Ready for a workspace that actually fits the way you work? These 13 DIY office furniture projects start with the big pieces, like a fold down wall desk that tucks away flat, a farmhouse X desk, a compact writing desk and a whole wall of built-in shelves. Then come the makeovers: a plain swivel chair dressed in blush faux fur and a pink chalk painted filing cabinet on gold tipped legs. To finish, there’s smart storage you can make in an afternoon, from a pine letter caddy to a pegboard wall and a framed pocket organizer from old jeans. Measure your space before you cut a single board, and leave room to pull out a chair! For wall art, lighting and styling, see the home office decor roundup.
1. Office Chair Makeover
Got a plain office chair that does nothing for you? This makeover wraps one in blush faux fur and gives it gold legs. Spray paint the base and the tops of the wheels gold after a coat of metal primer, but skip the greasy height shaft. Drape two yards of faux fur over the back, pin two gathers where it’s loose, then sew along the pins for a snug slipcover. Do the seat the same way. Watch which way the fur runs before you cut!
Get the full tutorial at A Beautiful Mess.
2. Giant Cork Board
A giant cork board wall gives you a huge spot for mood boards, photos and to-do lists. This one is cork sold on a roll, cut to almost three meters tall and a meter wide, and mounted floor to ceiling behind the desk. Cork is heavier than you’d think, so glue it down well or fix it with screws and nails. Pin anything with thumbtacks, swap it out whenever you like, and park a rolling cart in front for supplies.
Get the full tutorial at Binti Home.
3. Easy Space-Saver Foldable Desk
This easy space-saver foldable desk folds flat against the wall when you’re done working. Cut 1×4 boards to 36 inches and 1x2s to 14 inches for the frame, clamp and screw them together, then attach a 20 by 30 inch pine shelf as the top with small hinges. Cut 45 degree ends on 1x2s to make L-brackets that swing out underneath, and add small braces for strength. Stain or paint it, then mount it to the wall. An extra pair of hands helps.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
4. Pegboard and Rolling Cart For Home Office
A pegboard and rolling cart can turn a narrow spare room into a real office. Set a secondhand desk between the windows for light, then hang a white pegboard above it with hooks, small baskets spray painted chrome, clipboards for art prints and a metal hanging file. Two pegboard hooks and a rod make a washi tape holder. A three-tier rolling cart holds the printer on top, a cutting machine in the middle and paint below, and it wheels away when you need it.
Get the full tutorial at White House Black Shutters.
5. DIY Modern Couch That Also Doubles As A Desk
This modern couch that doubles as a desk is a clever pick for small spaces. It’s the Zig Zag Sofa from HomeMade Modern, built from plywood and lumber with an angled base and a padded leather cushion. Sit on it like a sofa, or use the flat back and sides as a work surface when you need one. The video tutorial walks through every step in detail, from cutting the frame to stitching the cushion. A real two-person project.
Get the full tutorial at Contemporist.
6. Farmhouse X Office Desk
Need a desk with real farmhouse charm? This farmhouse X office desk is built from 2x4s, a 2×2, 1×6 boards for the top and a 2 by 4 foot piece of plywood for the shelf. Build two outer legs and a middle leg with a pocket hole jig and screws, then fit the decorative X pieces into the sides, measuring each 2×4 against the frame before you cut. Join everything into the base, then attach the plank top through upward pocket holes. A right angle clamp helps a lot.
Get the full tutorial at Handmade Haven.
7. Wood Desk Organizer
This wood desk organizer keeps bills and envelopes in one tidy spot, and you only need glue and a hand saw. Cut eight thin pine pieces for the sides, back, base, divider and a little pencil holder, then sand the edges. Glue the pencil holder box together first, then build the letter caddy around it with a tall back and a low front. Painter’s tape holds pieces while the glue dries, and a painted edge makes it look modern.
Get the full tutorial at Make and Tell.
8. DIY Metal Memo Board
This DIY metal memo board is really a storage grid with a handy pocket. Look for flexible plastic-coated garden mesh, then fold the bottom edge upward to form a pocket for magazines and papers. Give the whole grid a coat of plastic primer, test first if you want to skip it, then spray it black. Once it’s dry, hang it over the desk and clip up photos and notes. Add S-hooks to hold scissors, or hang one in the kitchen.
Get the full tutorial at Burkatron.
9. Chalk Painted Filing Cabinet
A chalk painted filing cabinet proves an ugly metal piece just needs some love. Wash off scuffs, remove the hardware and drill holes underneath for four wooden table legs. Mix your own chalk paint in a soft pink and brush on a thin first coat with cross-hatch strokes, then pull the drawers out to paint them more easily. Give metal extra time to cure. Chalk paint the legs and pulls first, then spray them metallic gold for a glam finish.
Get the full tutorial at All Things Thrifty.
10. Wall Organizer Hack
This wall organizer hack is an easy, no power tool take on a pricey store version, and it’s just as handy for washi tape and small supplies. The update is even easier: give the little boxes a fresh color. Load a brush with acrylic paint and paint each box, sides included, going slowly so you don’t need painter’s tape. Two coats does it. Mix pinks, white and natural wood for a light, happy look that fits any workspace.
Get the full tutorial at Fish & Bull.
11. DIY Upcycled Denim Jean Organizer
Got an old pair of jeans in the closet? A DIY upcycled denim jean organizer turns the back pockets into handy wall storage. Empty a picture frame, trace it on the back of the jeans and cut along the lines. Fold one side over toward the middle so both pockets sit close together, and hot glue the fold. Glue the frame backing to the wrong side of the denim, lock it into the frame, then hot glue a knotted jute rope to the top corners.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
12. DIY Writing Desk
A DIY writing desk with a small footprint fits where a full desk won’t. This one is 30 inches tall, 29 wide and 16 deep, with a base of 2×2 legs and 1×4 select pine stretchers joined with pocket hole screws. Stack the top stretcher on the bottom one as a spacer for an easy, even height. A full extension pullout drawer holds supplies, and a walnut top dresses it up, though pine works too. It’s a great laptop desk.
Get the full tutorial at Fix This Build That.
13. DIY Bookcase
This DIY bookcase is a full wall built-in that makes any office look custom. The lower half is ready-made wall cabinets set on a simple 2×4 base and pulled a few inches off the wall, finished with a stained top glued up from 1×6 boards. The shelving units above were cut from 3/4 inch plywood, though 1×12 boards are easier, then nailed together and painted with a sprayer. Smooth wall panel boards on the backs hide uneven walls. Slide the units into place, screw them to each other and the wall, then add 1×2 trim to the shelf edges and crown at the top. Trim does all the magic.
Get the full tutorial at Artsy Chicks Rule.
