Filing Cabinet Desk

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a great weekend.  Some of you might even have today off, too.  Blittle does so we are finally going to see Unbroken and get a few chores done around the house.

Over the weekend, I used my new office several times!  It is so nice to have an organized, beautiful space to work in.  Something about it makes me want to work harder.  Silly, I know, but true.  I posted this picture on Instagram yesterday of me using the desk for the first time writing tomorrow's blog post and you got a small sneak peek of the room.

Now to tell you about the filing cabinets and desk.

I have been using the plastic crates filing system for our important papers but I have never loved it.  It is nice that it is portable, especially during hurricane season, and that's about it.  Having a filing cabinet in the office was a must so I decided to go with a filing cabinet desk.


I shopped around on Craigslist and a few local forums for some cheap used filing cabinets but could not find any.  This project was on some what of a time crunch so I bought new.  I found this filing cabinet at Office Depot for $25.  At that price, I didn't mind putting holes in it and painting it.  :)  I bought two and got to work.

Several things needed to happen for this cabinet to be functional for us.  First thing, I needed to add height.  I am tall with long legs and I like to cross my legs when I sit.  I know that's a bad habit...I am working on it.  Anyway, tables and desks are sometimes my enemy.  I hit my legs on them all the time and often they are too short for me to cross my legs under them.  To create height, I added 2x1's to the top and bottom of the cabinet.  I forgot to take a picture of this.  FAIL.  I was in a hurry.  I used the Kreg Jig to create pocket screw holes and made two rectangles.  One sits on top of the filing cabinet.  The other on the bottom.  I glued and screwed them into the filing cabinet.

To cover the added wood, I framed the top and bottom with moulding then caulked and filled the seams.  The paint what was left over from the dresser that is also in the office.   The generic plastic pulls were replaced with some pretty chrome ones.

To protect my floors and help keep things level, I added some adjustable feet.

The top of the desk is made of poplar 1x6's glued and screwed together.  I decided on an aged, driftwood treatment.  I love the dark stains but I wanted something a little lighter and beachy for this room.  I love it!

Yes, that is me in my wedding dress on a boat.  :)

The desk chair has dark legs so I am thinking about sanding them down and doing the same driftwood treatment on them.  I'll let you know what I decide.

The desk is a perfect place for me to blog, do paper work, sew, meal plan, etc.  I am so excited to have a designated work space.

That is all I am showing you today because tomorrow, I am revealing the entire office!

Monday - Inspire Me Monday (Sand & Sisal,  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Domestically Speaking, Sweet C’s Designs)  Made by you Monday (Skip To My Lou)

Tuesday - The Makers (Tiny Sidekick, Persia Lou, Upcycled Treasures) Show and Share (Coastal Charm)

Wednesday:Wow Us Wednesday (Savvy Southern Style), Inspire Me Wednesday (Seven Thirty Three, Happiness is Homemade) Be You tiful (Art is Beauty)

Thursday: What To Do Weekends (Crafts ala Mode ), Friday Favorites Link Party  (I’m Not a Trophy Wife),  The Best DIY Party at the Handmade Hangout (A Glimpse Inside, Christina’s Adventures, From Gardners to Bergers, Redoux Interiors, Too Much Time on My Hands), Inspire Me Please, (Liz Marie Blog) Catch as Catch Can (My Repurposed Life), Creativity Unleashed (Practically Functional, Shaken Together, One Project Closer, The Bold Abode, and The DIY Village)

Friday:  The Party Bunch (The Idea Room, 30 Handmade Days, Whipperberry, The 36th Avenue),  Anything Goes (Bacon Time),  Be. You. Tiful Link Party (Chic California), Creativity Unleashed (Practically Functional, Shaken Together, One Project Closer, The Bold Abode)  Fabulously Creative Friday (Jennifer Rizzo Blog)  Anonymous Weekend Party (Remodelaholic) Little Friday Link Up (The Grits Blog,  Living Lavender, Fleurty and Fit), Anything Blue Friday (The Dedicated House)