First, its classic good looks will make it at home in any room. We built this version for use as an occasional table and finished it in a soft-white enamel to show off its simple lines. With a pickled finish, perhaps the same design would be a nice addition to a breakfast room or sunroom. Or you might try painting it a combination of bright colors for a playroom or children's bedroom.

A colorful finish isn't the only benefit the project can bring to a playroom; a second attribute is the table's durability. Built from stock materials found in most home-center stores, the table gets its detail from a combination of simple moldings, including an innovative use of baseboard molding. Its sturdy legs and tough plywood top (36 inches square) make it suitable for most anything, from elegant dining to sorting the mail to drawing and finger painting.

The table probably fits even more budgets than it does rooms. Including finishing, ours was ready in a couple of weekends; the total cost of materials, including birch veneer plywood, pine lumber, and stock moldings, was less than $80.