A routine source of conflict in our household is the post-dinner-handwashing for the children. There's a fair amount of pushing for room on our single Ikea stool. A small secondary source of conflict is the fact that Cayce can almost reach the faucet, but can't quite get there, so someone else needs to turn the water on for her.

So, I made a stool. Here it is in all it's glory!

Picture of a wide wooden stool outdoors. Top has several different colours of wood, with plywood legs with a hole cut in them. 

The top is several pieces of scrap wood I had laying around: Oak, popular, and pine. The bottom is some half inch or 5/8ths baltic birch plywood with some holes cut into it. Not shown is a apron made of poplar supporting the top.

I didn't bother with a design in SketchUp, instead I edge joined a few scrap boards together, fit an apron together with some other scrap, then used a plunge router to carve the holes in the legs, and a round over bit on my trim router to soften the edges. Finish was some spray laquer, and some rubber non-slip pads under the legs to help it stay in place.

Picture of the same wooden stool in a bathroom, in front of a vanity. 

The stool works great, and Cayce can reach the taps now! There's something incredibly heartwarming about giving your kids any extra bit of independence, and Cayce is just so happy she can reach the taps now.

Is it possible I've moved the source of conflict from the bench to the faucet? Absolutely! Perhaps I'll need to take up metal working next to make a two-headed faucet.