Saturday, July 25, 2015

An IKEA Wardrobe Makes a Great Office

My IKEA wardrobe held my television, speakers, and other electronic paraphernalia for a while. I loved the tidy look of having everything tucked away behind doors.

However, in practice, the doors were rarely closed because I am almost always listening to music. I decided that the wardrobe might serve better as an office armoire.

As it turns out, an IKEA wardrobe makes a great office because it's deep enough to hold an actual desk. Putting the desk inside the wardrobe makes it sit a few inches higher, a wonderful bonus for me as normal desks are always too low for my tall self. My printer and shredder fit neatly under the desk, while the slide-out tray makes using the keyboard and mouse easy.

On the desk is a decoupaged tissue box raising a lamp with lace-bedecked shade to proper height. The top shelf holds decoupaged boxes.

Drawings of a vintage typewriter and vintage scissors serve as artwork.

The purple flower (with black lace and ribbon added by me) is actually a tape dispenser. :D

I'm so pleased with the result! I can work very comfortably at the desk. When I'm done working, I can simply push in the keyboard tray and close the doors. The wardrobe looks nice in the corner of my living room.

29 comments:

  1. This looks so good! Having a nice, clean room even if the desk is cluttered sounds a bit like magic to me... And you have a hand to decorate so lovely that I'd just love to move in with you! But I have one question - does it hinder your feet with the little "step" under the desk? I can never sit still and fiddle around with my feet a lot...

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    1. Aw, thank you! Because the keyboard tray slides out, I sit a little distance back from the floor of the wardrobe, and there's room for my feet. There is some limitation to foot movement, mainly because of the printer and shredder. I couldn't stretch my legs out in front of me, for example, but I typically don't do that anyway. If I did, I'd probably move the printer to the top shelf to make room.

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  2. I love your concept of an office in a wardrobe it sounds like an excellent idea. The concept would work well for small accommodation and should market it.

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    1. Thank you! I was pleased to be able to fit so much stuff in a small space.

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  3. I love how you decorated it! And it is crazy to think you can put the whole desk away in it! Mind blown! I cannot wait to have my own home and go back through your blog for tips n tricks!

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  4. What a cool idea! I always liked a hidden desk and was looking at the cabinet desk with upper bookshelves that IKEA already has. This is amazing!!!!

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    1. Thank you! Ah, yes, I saw that desk. IKEA has such clever designs. :)

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  5. This is my dream! I have always liked desks that close and hide away my papers. I never even considered that I would be able to hide my printer as well. Very cool!

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    1. Thanks! I always thought the printer and shredder were such an eyesore. I love that they're now hidden but still easily accessible.

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  6. Awesome! This is perfect and it looks so great - the clear black and white contrast with those beautiful patterns. And the purple flower is a lovely highlight.
    I love all your ideas and creativity! - Tea

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    1. Thank you so much! I am very fond of black and white patterns. :) And the purple flower tape dispenser was too fun to pass up.

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  7. Genius. Pure genius.

    cafelastrange.com

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  8. Fantastic idea for a small office. And I especially like the stencilling you did to make it your own. You are very talented!

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  9. I'm sure all these compliments are getting old to you (heheheh, right!), but I have to add mine for the record. This is AMAZING! You are an incredibly talented interior designer, and IMHO, you should be in business!!

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    1. Thank you so much! My confidence tends to run low, so a little reassurance never hurts. :) I would love to work as a professional organizer if it didn't require marketing myself and networking.

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  10. This is such a good idea and I may have to do the same for my craft desk so that I can keep ongoing projects out and still keep them away from the baby and the dog. Thank you for this solution, I would never have thought of it!

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  11. Great idea, Bane! I hate having my scanner and printer sitting out on a table in our family room. Makes the room look so messy! I'll be on the hunt for an antique wardrobe now! LOL

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    1. Thank you! There's just no good way to decorate around a printer. (At least not one that I could find.) Hiding it is a good option. :)

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  12. OMG!!!! THIS IS GENIUS!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!

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  13. Amazing! Pretty and organized :) I would clutter that space immediately and then move onto floors and surrounding furniture...

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    1. Thank you. Well, that's the good thing about a wardrobe - just close the doors and the clutter is hidden. Of course, that doesn't help with the floors. ;)

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  14. This is such a great idea! I hate sometimes when I am at work people looking into my screen, this is great! <3

    unknownprettylies.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you! People staring at my screen make me want to say, "Oh, do you want to do this work for me?" ;)

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