Living in a small NYC apartment, every bit of storage space counts. We all know that shelving is a great way to utilize empty wall space and store everything from books to toys. In my bedroom I have a small nook where I originally had a dresser. I loved it there, but realized I had a lot of wall space above it that I wasn’t utilizing and probably would have just ended up hanging some kind of photos or art there. At the same time, I had been thinking about a new desk space for me to work- originally my computer was in the playroom so I could be in the room while my youngest daughter Gia played. But, since the playroom is all the way in the front of our railroad apartment, it felt like I was tucked away from the rest of the house. So, I had the idea to create a desk space with shelving above.
Inspired by one of my favorite fashion bloggers, Arielle over at Something Navy, I knew that this combo of workspace and fashion worked well together. Now of course, I don’t have her amazing selection of red bottoms and Jimmy Choo’s, but I still wanted a place for my shoes other than a huge bin outside the front door (I still keep all my sneakers and boots out there).
1. The Desk
I actually saw that a neighbor was throwing away a metal base to a table that was obviously paired with a glass top. I love the industrial look so I decided I could get a piece of wood and stain it as the top of my desk. I headed to Home Depot and tried to find an affordable slab of wood that had some nice grain for staining. For around $30 I found a nice piece that wasn’t too expensive but also not too thin.
2. The Shelves
With the left over wood (since you pay for the entire piece anyway!) I asked to have the remainder cut into shelves. Four were the same size and two a little smaller. Four would be used for over my desk. Stain and brackets were also purchased at Home Depot- after staining and allowing everything to dry- I placed the desk on top of the table base and hung the shelves up. All done!
It was then time to choose which shoes I was going to put on the shelving and place a few items on my desk.
I love the finished product and can’t wait to find the perfect chair to add a nice pop of color to the space!