15 DIY Office Desk Ideas: Simple & Cheap Ways to Make

Working at home is a great thing, but if you recently were told that you’re a remote employee now, you may be using your kitchen countertop as the office space. You’ve been putting off buying a new desk, but you can always make a DIY office desk that fits in with your overall décor and needs.

Most people think they need a separate room to work in. While that’s ideal, you can build your own office desk in the living room or kitchen if necessary. The first step is coming up with ideas, and we’re here to help.

1. Standing Desk

Autonomous is a well-known brand that offers tons of office desks and the accessories that go along with it. Sometimes, it’s just easier to buy a height-adjustable desk for your home office. However, if you want a homemade office desk, there is another option. The brand offers frame kits. That way, you can use your own desktop, which can be virtually anything.

Wood often works best because it’s durable and strong. However, you can use pieces of laminate, stout plastic, and other materials. Some people even use old granite countertops!

2. L-shaped Desks

Consider an L-shaped desk style so that the corner of the desk in parallel with where the walls meet. Then, the arms come out from there, giving you more space to work.

Often, L-shaped desks take up less space in the room. That way, if you have to work in the living room or kitchen, the rest of the furniture fits with the DIY office desk. Those who prefer to have a height-adjustable desk can use the DIY kit from Autonomous. With this, you can build your own office desk and still allow it to raise and lower. There are three different frame designs, and the L-shape is an option.

3. DIY Double Desk

DIY home office desks can seem like a huge undertaking because you’ve got to get creative. However, if you’ve already got the DIY office desk plans for a single desk, why not make it a double desk?

There are two ways to do this. The first option is to create a really long tabletop so that two people can work simultaneously. Alternatively, you can have two separate desks facing each other. This one requires a lot of space, but it gives you plenty of room to spread out or enough for two people to work together.

4. DIY Office Standing Desk

You can’t go wrong with a standing desk. There may not be enough room for a chair, especially if you get an ergonomic one. However, you can take calls and write/type while standing. There are numerous myths about standing desks, but ultimately, they are good for you.

If you create a DIY office desk that lets you stand and work, you can keep the brain full of oxygen to be more productive. The best thing to do is to get an adjustable height frame. That way, you can sit and stand throughout your day. If you don’t have room to leave a chair there, you can always wheel it out of the space when you’re not using it. Depending on the height of the desk frame and the chair, you could also put the chair under the desk when it’s not being used.

5.  Art Desk

The art desk is a fun piece of furniture that can be used for different purposes. It’s often got a concave shape, so the back part is rounded slightly. In the area you sit in, the space is curved, too. This helps you sit closer to your work without bending as much and hurting your back. Typically, it’s used by designers and creatives, but you may find it useful for various purposes.

6. It’s Magic

Learning how to build an office desk means deciding which option you want. The floating desk is quite popular. These DIY home office desks are mounted onto the wall. You can choose the style that meets your needs most.

Hang it along the wall with some chains, and you can create a homemade office desk that folds up. Alternatively, you can have it mounted in the corner so that you can stand and work. However, it’s not likely that you can make it a height-adjustable desk if you go this route. Still, it is a focal point for the room, and everyone is sure to notice the desk hanging by itself.

These DIY office desk plans are sure to impress everyone, and you’re going to enjoy working at a desk suspended in midair.

7. Small and Stout

Sometimes, it’s just impossible to have a large desk. You may be sitting in a small corner of the living room or bedroom. It’s still possible to build your own office desk, but it takes a little creativity.

Consider having a small workspace. It can be a few feet long and only come out from the wall to be wide enough to hold your keyboard and laptop/computer. In fact, you can still make a small setup height adjustable because the Autonomous DIY desk frame goes from 40 inches to 73 inches. That’s a little over 3 feet long at its shortest, so it’s bound to fit almost anywhere. Sometimes, it might take some rearranging on your part to make your DIY office desk plans work. However, it’s worth the effort so that you can work comfortably in the space you’ve got.

8. Flow Desk

Do you have multiple people in your home that have to work during the day? Many parents now homeschool their children while working remotely. This is a challenge for those who are organized, but it’s doable. With a flow desk, there are five workstations, and they’re all connected to each other in the middle. The chairs are on the outside, so you and four children (or you and your spouse with three children) can all work simultaneously.

This is going to help the kids because you’re there to make sure they’re doing their schoolwork. Plus, you don’t have to go to a different location for your office and keep walking back and forth.

9. Table and Bench

Using wood for your homemade office desk is a great option. You can sit on a wooden bench with a picnic-style table. Just be sure that you’ve got plenty of cushioning because it can get uncomfortable if you sit on wood for long periods without taking a break.

Having the right DIY office desk plans are essential. If you’ve got a farmhouse table already, you can repurpose that into a desktop. Since they’re often thick and long, they’re durable. Plus, you have a larger work surface, which helps you spread out. In fact, two people might be able to work at the same time, which saves space. Plus, when you’re not using it for work, the DIY office desk can be used for other tasks.

10. Credenza Desk

If you have a china cabinet or something similar, you can turn it into a desk. Build your own office desk by adding a wooden tabletop across the part where the drawers end and the open space begins. That way, you still have access to the cabinetry underneath and can use it as storage when you’re not working.

There are so many ways to customize this desk style. Having a DIY office desk is a necessity; if you don’t have the space but have a cupboard or something similar, you can combine the two. They can be quite large (tall and wide), so measure the area carefully. You should have the DIY office desk plans that you want to use, and make sure that you double-check the numbers before building.

11. Treadmill Desk

Many people dislike sitting, and they only have to work remotely for a few hours a day. If you’re always on the go, consider making a homemade office desk that stands on top of the treadmill. You can type, answer the phone, and walk while you do it all. When you’ve got a little downtime, turn the treadmill up to run and burn through those calories.

Just make sure that you’ve got the best DIY office desk plans. Research options online and try to find tutorials that are going to help you keep the desk secure while you’re working. It’s also essential that you’ve got the correct posture while walking and working.

12. Roll-top Desk

Most people don’t have antiques lying around the attic or basement. However, you can make your own roll-top desk. If you’ve already got a base, you can add the wooden pieces to it to create the style. Otherwise, you can build it from scratch. Typically, people want the drawers on each side, but you can do away with them.

The top part has many compartments to store things. Therefore, if you’ve already got a frame or base, you can easily add the tabletop with the roll-top feature. That way, you can repurpose what you’ve got and create a magnificent homemade office desk for your space.

13. Corner Desk

There are countless corner desk ideas out there, which can help you minimize the spacing you need. Plus, you have plenty of room to work and spread out. Those who often find themselves at the kitchen counter or at a table in the living room may want to consider the corner desk. These DIY office desk plans can vary because there are so many choices. You can use one long or small rectangular desktop and put it next to a wall that’s bare.

It’s also possible to get a desk that’s designed to fit in a corner of the room. With this option, there is a pointed edge, and the desk comes around to your body. Usually, you sit in the middle, and there’s a space underneath for your legs. Learning how to build an office desk is the first step, and you can find tutorials online.

14. Two-tier Desk

The two-tier desk is an easy DIY office desk to make. With it, you’ve got the frame and the tabletop across it. Then, you add another tier to the back. Often, you want a wide desktop to start with so that you can add the next level and still have enough room for the keyboard and other accessories.

You can make a second tier to go on a current desk, or you can create an entirely new piece of furniture. It’s going to take a lot of effort to make a desk from wood scraps, but it is possible.

15. Change the Color

You may already have a desk that you’ve been using or that has been collecting dust in the garage. It looks a little dingy and banged up, but you could make it work until you can think of something else.

What you could do is get some paint and repaint the old desk. You may need to make minor repairs so that the drawers work and there aren’t any sharp edges. This may require sanding, nailing pieces together, and the like. However, when you’re done with all that, slap a new coat of paint on the old desk, and you’re ready to work.

Another alternative might be to remove the top, especially if it’s made of wood. Sand it down, repaint/stain it, and put it on a standing desk kit from Autonomous. Now you’ve got a homemade office desk that’s also repurposed.

Conclusion

DIY home office desks may sound complicated, but it’s quite easy to do if you’ve got the right tools and ideas. For example, with the SmartDesk DIY Kit from Autonomous, you can easily attach any desktop you want, and you’re good to go. Plus, you get the benefits of standing and sitting without having to hand-crank everything.

While it can take some time to get your DIY office desk up and running, you’re going to be glad that you did. Once it’s put together, you can work quickly and be more productive. Pair it with an ergonomic chair from Autonomous, and you can go from sitting to standing in seconds to stay active and comfortable throughout the workday.