" spirit that I can identify with. 

My ways are mostly made up of unfathomable levels of bravado followed by consternation while I really figure out how to do something after boldly claiming I could do it.  But that's what makes it fun!   "I can do that!" followed closely by, "Hmm... now how do I do this?"

I am willing to try almost anything at least once! haha I do tend to see a DIY project and think "Yeah! that looks easy! I could do that!" (especially on Reddit's DIY page) but then when it comes to a starting point I think "hmm.....what's the best first step for this........." and then husband gets roped in with the brainstorming lol

That all gets a big thumbs up from me, especially using sketch up. 

I’m totally jealous of all that space to do what you want because I am tortured by my tiny house. 

Still, with you being so close to lots of beaches I feel you should really be outside with a kite.

Also, I forgot, HAPPY (BELATED) BIRTHDAY!

I am willing to try almost anything at least once! haha I do tend to see a DIY project and think "Yeah! that looks easy! I could do that!" (especially on Reddit's DIY page) but then when it comes to a starting point I think "hmm.....what's the best first step for this........." and then husband gets roped in with the brainstorming lol

At least in the workshop, I do a lot of the planning and calculating.  I've always liked numbers and spatial diagramming (I took shop class in 7th grade and the first few weeks of the course was spent learning basic drafting, and I loved it).  Now I get to do that with a purpose.  And my husband hates that part.  He just wants to do, and completely lacks the patience for "the tedious bits."

As far as our workflow, my husband has nearly all of the ideas.  I'm so literal that if it isn't in front of me, I can't imagine that it can or does exist; whereas, he is constantly coming home saying, "Do you think we could make a thing that...?"  And then I sort out the logistics of it.  Then in the execution, we troubleshoot problems together.

I didn't know when I met him that we would end up working so well together, but I'm so glad we do!  Bonus!

Also, I forgot, HAPPY (BELATED) BIRTHDAY!

Thanks!  It's been a good one!  And my husband said yesterday that he just realized we didn't have a special birthday meal during his week off, so he's getting supplies and will cook whatever I want this weekend (so long as it doesn't require an oven... I requested fillet steak seasoned with a dry rub, microwave-"baked" potatoes, chopped salad, and microwave-steamed broccoli), so the celebrations continue!  My birthday will have lasted 2 weeks by the end of it.  Yay!

That all gets a big thumbs up from me, especially using sketch up. 

I’m totally jealous of all that space to do what you want because I am tortured by my tiny house. 

Still, with you being so close to lots of beaches I feel you should really be outside with a kite.

The house we were renting was tiny and old (400 years old) and miserable.  We had no outdoor space to speak of, no indoor space, and then our neighbor/landlord started a series of building projects all around us so the tiny patch of garden we scraped together for ourselves became unusable.  So when we shopped for a house to buy, we had a list of deal-breakers that included at least one outbuilding that could become a workshop.  In terms of outbuildings, this place exceeded my hopes.  Temporarily (I hope!) living without a kitchen was a no-brainer, because we got all the other things we want here.

As far as our workflow, my husband has nearly all of the ideas.  I'm so literal that if it isn't in front of me, I can't imagine that it can or does exist; whereas, he is constantly coming home saying, "Do you think we could make a thing that...?"  And then I sort out the logistics of it.  Then in the execution, we troubleshoot problems together.

I'm definitely the "ideas" one in our relationship. I have grandiose ideas of what would be cool to construct but I definitely need to work on what's actually realistic haha. I have never been a "numbers" person even though I need to work with numbers for work as it's fairly finance based, but I would love to learn how to do the drafting and planning for DIY projects! I'm pretty quick to learn most things (except this one might be a challenge because, as mentioned, I loathe working with numbers and prefer the creative stuff hahah) so I think it'd be cool to learn this stuff if I had a person to work with me! I think you should host a workshop in your workshop and we can all work together to build you your kitchen! haha

Thanks!  It's been a good one!  And my husband said yesterday that he just realized we didn't have a special birthday meal during his week off, so he's getting supplies and will cook whatever I want this weekend (so long as it doesn't require an oven... I requested fillet steak seasoned with a dry rub, microwave-"baked" potatoes, chopped salad, and microwave-steamed broccoli), so the celebrations continue!  My birthday will have lasted 2 weeks by the end of it.  Yay!

Oh no! At least he's making things right now! :p Our "special meals" are usually just more unhealthy ones as we try to eat okay during the week so we default to posh M&S or Waitrose Asian food for a treat on special occasions (we are pretty low maintenance with our special meals lol) unless I feel like doing something extraaaa special where we'll cook but that's far more rare. If I were in your position with no oven, I'd probably be going for some type of BBQ feast as BBQ is another thing high up there on my list of delicious foods! lol

I'm definitely the "ideas" one in our relationship. I have grandiose ideas of what would be cool to construct but I definitely need to work on what's actually realistic haha

My husband is the "ideas" guy, and I've pointed that out to him on multiple occasions.  I told him I love our workshop and all the things we've done, but I'd be stumped without him.  I'm capable, but directionless.  Meanwhile, he has all these ideas, but then comes to me and asks if it's possible and how we could achieve it.

I have never been a "numbers" person even though I need to work with numbers for work as it's fairly finance based, but I would love to learn how to do the drafting and planning for DIY projects! I'm pretty quick to learn most things (except this one might be a challenge because, as mentioned, I loathe working with numbers and prefer the creative stuff hahah) so I think it'd be cool to learn this stuff if I had a person to work with me! I think you should host a workshop in your workshop and we can all work together to build you your kitchen! haha

When I was in 8th grade, I took first place in a district-wide maths competition.  I peaked that year.  The following year I only took 4th place, and the year after that, my geometry teacher and I had a personality conflict (she was of the opinion that homework should actually be completed, whereas I believed that knowing how to do it demonstrated a sufficient grasp of the material and nothing more needed to be done), and she chose to send different students.  My family moved away at the end of that year, and that was the end of my competitive maths career.  It's a shame.  I really liked geometry.  I mean, spatial diagramming!

I love the idea of a kitchen raising!  (Like an Amish barn raising, but building a kitchen, instead.)

Oh no! At least he's making things right now! :p Our "special meals" are usually just more unhealthy ones as we try to eat okay during the week so we default to posh M&S or Waitrose Asian food for a treat on special occasions (we are pretty low maintenance with our special meals lol) unless I feel like doing something extraaaa special where we'll cook but that's far more rare. If I were in your position with no oven, I'd probably be going for some type of BBQ feast as BBQ is another thing high up there on my list of delicious foods! lol

BBQ!  This was pretty much every moderately nice (read: not downpour) day this summer:


We have a pretty routine menu lately, due to our limited time sharing meals (three days a week), and our limited kitchen facilities.  A braised chicken dish on Friday nights, spicy potato & egg breakfast burritos Saturday morning, some kind of grazing snack around lunchtime if we remember, "Mexican platter" for Saturday dinner, taco salad using leftover ingredients from the previous night for Sunday breakfast (seriously good noms!), and some kind of slow-cooked meal on Sunday night... last week it was a small brisket pot roast, and it was delicious.

I love almost all of our food, so it's hard to come up with a request for a special meal.  If we had an oven, I would've asked for a pasta bake with buttery toasted garlic bread, because I miss those (and I tried it in the crock pot... that's a no-go!).  But I always did love a good steak. 

  But I always did love a good steak. 

That's hard to beat!   

My husband is the "ideas" guy, and I've pointed that out to him on multiple occasions.  I told him I love our workshop and all the things we've done, but I'd be stumped without him.  I'm capable, but directionless.  Meanwhile, he has all these ideas, but then comes to me and asks if it's possible and how we could achieve it.

When I was in 8th grade, I took first place in a district-wide maths competition.  I peaked that year.  The following year I only took 4th place, and the year after that, my geometry teacher and I had a personality conflict (she was of the opinion that homework should actually be completed, whereas I believed that knowing how to do it demonstrated a sufficient grasp of the material and nothing more needed to be done), and she chose to send different students.  My family moved away at the end of that year, and that was the end of my competitive maths career.  It's a shame.  I really liked geometry.  I mean, spatial diagramming!

I love the idea of a kitchen raising!  (Like an Amish barn raising, but building a kitchen, instead.)

BBQ!  This was pretty much every moderately nice (read: not downpour) day this summer:


We have a pretty routine menu lately, due to our limited time sharing meals (three days a week), and our limited kitchen facilities.  A braised chicken dish on Friday nights, spicy potato & egg breakfast burritos Saturday morning, some kind of grazing snack around lunchtime if we remember, "Mexican platter" for Saturday dinner, taco salad using leftover ingredients from the previous night for Sunday breakfast (seriously good noms!), and some kind of slow-cooked meal on Sunday night... last week it was a small brisket pot roast, and it was delicious.

I love almost all of our food, so it's hard to come up with a request for a special meal.  If we had an oven, I would've asked for a pasta bake with buttery toasted garlic bread, because I miss those (and I tried it in the crock pot... that's a no-go!).  But I always did love a good steak. 

are those little zombie guys??? lol

looks yummy!! You should definitely have an English kitchen raising hahaha

I've seen quite a few good slow cooker pasta bake recipes, you should try pinteresting!