Glass Top Desk With Ambient/Bias Lighting

This Instructable/Ikea Hack is going to teach you how I built a glass top desk with ambient lighting.

There is many ways you can do this project but I chose something cheap and simple to work with. So I chose to get my materials at Ikea. Really, you can get your materials in whatever shape/size you desire.

You can also upgrade to an Ambilight-like system instead of pre programmable Ikea lights and use the DIY guide Amblone to make your RGB LEDs react to the colors on your monitor.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy this Instructable.

Step 1: Materials/Tools:

For this project, you will need....

Materials:
- x1 White Malm glass top
- x1 Ekby Viktor wall shelf
- x4 Vika Adils legs
- x1 Dioder RGB LED light strip set
- 2 Pieces of wood to raise the glass up (I got mine in the "As-is" section at Ikea for $2 each.)
- x4 Screws long enough to fit through your piece of wood and into the wall shelf

Tools:
- x1 #2 Phillips screwdriver

Step 2: Legs

Start by opening up all 4 Vika Adils legs and assemble the brackets with the screws provided to the Ekby Viktor wall shelf.

Then screw the legs into the brackets.

Note: You don't need your boards under the bottom of the shelf. I did that because the screws are slightly longer than the thickness of the shelf so I didn't want to drill through my floor.

Step 3: Test/Mount Your LEDs

Make sure your LEDs work before assembling them. Plug them into the hub and make sure to plug the controller in to the hub too. Make sure all the colors work too.

If they work, ether screw the brackets to the wall shelf, or use the provided double sided sticky tape to stick them to the shelf and the back of your monitor.

Step 4: Assemble the Side Boards

Use your 4 other screws to screw your 2 boards to each side of the wall shelf. I screwed my boards in so they are approx 4.5" on each side. This gives the lights more area to diffuse through the glass top. Though you may adjust this height to your liking.

Step 5: Finishing Touches

Place the glass top on top of the 2 boards. Make sure your desk is level.

Assemble your computer onto your desk. Place 2 sticky strips onto the back of the remaining RGB LEDs and place those on the back of your monitor near the sides.

I added a piece of black cloth across the underside of the desk to hide the lights and make it look more finished.