Main Project Plan: Minimalist Desk

A couple of years ago I had the idea of building a new desk for my room here in Boulder. I had recently fallen down a couple of youtube rabbit holes of watching people build beautiful live-edge tables, and had an idea that I could improve my desk setup here in Boulder. I currently have an Ikea desk that is a little smaller than I like, as I have my monitor on the desk, and like to store things on my desk.

For my main project, I would like to make a wooden desk with a minimalist aesthetic, while having lots of hidden functions. I have seen designs online where people will take hardwood boards and lay them flat, against each other to make very minimal desks or tables that are very aesthetically pleasing in my opinion. I think I can modify this and create a cool design by adding in some boards of another contracting color to the table.

I also had the idea to add some hidden functions to the table. I think that I can easily mount an outlet strip to the bottom of the desk, to hide some wires. I think by hiding these wires, I can create a more minimalist looking setup for my entire desk. Another hidden function I’d like to include that will add to the minimalism is a hidden mounted wireless charger to the table, which will allow me to charge my phone on the desk without extra wires. I think I can achieve this by routing a cavity underneath the table, and mounting the charger in the cavity, with a thin piece of wood between the charger and the top of the desk. I also think I could add a hidden hinging drawer to the bottom, that would be unseen from the top of the desk, but would swing out from underneath if needed. 

Some of the inspiration for this project has come from my childhood, and a recent hobby of mine of building furniture and other woodworking projects. As a kid, I regularly made projects in the garage with my dad, and enjoyed working with tools. More recently, I have gotten into building my own projects, including the wooden end table that I modified for my upcycling project. I have become fascinated with the woodworking process, and it is something I would definitely like to explore more in the future.