Introduction: Child's Desk From an Old Kitchen Cabinet

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In this project, I am making a small desk for my daughter. She tends to be very rough on furniture, so I want a solution that will be inexpensive but will also last a while. Luckily, up in the attic, there are a number of old kitchen cabinets as pictured below. If I squint my eyes a little, and dim the light, I can already see a desk, can't you? Be warned - this is no heirloom piece, but as a six year old, my daughter is convinced I'm a genius.

Step 1: Clean the Cabinet

This is the easiest step. Simply take a damp towel and some Dollar Store cleaner (thanks Jolene!) and wipe the cabinet clean, inside and out.

Step 2: AAAGH!! CONTAC PAPER!!! MUST REMOVE!!

As you can see, the inside of this cabinet is coated with a horrific, 1951 floral print. Being as horrible as it is, it must come off.

Step 3: Scrape Contac Paper Off of Shelves

Using a razor blade, being very careful, begin to remove the Contac Paper. Starting in a corner.

Step 4: Try to Get the Contac Paper Off in Large Pieces

Contac Paper is fairly easy to remove, but it will definitely save you time to remove it in as large pieces as you can. Peel slowly, and be patient. Now is a good time for some music. Go ahead and keep the lights dimmed too, and possibly sip some champagne.

Step 5: Carefully Replace Contac Paper Once Daughter Begins to Cry Because She Likes the Flowers


*sigh*

Step 6: Paint the Outside of the Cabinet

I chose some old paint from a wall project we did upstairs, because it's a nice color and my daughter likes it. I did not remove the doors initially, because I am lazy, but changed my mind later. I was thinking the contrast of the already-white doors against the blue would look nicer. When I put the doors back on, I put them on upside down, so the pull knobs would be near the top instead of near the floor when the desk is in use.

Step 7: Next Comes the Worksurface of the Desk

Any peice of wood or other material would do, really, but being as my goal here is a project that is nearly all reused materials, I hit the attic once again. There were several cabinets like the one I am working on here, and I stole two shelves from one of them to create a work surface. On one side of the shelves, I applied chalkboard paint. On the other, I applied a salvaged whiteboard surface using hot glue. Though the surface comes in two peices, it is being held togerther by the glue, and by the whiteboard backing.

Step 8: Connect Worksurface to Desk Body Using Hinges

As pictured. I just eyeballed it - I did not feel the need to make precise measurements considering the linited breadth of this project.

Step 9: Just Add a Stool, and You Have Your Child's Desk

Unfortunately, I am currently remodeling the room that this desk will be placed in, so I am unable to take pictures of it in context. Once that area is finished, I can take pictures of the desk where it will go. As you can see here though, the worksurface will normally be up, exposing the chalk board. When my daughter wishes to work, she will pull the worksurface down, exposing the whiteboard/ writing surface. Inside, with the.... *sigh*.... loverly Contac Paper, she will have plenty of shelf space to store paper, crayons, books, etc.

Now I'm off to the city to buy a stool for her to sit at. Thanks for reading.