desk DIY

When I found out that I was going back to school this fall - I immediately knew one of the first things I needed to get working on was creating a nice office space. I needed to make a space that would make me happy to spend hours and hours studying in {err...that "studying" is what I dread!}. 

First order of buisness would need to be a desk. You see, I have had the same desk in my possession since I was 12 {so not that long.....lol} and it was not very functional; in fact throughout my undergrad it was a nice dumping ground corner display space in my little apartments bedroom and the dining room table ended up as my "desk".  So when I got thinking about a functional desk for me I knew I needed a large, wide "table" like space to fulfill my study needs.  While searching online and purusing pinterest I found this World Market beauty! Problem: they don't ship to Canada. Well not actually that big of a problem I could have got it shipped to the border pickup and went and got it but when I did a little more research I found this building plan.  After showing it to my husband we decided we he would follow the plans and build it ourselves himself.

In the end we adjusted a few measurements, made the desk higher and wider, and ended up with some a little different than either of the original inspirations but I absolutely LOVE it! I am so happy to have a handy husband who was patient as I changed my mind a few several times along the way.

After it was built - it was my DIY turn.  I had really wanted the desk to have a rustic/weathered feel to it and had read on pinterest {of course where else!?} that if you let steel wool sit in vinegar for 24-36 hours you could "ebonize" or "weather" wood. So I gave it a shot. After testing it on sample pieces, I found that it was a lot more "weathered" than I would like. So after further research - I prepped the wood with steeped tea - let it dry and then applied the vinegar-steel wool mixture. Turned out perfect!

Finished it off with some Tung Oil to seal it and voila! I have my dream desk for far less than it would have been to purchase.

Next I hope to recover the chair, create some shelving, add a chalk/cork board and add a little more style to this office!

So what do you think? If you want some tips further on the construction, staining or finishing process feel free to leave a comment or send me a mail!