To start, turn away from bricks and concrete block. Instead, consider structural clay tiles. You should be able to find these at a good masonry supply house. They come in a warm terra cotta color that goes well with just about any color scheme and they have a crisp, geometric, high-tech look. They also come in a wide variety of sizes, but the three most useful are probably 6-by-12-by-12, 8-by-12-by-12, and 10-by-12-by-12.

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If you can twist your wrists, you can build a shelf unit. You can also build a room divider, a bookcase/headboard, a plant stand and countless other projects. And you can build any of these in a variety of styles. … Colonial, Scandinavian, Mediterranean, Oriental. You can do it all without tools, and in a matter of just a few minutes.

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Sometimes I think do-it-yourself writers overcomplicate their project plans just to show off their woodworking skills. As a result, they discourage a lot of people from attempting a project they really need.

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