As someone who works from home about 75% of the time, I totally get the desire for a dedicated workspace.
I also understand the appeal of having a streamlined, stylish office instead of tossing a laptop on the kitchen table and calling it a day. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
Depending on your living situation, it’s quite likely you need to fit a home office wherever you can. This means you end up having to contend with computer screens and wires in places you’d prefer to keep more homey than office-chic.
This amazing home office hack from CYRIL @myhomelifeandstyle creates a place for hidden storage, a secret desktop, and display shelves. It’s everything you need with the look you want, and it’s just a DIY weekend away.
What You’ll Need
- 2 IKEA HAVSTA Cabinets
- 3 IKEA HAVSTA Shelves
- Beadboard
- Trim
- Crown molding
- Wood desktop
- Piano hinge
- Caulk
- Primer and paint
- Sanding block/sandpaper
- Wood glue
- Clamps
- Nailer
- Magnetic clasps
- Basics — screwgun, drill, saw, tape measure
Creating a Stylish HAVSTA Desk For The Home Office
1. Prep the HAVSTA Pieces
Assemble all of the HAVSTA cabinets and two of the shelves according to IKEA’s instructions. Leave out the lower movable shelves on the shelf units since this is where you’ll house monitors, your desk space, etc.
Position the two cabinets where you want your desk and place the shelf units on top. (Don’t secure anything yet.) Measure the gap between the top of the shelf units and the ceiling.
Assemble the bottom half of the remaining shelf unit for the upper portion of the desk and cut it to size. This will fluctuate from person to person, depending on your ceiling height.
2. Add Beadboard Backing
Position all of your shelf units, including the toppers, on the floor to attach the beadboard backing. Measure and cut the beadboard, then install it using wood glue and a nail gun.
3. Position and Secure All Units
Place the cabinets, shelves, and toppers into place and secure them together and to the wall. Make sure to use appropriate hardware for your wall type.
4. Install the Desk
Prime and paint your wooden desktop. Cut the trim to size to add the detail to the front of the desktop (when it’s folded up). Attach the trim with wood glue and use clamps to secure it. A pin nailer adds extra reinforcement.
Install the piano hinge on the desktop to attach it to the bottom of the shelf units. Add magnetic catches to ensure the desktop stays shut when it’s not in use. You could also add chains if you want some extra support for the desk when it’s in the down position.
5. Trim, Caulk, and Paint
Add the final touches by adding trim pieces as desired to the front of the shelves and around the top with crown molding to give the desk its built-in look. Caulk all of the seams and nail holes, then finish off with primer and paint to give everything a cohesive look. (You could even change the color to suit your style and space.)
Weighing the Costs
Price for this Hack: Approximately $1,350+ (IKEA pieces alone are $1,230)
This hack looks amazing and gives you a custom desk loaded with storage and a way to hide unsightly computer equipment. It certainly gives the home office an upscale feel — you might even look forward to going to work!
Plus, since it’s DIY, you get to tweak it to make it just how you need it. (The HAVSTA series features units with drawers, sliding doors, base options, and more.)
Ready-made desks (similar quality) with a similar style are about the same price, maybe a couple of hundred dollars more (or less). So, consider your options before putting in the time and effort if your only reason for doing so is to save money.
For the Love of DIY
Do this hack because you love to create your own pieces, have bragging rights, and customize it exactly as you want it to be. Imagine adding an extra unit on either end if you wanted to create a wall-to-wall desk and shelving unit — what a statement!
Check out the hack, and follow CYRIL @myhomelifeandstyle for more upcoming home projects and design ideas.
Have your own IKEA transformation to show off? Share your hack with us! We’re always excited to see new interpretations of IKEA pieces that can inspire others to create!