Plan On It!

I have been hating working at this little tiny desk. I have struggled with the perfect setup. As a graphic artist, I have this huge Mac tower, a giant monitor, two printers, a scanner, a Drobo, multiple EHDs and my Wacom as well as speakers and keyboard. It’s enough to make someone crazy…someone that feels like everything should have a place and match. With my new office update, I’m hating technology.

“Technology” and “Antique” just don’t go together. I have talked about a crazy idea of nailing my equipment down to a desktop and installing a remote control that would flip everything over when I wasn’t working. Go Go Gadget!

After thinking about it, I believe now that I want to build something. I found Google SketchUp (free) online (and not easy to use when you’re so used to drawing in Illustrator) and did my best to work through it the other night. I found a few plans that I liked on the Ana White website (you know, the knock-off furniture website) and I ended up drawing out this:

It’s not antique looking in these drawings, but my plans are to add decorative trim and moulding. The bottom will be getting a 2 1/4″ molding from bottom of the shelf to floor. And, the top will get a treatment…just not sure yet. I haven’t decided what the top should be. Planks? A door? If I do a door, I will need glass. That’s more money. Or, a flat top? If I go flat, then I’d add some nosing to it to round the edges. Then, the sides might get some decorative scrolls, a coat of white, and some antiquing.

I have measured and remeasured every bit of equipment I have.

There is a spot for my scanner (with the ability to open it still)  and some extra shelves for baskets. My honkin’ Mac tower fits in a nook with the Drobo above it. Both printers are on their own shelves with plenty of room to reach in for paper. I would get most everything into a spot that can be easily hidden with cabinet doors or some sort of fabric (possibly burlap or canvas that I stain).The top would be relatively clear, which is what I need for real workspace.

I am concerned because my computer is more than 15.5″ and will either stick out the back or front. After reading about the best bang for your buck on plywood at Ana White, I learned that 15.5 is a width you can get three even pieces from a sheet of plywood. I could potentially get each of the tall pieces out of one sheet if I measure 15.5. Going wider would cause me to have to have more wood. I need to go price the wood and think it through.

I could build this inexpensively, I’m sure. That is, if I get my measurements right and figure out just how much wood to buy to get the most use out of it. My challenge right now is setting up the table saw outside in this freezing cold. Maybe I can talk my uncle into cutting the pieces all out for me in his basement.

Anyway, I’ve just rambled so much on this desk. But, I will say that visualizing it and drawing it, measuring, etc. helps!