It’s been awhile since I shared a new build with ya’ll, so today you are in for a treat! I designed and am offering free build plans for this THREE COMPARTMENT DESK that is perfect for a small space that need a little extra storage and even perhaps… a vanity! That is what I was needing, at least, when I created this beauty for my master bedroom:
The design is a little rustic, a little modern, a little vintage and beachy (with the white-washed weathered oak finish), and super functional.
If you remember, at the end of last summer I put a desk in here from World Market. Well, after a few weeks, we realized the desk was a little too large, so we tried having just a couple of chairs here for a sitting area. Only problem? The chairs became a dumping ground for clothes and other miscellany we didn’t want to put away. Sorry if that makes me a slob, but hey– we are lazy sometimes. So I kept thinking about that desk, but I needed something that wasn’t so long or wide, so I could fit a normal chair and a nightstand on my side of the bed. I also needed extra space to hold my makeup and hair stuff. Our bathroom is pretty small (albeit stylish) and I love makeup.
This desk is 4′ long, 18″ deep, and 29″ tall. And the top opens in 3 parts to a compartment inside. Boom! How awesome is that?! Well, I love it!
So friends, here is how I built it…
DOWNLOAD FREE PLANS HERE
Above has the digital, detailed, step by step plans, and I’m going to show you some progress shots I took to give you the basic idea.
First I built the bottom by attaching a 1/2″ piece of plywood to a frame of 1x2s. I used very thin 1/4 plywood pieces to give it a little space when attaching the plywood so the screws don’t split the wood.
Then I made another frame piece out of 1x4s but one that would fit on the inside of the 1×2 frame on the base.
I attached this 1×4 inner frame that is actually the sides of the desk, to the bottom plywood by flipping it over, pre-drilling some holes…
….And attaching some screws from the underside into the 1×4 sides.
Next up was the 3 part lid. Each piece fits together to make up just a tiiiiiiiny bit bigger than the 1×4 sides –so that there isn’t too much wood rubbing against each other (there’s a joke in there somewhere…). Attach 1×2 frame pieces to the lids as well (but only on 2 sides for the left and right lids and only on the front for the middle lid. OH! And I used a few pieces of cardstock under the plywood so there would be the tiniest bit of lip when I attached it to the 1x2s.
Once all three lids have their 1×2 trims attached, you put them together and make sure they fit!
Notice the legs above? They are super easy– just a perpendicular joint on one side and a 10 degree off center angled joint on the other. Use regular pocket holes to join them from the underside of the leg base.
Attach the legs to these two leg supports on the underside of the desk, then attach the leg supports to the desk using regular wood screws!
Since attaching the legs comes last, you will want to measure and attach the lids using flat hinges. Biggest pain in the butt, but so so necessary.
The end result? Fantastic.
To read about my rustic Eastlake headboard makeover, go HERE.
You might be wondering, why 3 separate lids? Well, when you have a multi-use desk, you don’t want to have to clear everything off when you need something out of it. I can have the lamp, a vase with flowers on one lid, my laptop on the middle lid, and then open the other lid to access my makeup and have a handy mirror to use while I’m at it!
You actually can hold quite a lot– I got these clear organizers from Home Goods and they hold all my stuff and room for more! The mirrors I got from the Dollar Store and just took their cheapy-plastic edges and cardboard backs off and glued them to the underside of the lids. Because- hello! You can never have enough mirrors! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/72x72/1f609.png" alt="