small space desk solution

I recently gave my daughter’s closet a makeover. Click here to see that final reveal post. One of the major things we did was to remove the doors and hang curtains to frame the space. She loves her now open closet – which is more like an extension of her room now without the doors.

In addition to removing the doors, we moved an armoire into her closet space which opened up some extra space in her room. She’s been asking for a desk for her room and now she finally had the space for it. I’m sure she wanted this desk to do all that homework. Right? Maybe. But she also loves to make things: crafts, slime, make-up tutorials. So this desk was definitely going to get some good use. But the space was pretty small and it was next to her newly designed closet. So we needed something to fit the space and work with her new design.

We kept this area simple and found the cutest desk at Ikea that fit perfectly. It’s actually called a dressing table because it has a built-in mirror. Make-up tutorials, check. It also has hidden storage space that helps organize all her supplies. Crafts and slime, check. And of course, a good desktop space. Homework, check.

I knew I wanted a pretty and cozy chair to add some character. This velvet rolling desk chair from HomeGoods was the perfect way to add some color, texture and warmth to the space. And it’s super comfy.

The next challenge was the lighting. She needed some extra light for this work area but there really wasn’t any room on the small desk. I wanted to do a wall sconce but I was having trouble finding one that was the right size or the right style. Most were too big or they didn’t fit the decor of the room. And they can be very expensive. I was researching some DIY options then I found this LED light at Home Depot for less than $25. It even has a notch on the back to hang it. I don’t mind the cord but I did use cord tacks to hold it in place so it was at least straight and less distracting.

I added some art and shelving in a mini-gallery wall style. I think gallery walls are a great way to fill a wall space. You can mix in a lot of different artwork, photos, colors and textures. And you can find inexpensive art and frames to keep costs down too. Chalkboards are a great solution for a kids work space, as are calendars and shelves. Anything to help keep them organized.

Meaningful art and quotes are a great solution to help inspire growing kids. I love the typography art we found on Etsy: “Life is tough my darling but so are you.” Anything to empower these young girls.

And this little basket I hung from the side of the desk with command hooks is good for those catch-alls.

So that’s a little glimpse into this new space. I’ve been dying to finish it up since her closet redesign last fall. She’s been so happy with it and it just goes to show you that small spaces can be efficient and pretty too.

Sources:
Chair: HomeGoods – find similar style here
Desk: Ikea
Light: Home Depot
Chalkboard: HomeGoods – find similar one here
Typography art: Etsy
Calendar & wood clip frame: Etsy
Personalized cross art: gift from a dear friend – find similar ones here