When I moved into our heritage home in December 2010 it was perfect. All my things fit neatly and every space was filled perfectly. This made me very nervous for when mister fiance would be returning from Australia in March.
Yup. Problem.
We had far too many things between the two of us and no place to put his computer. After ruling out a computer desk (as there was no way we could fit one in) and realizing the only free space was in the dining area/hallway, we opted for something a little unusual – a computer shelf.
We made a trip to IKEA and purchased the Ekby Amund shelf with two Ekby Bjärnum brackets, for a whopping total of $26.99. Try and tell me your computer desk cost less bought brand new.
The shelf worked fantastically. He didn’t mind resting the keyboard on his lap to type which removed some of the awkwardness of the shelf’s narrowness, and he didn’t need much surface space for anything other than the shelf.
But having a computer shelf in the middle of a hallway wasn’t enough to keep me satisfied. It seemed too out of place. And so, we turned an otherwise ordinary hallway into an office space via our magnetic chalkboard.
We taped off the area and after sanding and cleaning the wall, layered on 5 coats of magnetic primer followed by 4 coats of the chalkboard paint.
A lot.
To be honest, we could have used more magnetic primer as it’s pretty weak, but the result is still fantastic.
We now use the magnetic chalkboard as a place to write quick reminders or messages to each other, as well as a space for friends to write messages to us. The wall is pretty fun to read the morning after a party.
So there’s our solution to a computer desk for small spaces! I can’t lie and say the shelf worked out perfectly. After a while (a year or so) the space got a little too cramped and uncomfortable to use for long stretches. We have since sorted out our furniture situation and were able to fit in another computer desk (and my crafting dresser if you remember from my Nood post). I think this would still be a great use for a small space with a laptop rather than a 24″ mac desktop.
What space saving alternatives have you come up with?
