DIY Closet Desk Part 2 | Fall One Room Challenge | Week 3

Week 3 of the One Room Challenge is already here? It's going so fast! Last week I shared our built-in "closet desk". With that project done and out of the way, it's time to focus on the smaller details of the room. Before I update you on the rest of the office, I promised to share some of the details of the Closet Desk. Paint choices, furniture, etc! Read on for the info...

Fall One Room Challenge Week 3
Get caught up here:

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6

DIY Closet Desk Details

As mentioned in Week 2, we finished building the closet desk back in August. We have been using it since then, and I'm very happy with the desk and the storage shelves. I had mixed feelings with taking out an entire closet (aka: storage space!), but I am amazed at how much usable square footage we have gained from it! I don't miss the "closet" at all - and really I don't think we lost much storage space since everything has a spot: craft supplies, paper, ribbon and fabric, paint, books, sewing supplies, it's all there hiding in plain sight! The closet desk has been serving our family very well.

[Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Please see here for more info on affiliate links.]

Paint

I wanted the space to flow with the rest of the living space since it's open to the kitchen and living room. I used the same accent paint that we have throughout the rest of the house to give the desk space definition and stand out a little. The darker shade of gray we used inside the closet is: "Galveston Gray" by Benjamin Moore. The wall color is: Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore and the trim is: Swiss Coffee by Kelly-Moore.

Stain

For the desk and book shelves, we used Varathane Wood Stain in Carbon Gray. It definitely goes on thick, so if you're wanting a lighter look, you'll want to thin it out a little before applying. Don't forget to wear some gloves unless you want gray hands!

Turquoise/Aqua Farmhouse Chairs

These are the Metal Farmhouse Style Chairs in "Mint Green". I am ABSOLUTELY in love with them! The perfect cheerful color, the overall look, and the durability with having kids that love to craft while sitting in them. The chairs have withstood crayon markings, dripped glue, glitter bombs, you get the idea! If you're shopping for seating options for kids, make sure to get something that can easily wiped clean. We have had the chairs for about 1 year now, and I am very happy with how they have held up to daily use.

One small note: while I absolutely adore the style of these chairs, if you have back issues, be warned that these chairs are not the most comfortable for sitting in for long periods of time. My kids don't seem bothered by them at all, but my poor old 35ish-something back feels it after awhile.

Industrial Pipe Shelving

You guys, this was probably the easiest thing ever! We bought the floor flanges and the pipes at the hardware store. Make sure you get the correct size pipes/flanges! To install, we located the wall studs and used wood screws to attach the flanges to the wall. Of course the studs weren't perfectly centered in the closet...pet peeve! They aren't too far off, but it definitely tested my perfectionism. After the flanges were screwed in, we threaded in the metal pipes and capped the ends. We laid the stained boards on top, and screwed in clamps around the pipes to keep the boards from moving.

Storage Bins

I originally had visions of vintage wood crates housing ALL THE THINGS, but then I had to get practical. The shelves are very sturdy since everything is attached and anchored in the studs etc...but I didn't want to add extra weight to the shelves. Vintage wood crates might be super cute, but it turns out they're actually kind of heavy! Since ALL THE THINGS needed to be hidden from view, I decided to go with a basic light weight fabric bin. I was a little upset with having to change my plans, but now that it's all put together I'm very happy with how the color blends with the rest of the space. Bonus: I won't have to worry (too much) about the shelves stressing out and falling down from the weight of ALL THE THINGS plus heavy vintage wood crates.

***Learn how to make the Farmhouse Style Chalk Board Here***

OFFICE UPDATE

• I'm currently painting the French Provincial Vintage Blanket Chest my grandma gave me. I plan on using the blanket chest to help organize binders, folders, papers, and all those miscellaneous things that are always floating around. The paint is actually in fairly good condition except for a few scratches here and there, but to help it fit in with the rest of the office I've chosen to paint it a dark gray with a gold trim. Sorry to all the purists out there! I have to make it work for my space, and gray it will be! 

• This week I need to take a trip to Home Depot or Lowes to get the supplies for the Ana White cart that I will be making for my printer/Cricut. Does anyone else feel like they get sucked into the hardware stores and it's almost like creativity overload? I always feel energized and inspired with project ideas...my poor husband's head is always spinning after a trip with me. HA!  

• And finally, I'm working on a huge piece of "wall art" for the large wall opposite of the closet desk. I'm really hoping this turns out, it's definitely something that could go either way! Really awesome, or really blah.  Here's to hoping it looks amazing!

Trying to remind myself this...Done is better than perfect sometimes!

Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure to check out the other amazing rooms over at the One Room Challenge! Thanks to our hosts: One Room Challenge | Better Homes & Gardens | Home Love Network

Follow along on Instagram @thedottednest