Home Improvement Ideas Home Remodeling DIY Built Ins How to Transform IKEA Wardrobes into a Built-In Home Office Budget-friendly storage furniture combines with a plywood tabletop to create a DIY workstation with tons of style. By Maria V. Charbonneaux Maria V. Charbonneaux Website Maria Charbonneaux is a home and DIY writer, owner and founder of Take Care Creative Co., and a teacher at the Iowa State University Greenlee School of Journalism. She oversees the Dotdash Meredith apprenticeship program at the school and specializes in producing magazine features, photoshoots, and social media at her editorial and design services company. Maria holds a bachelor of arts degree with distinction in journalism from Iowa State University.Maria Charbonneaux has been working in journalism since 2006. She started as an editorial apprentice and intern at Dotdash Meredith, as part of the special interest publications decorating group and Parents magazine team. She stayed with the company for more than eight years as scrapbooks and crafts staff writer, Kitchen + Bath Makeovers editor, and Do It Yourself magazine editor.Maria joined the Greenlee School of Journalism at Iowa State University in 2016. She was the communications specialist for five years, managing the messaging, branding, and visual identity of the school (which consisted of more than 600 students). Her responsibilities included overseeing the alumni magazine, websites, newsletters, and more. She also worked with a team of student journalists to produce content for Greenlee. Now Maria serves as an assistant professor of practice and Dotdash Meredith professional in residence, teaching courses on magazine publishing and leading the apprenticeship program.In 2017, Maria launched her company Take Care Creative Co., where she takes on editorial design projects for clients like magazine features, photoshoots, and improving social media presence. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process and Jessica Bennett Jessica Bennett Instagram Jessica Bennett is an editor, writer, and former digital assistant home editor at BHG. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on March 23, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Blaine Moats Project Overview Working Time: 4 hours Total Time: 2 days Skill Level: Beginner Turn a blank wall into a hardworking home office with this DIY built-in workstation. The project starts with a pair of IKEA Pax wardrobes, which are available in several sizes and configurations, to create closed-door storage for office supplies, paperwork, and more. Between the cabinets, a sheet of plywood mounted to the wall forms an efficient desktop surface. The standard height is 30 inches, but you can install your tabletop 44 inches from the floor for standing desk height or 36 inches for counter height. Personalize the wardrobes with a coat of paint (we chose Chimichurri CSP-810 from Benjamin Moore) and textural wallpaper inside the door insets. To boost organization, outfit the interiors with a combination of shelves, baskets, drawers, and other storage accessories. Add task lighting and artwork around the work area for a stylish and functional office. What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Circular or table saw Clamps Fine-grit sandpaper Tack cloth Angle paintbrush Drill/driver Crafts knife High-density mini foam roller Materials 1 2x4-foot sheet of 3/4-inch maple plywood 1 8-foot 1x3 maple board Wood glue Water-base clear coat (We used Minwax Polycrylic.) 2 IKEA Pax wardrobes (39 3/8 x 23 5/8 x 79 1/4 inches) Primer made for glossy surfaces (We used Sherwin-Williams PrepRite ProBlock.) Semigloss paint (We used Sherwin-Williams Pro Industrial DTM Acrylic Coating color-matched to Chimichurri.) 1 1/2-inch wood screws Metal bracket Grass-cloth wallpaper Crafts glue Cabinet hardware Instructions Measure and Cut Plywood Measure and cut the plywood to 21-3/4x48 inches. Cut the 1x3 into one 48-inch-long nose piece and two 20-inch cleats. These pieces will form your tabletop. Assemble Tabletop Using wood glue and clamps, attach the nose piece to one long side of the tabletop with edges flush. Allow to dry 24 hours. Remove the clamps, and sand the surface until smooth. Remove dust with a tack cloth. Apply Clear Coat Apply clear coat to the tabletop using a high-quality angle brush. Be sure to brush in one direction with the grain. Let dry for 2 hours, and then lightly sand to remove air bubbles. Paint Wardrobes Using fine-grit sandpaper, rough up the finish of the unassembled wardrobe parts and doors. Wipe away dust with a tack cloth. Prime all wardrobe parts and the cleats from Step 1. After the primer has thoroughly dried, paint all the primed pieces, allowing to dry between coats. Assemble and Position Wardrobes After the paint is cured, assemble the wardrobes according to the manufacturer's instructions, but leave off the doors. Position the wardrobes against the wall 48 inches apart. Attach Cleats Measure 29-1/4 inches from the floor and draw a level line on both wardrobes to mark the tabletop placement. Attach cleats directly below the lines, screwing in from the interior of the wardrobes. Secure Tabletop Place the tabletop on the cleats. Screw through the bottom of the cleat into the bottom side of the tabletop so as not to disturb the finish on the top. To add stability, install the metal bracket into a stud or using drywall anchors. Attach tabletop to bracket. PHOTO: Blaine Moats PHOTO: Blaine Moats Finish Wardrobes and Customize Install the wardrobe doors, and add desired hardware. Trim wallpaper to fit inside the door insets and adhere with crafts glue. Customize the interiors with organizers to boost storage capabilities.