Before we dive into our recent office progress, we just wanted to send out a heartfelt thanks to everyone who left such sweet comments on yesterday’s announcement. To say that it has been completely surreal and that we’re so grateful are two of the biggest understatements we could make. But back to the office.
You might remember on our initial planning post, we left off saying “We’re still letting the concept simmer in our heads, but we’re fairly confident that we’ll start heading in that last layout’s direction since it feels like it makes the most sense for the way we work.”
We still wanted to tape things off on the floor to really get a feel for things, and after 700+ comments rolled in with ideas and suggestions, we had fun mulling over every last alternative. After a whole lot of thinking (and debating, and sketching, and standing in the room with tape lines all over the floor) we decided:
- an optimal layout would be some sort of floating double desk so we could both be in the middle of the room, instead of sitting right against the wall (we both would have window views, and would prefer to orient it so nobody has their back to the door)
- a meeting table in the office would make that the third room on our first level with a table in the middle of it, so although there was some initial embarrassment at the thought of holding meetings in our blue-trimmed dining room, we’re planning to redo that shortly, so it makes sense to let it multitask. It honestly might get more use for meetings than formal dinners anyway – plus we won’t have to worry if our office is a mess before meetings
- a craft/photography zone would still be most useful right in the office – and would most likely work best against the back wall of the room since the sunlight can’t stretch that far (that’s where John has been sitting/working for the last nine months)
So with those three slow realizations (sometimes it takes us a while to get there…) we determined this layout might give us more function (and less wall-staring time) than the one we were initially leaning towards in our last office planning post.
We even dragged the comically small desk into the middle of the room just to picture things a little better. We both LOVED being sort of cradled by the bay window, and sitting in the middle of the room, so it confirmed that we were finally on the right path. Psst- the plants are fiddle leaf figs from Home Depot (on sale for $59 with a 1 year warranty) so here’s hoping I can keep them among the living…
Ever since we’ve been keeping an eye out for something to use as a double desk that could float in the room. We assumed we’d need to adapt it in some way to make it wider or longer to accommodate two people, but we knew a good solid piece would be just the “bones” we’d need to begin, so we’ve been hitting up thrift stores, checking out craigslist and freecycle, and even the occasional yard sale (theeeeeey’re staaaaarting up again guys! hooray spring!). After at least eight failed missions/searches, this nice big, packed with storage, solid wood desk popped up on craigslist as a curb alert.
It was sheer luck that I saw it about twenty minuntes after it was initially posted (free curb alert items don’t usually last long) and it was even better luck that it happened to be a Wednesday, because on a weekend I think it would have been gone in a minute. We dropped Clara off with John’s parents so we could fold down the seats to make room for something big, and raced over to the curb… hoping to see something on it.
Oh happy day, we made it! And it fit into the car by about two inches (if the legs weren’t removable it would have been too tall).
There might have been happy tears from this highly emotional pregnant lady. I also cry during commercials and the occasional youtube video about puppies.
Anyway, once at home we set it up on a dropcloth with four small pieces of wood under it to lift it up a few inches off the ground. The drawers were still out from our travels, and the other side was a cabinet with a faux-drawer front. There was even a pull-out thing on the right.
It was pretty beat up, so we were glad we were both sold on painting it white from the start.
We’ve been craving a clean/light/airy office from day one (we have dark walls in our bedroom, and more planned for the dining room across the hall from the office – but we always envisioned a light and bright work space). So although we LOVE a good old piece of furniture that’s unpainted, like our media cabinet, which we just cleaned up and brought back to its original beauty with a combination of this method and this method; and Clara’s dresser, which we just stained with a painted top; and this hand-me-down dresser from John’s dad that now lives in our closet…
… painting the desk a no-brainer thanks to the combination of more wear and tear along with our desire for a clean and light office.
We also removed all the hardware, drawers, and doors to prep it. That’s when we saw this tag with the maker’s info. Doesn’t “Administrator TM” sound official? I loved squinting at the old drawer lock that said 1968 (it kinda looks like 1999 in in this picture, but up close it’s definitely ’68). In fact in googling around for “Alma Administrator Desk 1968” I found one (albeit in a lot better shape) on eBay for $1000! Is that crazy or what?
How cool is this world we live in, where people leave things they no longer want on the curb and they just might happen to be exactly what someone else is looking for.
I’m sentimental these days, huh? It’s just a desk.
Anyway, next up was the “remove all the other random stuff” stage. This included using a straight razor to scrape off some paint blobs, weird raised areas of glue, and some old tape that had been stuck to the surface.
Then it was sanding time, so John donned a mask (sanding old wood can be particularly dusty) and used our hand sander to really rough things up.
Once it had all been sanded down, we applied wood putty in a few spots, just to fill in the divots and low points. We sanded those areas again when they were fully dry, and we were good to go.
Next I wiped it down with liquid deglosser, just to remove any leftover sawdust or grease/build-up that might be lurking. Then John broke out the Kilz Premium primer and applied one thin and even coat with a small foam roller. It’s what we used to paint our kitchen cabinets, which didn’t give us any issues with bleed.
One coat only took about an hour, and we did the back and fronts of the cabinet door, and the fronts of the drawers (so we left the interior of the cabinets and the drawers wood, which we did in our last office as well).
Before painting it, we decided it was probably smart to bring it into the house so we didn’t risk dinging up our paint job by moving it afterwards. We used the same dolly that came in handy for getting the fridge on the back porch a few weeks ago but this time John and I got ‘er done. The dolly did all the heavy lifting, so John pulled and I just sort of steered it, opened various doors, and made sure we weren’t hitting anything or falling off the front pathway while we pulled it along.
Once inside, we set up the same drop cloth + four scrap pieces of wood system to slightly lift the desk off the floor and used the same BM Simply White Advance paint that we used for the upper cabinets in the kitchen (it’s self leveling and specifically made for painting cabinetry or furniture). Once again we applied it with a small foam roller – using a small angled brush to get into some of the areas a roller wouldn’t reach, and then rolling over them as much as we could to blend everything together.
John did the first coat, and tagged me to do the second one the next day. If you can imagine, I looked even less graceful doing this part. Thankfully there is zero photographic evidence.
It just took those two coats to get it covered, and the following day I applied some satin Safecoat Acrylacq to the desktop just to seal everything and give it added protection – once again with a small foam roller (I did two thin coats).
We also decided to have some fun with the legs and the handles by painting the wood parts the same Simply White color as the desk itself, but once that dried we taped off the freshly painted parts (or disassembled the handles) so the old silver metal could get a subtle metallic-champagne color (I used Champagne Mist by Rustoleum).
It definitely has that light/airy office vibe going on now.
You can catch a glimpse of the legs in this photo.
Overall, we’re really happy with how it came out. Especially since it was a free secondhand find, which means we can put more money towards other things we want to do in here – like window treatments, an awesome overhead light, storage systems, nice new office chairs, etc.
So here’s how the room is looking now:
With more of a handle on our layout, we’re excited to move on to other steps, like painting the office (so far we’ve only done the trim) and working out how we’re going to make a wall of organization (we’re planning to use the wall behind this shot, since it’s hidden from the foyer (that way the room won’t look messy even if our command center gets chaotic).
As for adapting the desk to work for two people, we think it’ll be a pretty simple cut-a-hole-in-the-back-and-trim-it-out process, and we might add a wider top down the line (wouldn’t soapstone be cool?). But we didn’t want to rush into that just in case over the next few weeks as this room comes together we change our mind and want a single desk for some reason (with another desk area somewhere else). So we’re resisting the urge to rush into any decisions that we can’t undo, like cutting this baby open.
Update: Apparently using laptops for scale would have been helpful to show how two people can easily fit at this desk (it’s 34″ wide and would be 38″ if we added some sort of counter with a 2″ overhang) so here’s that pic for you guys! Our first house’s double desk was 18″ deep, and we each had ample rooms for legs and computers, so we think this plan should work well – but of course we’ll keep you posted!
What secondhand finds have you guys been hunting down lately? Have you ever actually gotten in on a curb alert before someone beat you to it? This was our very first time. Gotta say, I liked it. I liked it a lot.
PS: Wanna see another desk makeover? Check out the DIY herringbone pattern we painted on another thrift store desk.
jeannette says
i love and am inspired by your openness to 1000 different layout plans. i’d’ve gone crazy after 738 and started screaming I DON’T CARE GIT ‘ER DONE PUHLEEEEZE. the final plan with the double desk so’s you can both enjoy the embrace of the yummy bay window, which is certainly one of the most gracious features of your house, is like nestling down into the homeliness of it all. and hurray for meetings at the dining room table, that frees the office up for you and the nuggets (at their own double desk!!!!!) to work in your jammies and to be truly creative without being too self concious. so happy there’s going to be a creative craft zone in there. it’s what makes the world go round. perfect solution, guys, so thrilled. and the sign that you hit it just right is that perfect freebie. yay.
Meg says
I absolutely love it — and adore the metallic accents! You’re both so cool and creative. I would never have thought to attempt something like this, and a free desk? SWEET!
I have to say, our offer on a home got accepted last week — and as excited/terrified as I am about the prospect of moving and getting our own house, all the knowledge, inspiration and creativity I’ve gleaned from visiting your site so often over the last six months has made the thought of deconstructing/decorating/building our home so much less overwhelming. Love you guys. Thanks!
Mary says
You got a great desk. I’m from HP–Furniture Capital of the World–where Alma Desk once was a large employer. I found this on the internet (http://www.myantiquefurniturecollection.com/alma-desk-co-alma-trend-collection-51722/Page3.html) and thought you might like a bit of desk history. “Any products made by Alma from the 1960’s through the late 80’s will be of the highest quality, a product of a bi-gone era where American manufacturing was at its peak. At one point in time Alma was the largest employer in High Point. An interesting tidbit is the company actually manufactured and trademarked the original office cubicle desk.” So enjoy your desk. You have a great find! And it looks amazing after its transformation.
YoungHouseLove says
SO COOL!
xo
s
Sandy says
So cool! We bought the very same desk at a thrift store for a steal. The only difference is that the top is larger and hangs over so you would have additional space and foot room all around the desk. Absolutely love the desk and use it in my craft room for sewing and crafting. Love the white!!!! I will paint it and post pics when done. : )
Robin says
Man I love it! But I know I could not work that close to my SO. I know you likely won’t be both sitting together 100% of the time and the spacing is enough that you COULD work at the same desk… but man that is rather close for comfort for me. I’d need my own room!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo
s
Michelle says
Ha, you succumbed to the fiddle-leaf fig!!! I have been coveting one for SO long… please keep us posted on if/how you keep them alive!
YoungHouseLove says
I can’t believe those beasts are still among the living! The only reason I felt ok going for it was the one year plant warranty from Home Depot.
xo
s
Kelsey says
Love the fiddle leaf figs, are the planters from home depot as well?
YoungHouseLove says
One is just sitting in the plastic pot since I need another planter, but the other one is from HomeGoods about 2 years ago.
xo
s
Kara says
Awesome desk! I scored an Alma Desk Co. credenza in January that I am in love with. It was $35 at our Habitat ReStore, though I also found ebay listings that suggest it could be worth A LOT more. It’s in pretty great condition too, though I think I’d eventually like to put new Formica on the top in black. Here’s an insta of it: http://instagram.com/p/i1U6tqi-se/
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome!
xo
s
Brit [House Updated] says
I ridiculously love that desk! What perfect finishing touches on it. We just went for light and bright in our breakfast nook too -can’t go wrong with that!
And congrats again on the big announcement from yesterday – it has been so fun seeing everyone pin your new products so now they are all over Pinterest too!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Brit!
xo
s
Jennifer says
How do you plan to manage power needs at a floating desk? We have a similar problem in an awkwardly placed living room, and we have ended up with a yellow industrial extension cord that lives by the couch so we can plug laptops in while we’re in there, and a desk might have even more consistent needs for power.
YoungHouseLove says
We’re thinking of getting a covert plug added under the desk (or behind it on the bay side so the wires aren’t too visible). Apparently it’s not that expensive and can be added through the crawl space, so we’ll keep you posted!
xo
s
Briseidy says
I love it in white! you were so lucky to find it!
Daisy says
The office is just screaming for a subtle in-floor-outlet (or two) to be installed under the desk! My parents had a few put into their great room/living room and it is so nice to have a cord-free look!
YoungHouseLove says
LOVE to hear that!
xo
s
Malinda says
What a great find! I feel your teary-eyed excitement. I have been looking for a dresser with very specific dimensions for almost a year, and yesterday I found one…on the curb! Needs some TLC, but the free find made my day.
rachael says
Beautiful! My parents have a desk just like that. I would never imagine turning it into something as gorgeous as that. Why does everything you touch turn to gold? Pass some of that fairy dust this way please!! :)
Amy says
I’ll need you guys to post the long corner desk next. =) I’m trying to come up with a long desk solution that will cover about 12′. I like the idea of using two boards but I don’t want to have to worry about a line right down the middle where the two boards would meet. Any suggestions on how to achieve a smooth top? Varnish the crap out of it, to fill in the seam? Thanks! – Congrats on…everything.
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I’m not sure. Will hopefullt think on that and share what we come up with!
xo
s
Carol says
Have you ever considered having a glass top cut for the desk? I’ve got one on mine with those rubber bumpers/feet between the glass and desk, and it has saved my desk from spills/scratches lots of times. Plus the bumpers give me a space to put pictures, and I’ve even considered lining the top of the desk with cute wrapping paper to add some unexpected color…
YoungHouseLove says
That could be fun too!
xo
s
Caroline says
I like the new set-up, but can’t figure out the power situation. Will you have cords running across the floor for your laptops? It seems impractical to stop working when you need to power-up.
YoungHouseLove says
We’re thinking of getting a covert plug added under the desk (or behind it on the bay side so the wires aren’t too visible). Apparently it’s not that expensive and can be added through the crawl space, so we’ll keep you posted!
xo
s
erin says
I dig it! i love that you guys had ideas, but then everyone had feedback and it sparked something else in you!
Katie says
The whole process of you guys setting up your office reminds my of my aunt and uncle’s double office that was in my childhood home. I can tell you from experience that having the kind of family atmosphere you do is something your kids will cherish for the rest of their lives.
Also, yay for not having to stare at a wall while you work! Your desk is gorgeous.
Jessi says
OMG this post gives me heart palpitations in the best way! I LOVE a good curb alert find. Our apartment is currently over stuffed with all the free pieces I’ve picked up with intentions to makeover.
I tried out a foam roller for the first time this week on a coffee table I’m refinishing and was amazed at how smooth the paint went on. A major breakthrough in my ongoing battle against brush lines!!
The desk is beautiful – thanks for constantly providing great inspiration!
Nicole says
Also in addition to my above comment I think one of the big problems you are doing is that you think clean, light and airy = WHITE. In reality the style of the desk is too chunky and bulky and you would have been way better off with a parson style desk with open space underneath (that small table in the 1st picture actually looks way more appropriate style wise).
Most double sided desks are either open below or double wide to give enough space for both work stations. Its really very clear that you guys go form over function in your offices. Unfortunately neither is actually any good.
Deb says
Different strokes for different folks. We all have different tastes, different styles, different views. And thank God for that! How boring would it be if EVERY house you walked into was the same? You have your taste, your opinions, I have mine. Since it’s their house, I think we should allow them theirs!!
P.S. Love the desk!
Emma says
Gah! I love it! I want it…can I have it? Ha ha — just kidding. And it is also SUPER cool that you can pick up such cool stuff with your new ride.
Chelsea says
Ah!! That’s my exact work desk! It looks so much better updated… wonder if I could convince my work to let me update mine now that I can show them how amazing it could look!
YoungHouseLove says
So funny!
xo
s
kat says
Wow, gorgeous desk! Love those petite legs :)
So I had never heard of curb alert.
Checked my local curb alert and found a pink toilet! Not what I was hoping to find….
Jess says
kat, you don’t live in PA do you? I’ve got one of those out on my curb right now. No shame.
Patti says
I think a large stone or wood top would be very practical and look great. If you could keep the space behind the chairs open, it might work. Have you chosen another spot for the Xmas tree?
YoungHouseLove says
We’re not sure if we’ll just scoot the desk forward more into the room and do a tree there or find another spot. Hope we figure it out in nine months!
xo
s
Maria says
As to who will seat where… Is any of you guys left-handed? that might help allocate places in the table as you would not want the light coming in from the window being interfered by the hand you use to write… Although I guess nobody does handwrite anymore these days…
YoungHouseLove says
Clara is the leftie of our family, but alas- John and I are boring righties. Haha!
zo
s
Jess says
That is a pretty slick score my friends, I bow down to your awesome Craigslist skillz!
I found my desk for $50 on Craigslist back when I was in the market, I wanted a big honking bertha one like yours, but those pesky 32″ doors really crank your style in that regard. So I settled for one of those 30″ deep old office desks with the chrome legs, laminate top and metal drawers, cost $50. I painted the top white and gave the body a fresh coat of satin black, left the legs and handles chrome. It’s pretty sweet, and it fit through the door!!
Melanie says
Oh my gosh I love this! I adore the white handles with the champagne detailing. Just beautiful. I can’t wait to see the finished painted walls to go with it all :)
Emily says
Love it!!! And where, oh where, did you get the chairs at the kids’ desk?
YoungHouseLove says
Those were yard sale finds from a few years ago. $5 each!
xo
s
Nicole S. says
I kinda figure you’d pull the top off and switch one of the drawers around so you’d each have one.
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh that’s a fun idea! I think we’d worry about messing with how solid/stable the desk is – but it’s something to think about if we’re desperate for drawers on each side (we figure the person on the side without them is pretty close to the craft storage/area, so some extra supplies could be stored there).
xo
s
Shana says
I love the new office layout. It’s much better than facing a wall. At my old job we all had laptops and worked at big communal tables and I didn’t have any troubles sitting across from a coworker when I was in the zone – we even had “phone booths” where we could go plug in our phones if we needed to make a long/private or loud call.
The dining room will be great for meetings – I think from the floor plan (have a hard time picturing this house still) it will be right across the hall? so that creates a nice division of church and state – front of the house is work zone and back (kitchen and living room) and upstairs is home zone.
If I was you I wouldn’t do any colour in the office and just do white walls. Like Emily Henderson’s studio. You can still get a lot of colour from stuff/furniture but then you have a more blank slate for looking at swatches/fabrics and designs and doing any small photography/product shots. Also I imagine with your planned big white boards and pin boards on the walls it could otherwise get very overwhelming.
I am regretting painting our whole space (griege) the more I see bright white airy rooms on pinterest but don’t think I can talk the hubs into painting again so soon… Whoops!
Anywho just my 2 cents.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Shana! We definitely will go light and airy on the walls, but we’re thinking of a hint of color (think: very very subtle) – just to make it light and happy and let that pretty trim (and all of those window millions) pop. Haha!
xo
s
Karen Agnes says
What a wonderful find! I have never found anything like that free on the street, but we don’t really have that consept on ‘Craigslist'(www.finn.no)here in Norway. I have made some pretty good second hand finds though often by coinsidense!
What really stole the show though was those gorgeous plants you have by the window! It must be like working in a forrest! So beautiful!
Audrey says
That desk really has some great great lines. I so would’ve grabbed it if i saw it!!!!
I also think waiting before making a drastic change is such great advice.
Leslie says
Wow, what a great find! There really is no greater feeling than picking up something for free and turning it into something you love (beating everyone else to the chase definitely adds to the euphoria). I like that you kept it clean and bright, but added a bit of “bling” with the spray paint. Awesome!!!
Lisa says
You two are so inspiring- I’m going to check the curb alert section of Craigslist now! What a beautiful transformation with that desk. You’re little guy will probably have the painting “gene” and come out holding the little 2″ angle brush!
Lesley says
So glad you reconsidered looking at a wall. My husband always laughs at me for my crazy desk locations because I can’t stand being visually hemmed in by walls – I think it’s PTSD from cubicle dwelling.
Currently I am in the dormer window of our bedroom and look outside directly, and in new home we are re-purposing the formal dining room to a library/office/study with a nice big table in the middle so the kids can join me for homework and the like. It’s going to be awesome! We have a full eat in area of our kitchen directly beside the space so two tables seemed redundant.
Allison says
I would hate to think of you guys cutting into that beautiful desk! Have you thought about adding a table to the other side at the same height as the desktop? Is the desk too wide for that?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s another possibility too! I think we like the idea of one smooth seamless surface, so we’re also considering getting a wider/longer top and adding that with some legs on one side- just want to make sure it doesn’t get too wide (or throw off the symmetry).
xo
s
Kirbee N says
Love the desk! You make the hard work of finding the right piece and fitting it to your needs seem doable :) I appreciate that you noted that you’ve spent lots of time searching for the right piece, because that can be a frustrating process.
But my real question is – how are you two going to focus at all while you work facing each other? Seriously, I would just start making stupid faces at my husband. It would just be, “Ooh, look at this random internet thing! Cats memes! Doctor Who memes! Pretty house accessories on sale! Everywhere sales!” I would get nearly nothing accomplished, and I would suck him into my own unaccomplishment.
Anyway, it looks great, and thanks again for sharing an awesome update. Sherry, way to keep DIYing, growing/crazy awkward baby tummy and all!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, it’s a good question! In reality, we usually work in tandem (one of us is the parent, and one of us is the blogger – or one of us is doing a project like painting something and one of us is writing a post in the office while Clara sleeps – so there’s a lot of switching off).
xo
s
Rachel K says
I like this layout a lot. I personally wouldn’t want to be facing the wall all day so your previous layout didn’t seem as appealing. Congrats on the free desk, it looks great!
Heather S says
Glad to see that you changed the desk layout and won’t be spending your days looking at a depressing wall when you like the room for all of it’s light.
Miranda says
Very cool find! Any plans for a colorful rug under that bad boy?
YoungHouseLove says
I LOVE me a colorful rug.
xo
s
Melanie says
Hello Sherry! Lovely desk!! Did you mean ‘tag teamed with me’? :)
YoungHouseLove says
I don’t know what I meant! Haha! Just changed it to “John tagged me to…”
xo
s
Monica says
This desk is fantastic. Love what you did with the handles and legs!
Teresa @ wherelovemeetslife says
Wow, I have trouble finding pieces in our area for SALE that are such good quality :) Score!!
Mamaw says
Love, love, love that y’all are putting the desk in the middle of the room instead of up against the wall. Love the desk y’all scored and what you’ve done to it, especially the legs and hardware. So cool! Good job!!!
Ruthie says
WOW!! That desk… what a transformation! It’s beautiful now. Great job.
Erin C. says
Seriously? This desk is the bomb diggity. It looks so upscale with the way you painted the hardware…fantastic idea. Also, belated congrats on your Target line. You all are amazing! I can’t wait to pick up that skeleton key wall hook. All of your success is so well-deserved.. and it couldn’t have happened to nicer people!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Erin!
xo
s
Nicole says
Wow, great find! I LOVE what you did to the hardware-such a nice touch. Can’t wait to see how everything comes together in here. I’m also loving those plants in the corner, but we are moving and I’m trying to resist the urge to buy anything these days so we don’t have to move even more stuff!
Paige @ The Room Kit says
That is EPIC. And it was freeeeeee! The cheapest piece of furniture I’ve scored as a midcentury dresser for $10 at a garage sale. It’s in pretty rough shape (peeling veneer, anyone?) but I plan to paint it when it warms up a little.
Renee S says
Great find!
Random thought…what if you attached a fold-down table top on the other side of the desk…that way you wouldn’t have to cut a hole in it, would still have the extra workspace when you need two people working, and would have a larger surface for sewing/crafting, but could fold it down to save space when not needed? You’d only have a few screw holes to fill if you ever wanted to remove it.
YoungHouseLove says
Never even thought of that possibility! Thanks Renee!
xo
s
Jessica says
I love it! We have a very similar double sided desk layout in our office. We just finished our office at home and it has been working out so well! I found a parsons table and 2 short rolling file cabinets on Craigslist. This way we can each have drawers face the direction we are working. I can also move my set of drawers and set up the sewing machine because we don’t have any other room for that.