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The “L Shape” Desk Hack from Ikea

Full Ofiice_L Shpe Desk

I can’t believe all of the comments and amazing feedback that I received over my office! In fact, it’s been over a year since I revealed my office makeover, and I still get weekly emails and comments asking about how I created my L-shape desk configuration. So today I’m sharing some additional behind the scenes pics of my desk + you’ll find the full shopping list below!

 

L Shape Desk_White Desk with Gold

The “L” Shape Desk Configuration Shopping List 
Linnmon Table Top – High Gloss White (59×29 1/2″) *this is the larger part that my computer is on.
Alex Drawer Unit in White (this is in place of the last 2 legs)
*If you wanted more drawer space, you could do 2 Alex units and only 4 legs. Because of my large pink chair, that would have been to crowded for me. Also… I have the Lack side table on the side of my desk next to me for my printer.
L Shape Desk Ikea Hack
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  1. Melinda says:

    I am getting ready to buy new office furniture and I love your decor!! I really need that drawer unit- that is perfect for all of my office supplies!

  2. Danielle says:

    I absolutely love your office. It is gorgeously girly. Where did you find the black and white striped rug if you don’t mind my asking?

  3. Tina says:

    Great job!! i’m so glad i could this before I spent $1200 on an L shaped desk. Do you absolutely need that leg thats to the left of your chair or Do you think maybe the tabletops could be connected underneath in that area with a bracket to allow a chair to roll freely underneath?

  4. Melissa says:

    In love with your office!!!! Where did you get the floating shelves that you have above of your computer?

    Thanks!!!!

  5. Nettie says:

    Leah, I love your new office and the “pop of color chair” is fabulous! Great style technique used in putting the paper on the back wall of the shelf to match the floor and bring them together. Everything is visually appealing. Great job!

  6. Erin McMahon says:

    Your office is amazing! I scrolled through the resources, but didn’t see where you got the shelving above your computer? I’m guessing the black and white chevron is a fabric? Thanks for your time!
    🙂

    • I got the shelving from Ikea!! I did give them a light spray paint of white to brighten the “Ikea White” so it matched the bright desk better. And the black and white stripe liner is actually wrapping paper !! that I found on Amazon I believe! I think this was it: http://amzn.to/1RvCyWo

  7. Aurora says:

    Love the office! It’s exactly what i was looking for! How did you attach the two table tops together?

    • With a bracket underneath. And mine have all the legs as well. I like to be able to move one of my tables away from the other for when I’m using my table top to style photography. 🙂

      • Danielle says:

        Where did you purchase the bracket from? I purchased the table tops today from IKEA and with them bought some connecting hardware but it turns out it isn’t meant to connect two table tops!!

  8. Julie says:

    Hi Leah! I’m at the beginning stages of creating a Glam Cave (office and crafting room) and I’m using your layout as my inspiration… You’re brilliant!

    2 questions… What are the dimensions of your room? And second, I laid the table measurements out in my room, but want to know how much space you left from the end of the computer table to the window wall. Want to make sure I’ll have enough space to move a chair around.

    Thank you VERY much!!!???

  9. Rose says:

    Simply gorgeous!!

  10. Stephanie says:

    How did you bracket the 2 table tops together? It’s not totally clear and I’m definitely thinking about doing this. Thanks!

  11. Michelle says:

    For the life of me I can’t seam to see where the 6th leg is! I see the two on the far right and it looks like only three in the middle and then the drawers on the left ?

  12. Amanda says:

    This is perfect! I love it so much. I have been looking for an idea just like this for my little home office!!

  13. Ebony says:

    Thank you so much for sharing with us all!! you have an amazing office. I found you via pinterest. My husband and I just built a new home and I have so many room to decorate. I work from home so my office is top priority. I’m going with a pink and gold theme. I like the the spray paint you used in your office. Do you mind sharing the brand and color with me? So many out there and all the colors are so different. Thanks for sharing with me in advance!! 🙂

    Ebony

    • Hi Ebony, I can’t remember the gold spray paint off the top of my head anymore but I believe I did link to it in a different comment once. Hopefully it’s up there somewhere. 😉 It was just all purpose gold spray paint I found at Sherwin Williams – there really were not any other choices. It was gold, silver or bronze if I remember correctly. Hope I helped solve the mystery a little.

  14. Christine says:

    Hi, you mentioned you used all 6 legs. I see only 5, just wondering the placement of each leg.

    Thanks!

  15. Vicki Wagstaff says:

    Love your office!!! We just left ikea with with items to build the l-shaped desk!! So eccited!! Where did you get the shelving unit?
    Thanks for sharing your beautiful office!! ?

  16. Jess says:

    Super cute!! What size in your office? I am working with an 11×10 and trying to visualize if this could work in my space 🙂 Thanks!!
    -Jess

  17. Rachael says:

    I went to order all of these things but it looks like Ikea charges an insane amount for shipping.It would cost more then double the price of the furniture to ship it. I am super sad because I love your desk set up and I just can’t find anything like this anywhere else.

  18. Judy Judovits says:

    How long this it take you to put all the pieces together and what was the difficulty of this project. By the way great job.

    Judy

  19. Krista Holtegaard says:

    I love your office. Is the chair appropriate for office work? Like is it comfortable to type and do computer work from the awesome chair? I am just wondering.. It is $40 to ship and I would hate for it not to work out once I get it here..

    • I have a tendency to like to curl-up in my chair. My legs are always criss-cross apple sauce so for me it totally works. I do typically sit on a pillow to make me high enough but I’ve been using it for a year as my desk chair now and totally happy with it.

  20. Angie says:

    I had to join in and thank you for sharing your ingenious desk solution! I’ve been looking for an attractive L-shaped desk that will fit nicely into a small basement apartment space and this fits the bill perfectly. I will be opting for the brown-black color combination offered at IKEA (love that store!) instead of the white as it will better match my other furniture pieces, but in the end, I think it will still turn out nicely. I’m so very excited to begin this project; you’ve truly helped out a budding entrepreneur with a limited office decor budget! Thanks so much! 🙂

  21. Leanne says:

    Thank you!!! I just added this beauty to my space. I recently became my own boss and part of the dream was to work at a pretty, shiny white desk. I was JUST about to buy an L shaped desk on wayfair when I decided to hit up Pinterest and stumbled upon your post. I am SO happy I did – I love the shiny top. I never would have thought IKEA would have a shiny top like this! Love love love. I added the sawhorse looking leg in the back corner of mine to give myself one more little shelf. Might put the printer there. 🙂 Thank you again! I already feel more productive and amazing than I did before I invested in this baby. Now to add some more pink and gold and motivational quotes to my workspace to really bring it all together!!

  22. Meshi says:

    HI there! love this post. I just put the desk set together as shown. However, how do you keep the table top from moving since its not attached the the Alex drawer set?Also to attache to the next table? Is there a piece I should get from ikea to secure?

    Thanks in advance!

    • Hi Meshi! We got a flat bracket from a home improvement store to secure the two table tops together and with that secured the drawer unit doesn’t really move. I do have mine on a rug though. If yours is on hard floors it may slide more. I hope I helped.

  23. Melinda says:

    Hi! I know everyone is asking for shelf above your desk. Do you happen to know the name? I can’t seem to find at ikea, thank u for sharing this wonderful idea!

    • Hey Melinda, I looked all over their website to try to find it too and I can’t find anything that indicated what it is?? I’m so sorry! I’m wondering if it was discontinued?

  24. […] Little pictures hanging above my head might be too much for me, but I like the concept of having inspiring images in your office or creative space. [source] […]

  25. Jen Driscoll says:

    Hey I just bought this! How do you make sure the top doesn’t slide on top of the alex drawer? I am just assuming you just rested the table top on top of the alex drawer?

    • Kat Ferraro says:

      Exactly Jen. It just rests right on the Alex drawer unit and then we connected a bracket underneath to keep it secures so it didn’t move around. Just make sure your screws are not to long – wouldn’t want them to pop through the top.

  26. Samantha says:

    For everyone like me who’s wondering what the shelf above the desk is, I believe it’s the Hemnes wall/bridging shelf 58 5/8 x 14 5/8 x 13 3/8 and its $99. Not sure if it’s online but I’m in the store and it seems to look very similar 🙂

    • Kat Ferraro says:

      Thank you so so much Samantha for sharing! I have looked online over and over with no luck! Makes sense that it’s maybe just available in stores! xo

      • Samantha says:

        The only difference is this one has 3 sections and yours is just two. But I bought it anyway and couldn’t be happier with this entire set up! Thanks again for the inspiration 🙂

  27. Karen says:

    Hi! I have been wanting to update my office for awhile. I have finally replicated your desk and I absolutely love it. I am wanting to purchase the chair from World Market like yours, I was wondering if you are still happy with the chair and has it held up good? I was getting ready to order and I had read some reviews regarding the legs bending/not sturdy.
    Thanks! And your office is beautiful, Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

    • Hi Karen, I do still love my chair. I did have a problem with one of the legs but I called up World Market, they were great and replaced the whole chair. That was pretty early into getting it, maybe 2 or 3 months. Since then I have had to tighten the legs a couple times but I am in and out of that chair scooting it all over ALL THE TIME! So I would say it has held up well and yes, I’m still totally happy with it.

  28. Keisten says:

    Can you tag some of your desk accessories, such as the lamp and the artwork? LOVE!

  29. […] Layout inspired by the very talented Leah Remillet. Check out her blog and beautiful office space here. Her office is amazing and I definitely wanted her particular desk layout for my corner. So thank […]

  30. Christina Torres says:

    hi i was just admiring your desk. I was looking for an L shape desk where I’m able to do art and work on the computer. I had a question about your list. The godvin legs you said x6. where is the 6th?

    • I have the legs all positioned around the desk with one in joining corner of the L on the inside. I originally was going to bracket so it wasn’t needed (which we did bracket it to keep them tight together) but ended up having that leg for extra support. Hope that makes sense.

  31. Siobhan says:

    Hi 🙂
    LOVE it! Can you send me the extra pics too please?

    Thanks 🙂

  32. Sierra says:

    By any chance did you ever find out what the wall cabinet was called? I’m on ikea’s website and can’t find an alternative…

    • Leah Remillet says:

      Hi Sierra, I’m sorry but I don’t. They may have discontinued as I first published and finished this office in 2014. How has been that long?

  33. Brenda says:

    OMG – I love your office! I know, I know, this was published in 2014, but I am hacking this!!! I would have never thought to build my own desk but this has given me inspiration. I have been looking for the right desk since Jan 2020 (almost a year). Onward to a greater me… Thanks

  34. Nala Aleman says:

    Omg i love this desk I know this was posted in 2014 but I have a question do you have any suggestion for doing this desk in a smaller area?

    • Leah Remillet says:

      Ikea does have smaller desks (both in width and depth) or if you have a smaller space you could try using counter block for something more narrow. A great trick is to cut wrapping paper to the size and lay it out on the floor to see if you have enough space. Hope that helps!

  35. Cierra Fridley says:

    Hi there!I really want to replicate this for my office but I am not seeing these Linnmon desks in these dimensions on their website. Do you know if they have been discontinued?

    • Leah Remillet says:

      I originally created this desk in 2015, so it’s very likely it’s been replaced with something else but I’m sure you’ll be able to find something similar that works for you. Good luck!

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