• About
  • Contact
  • Courses
  • Binder Kits
  • Collaborate
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Organize
  • Projects
  • Lifestyle
  • Crafts
  • Holidays
  • Courses
  • Binder Kits
  • Media and Press
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

    Connect

    Search

Organized-ish

Organized-ish

Progress > Perfection

  • Organize
  • Projects
  • Lifestyle
  • Crafts
  • Holidays
dining table as office table

The Studio Table Makeover & Why We Don’t Use Desks

March 4, 2022 · In: Projects

See the transformation of the Organized-ish HQ communal work table I bought from Marketplace and find out why my team and I prefer it over individual desks.

I have been working on revamping Organized-ish HQ for over a year now, and the final piece of the puzzle is officially done. We can check off the Studio Remodel from our list of major goals and finally work in a space that functions for by myself and my team.

Before, the room was mostly a craft room with open craft shelving and pegboards all over. But we quickly realized that all that fun stuff was pretty distracting when we were doing computer work, so we started dreaming up a Studio design that allowed us to be both creative and productive during our daily tasks.

  • Share on Twitter Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook Share on Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest Share on Pinterest
home and diy bloggers. Lela Burris In the New House Designs
2018

One thing we all agreed on was that we worked so well at “The New House” (two houses ago) when we were gathered around my dining room table. That house was very small and there was no office, so we piled up in my dining room with computers and snacks piled up. We loved the community aspect of working side by side and the ability to bounce ideas off each other.

Get 25% off your own Havenly design package here with code LELA25

review of Modsy's design process

So when we talked about redoing Organized-ish HQ (the Studio) we decided to go back to that dining room table aspect. I got design plans from both Modsy and Havenly, and they gave me some great ideas for the table and room layout. I had my heart-eyes on full blast when I saw this table, but it was way out of my price range. So I stalked Facebook Marketplace for almost a year in search of something similar. And I finally found this beauty…

walnut table makeover

Those legs are very similar to the ones of my inspo table, and the fact that it’s a 100+ year old walnut table gave us all the feels of its history. There have likely been so many holiday meals, engagement and new baby announcements, and games played on this table. My husband, son, and I drove almost two hours out-of-state to pick it up, and it was even better in person.

walnut table makeover

The table did need a lot of work, so my mother-in-law and I spent a few days stripping, sanding, and cleaning the table to restore it to its original walnut roots. With a lot of trial and error and some very sore elbows, we were able to lighten the wood quite a bit and get rid of 100 years of wax coating.

Dixie Belle flat clear coat for walnut dining table makeover

Once all the old wax and stain was removed, I covered the table with two coats of Dixie Belle Clear Coat in a flat finish. That gave the table protection from our laptops and endless mugs of coffee while not changing the look of the original wood color.

walnut dining table stripping and sanding

Let’s take one last look at the before…

walnut dining table before stripping

And here’s the after!

dining table as office table

It ties in so well with the wood tile on the kitchenette bar, and provides the perfect light tone for binder kit photo shoots.

walnut dining table used as communal office work table
walnut table with turned legs

And can we just take a moment to drool over these legs? They were the main reason I chose this table, and now that they are a lighter tone, the curves and details stand out even more.

office worktable hidden storage

We like to keep pens and dry erase markers on the table at all times because we’re always coming up with ideas throughout the day.

pens stored in bud vase
dry erase markers in bathroom storage canister
bathroom canister for tabletop trash

Instead of “normal” office supply storage, I used a couple of bathroom canisters and a bud vase to hold our pens, markers, and trash. And to keep the table neat and tidy, it’s all corralled on a wooden kitchen tray.

walnut table with turned legs

Want to see more of the Studio? Keep your eyes peeled for a full tour on the blog next week! If you aren’t already on my email list, you can sign up below for an update in my Saturday Morning weekly recap email.

Get 25% off your own Havenly design package here with code LELA25

  • Share on Twitter Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook Share on Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest Share on Pinterest

By: Lela Burris · In: Projects · Tagged: craft room, dixie belle, office, studio

you’ll also love

create room cubby craft table diy projectEasy DIY Craft Table With Create Room Cubby + Discount Code
diy dollhouse stand with storage by Lela BurrisDIY Rolling Dollhouse Stand With Storage
Lela Burris Organized-ishThe Organized-ish Craft Room E-Course

Get Blog Posts In Your Inbox

Every Saturday morning I send out a weekly recap of all the new blog posts. Want in?

Reader Interactions

Leave A Comment Cancel reply

Next Post >

February Top Ten: My Favorite Products Last Month

Primary Sidebar

Meet Lela Burris

Meet Lela Burris
hey-o!

My name is Lela, (say it like LEE-luh) and I'm so glad you stopped by my blog! Whether you're into organizing, home improvement, crafts, or you just think my pets are cute, you'll find all kinds of inspo here.

Tell Me More!

Connect

Get VIP Emails

Search

Shop My Planners

printable planners for home organization

Organize Your Craft Room

lela burris organiziedish

Hang With Me

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Follow Along

@lelaburris

Sometimes we get busy, maintenance tidying gets pu Sometimes we get busy, maintenance tidying gets pushed aside, or another family member accidentally sabotages the entire area you organized last month.
Instead of stressing over it, take it as an opportunity to redo it better this time. Maybe the way you organized that space before was too complicated and hard to maintain. Or maybe it wasn’t categorized enough so things piled up.
When you find a space that lost its Organization Mojo,  empty it out, try something new, and see if that works better.
You’ll find your own signature organizing style through experimentation and get your home Organized-ish one drawer at a time. 😉
#bathroomorganization #homeorganization #organizingtips #organizationideas #cleaningmotivation
Were you here when we converted this non-working l Were you here when we converted this non-working laundry closet into a custom pantry?
Today on the blog, I’m sharing the exact plans and steps of how I designed this pantry and how my handyman helped me bring it to life.
And if you want a full tour of the pantry, head over to my YouTube channel to look inside all the drawers and cubbies. The pantry starts at timestamp 21:14. 🥰
#pantryorganization #pantrygoals #pantrymakeover #kitchenorganization
This tray and these canisters were “supposed” This tray and these canisters were “supposed” to be used in a kitchen. The packaging literally said “kitchen storage canister” and “kitchen turntable” and they were in the kitchen storage aisles of the store. But don’t let those labels feel like you’re stuck with only certain types of organizers for each room.
Next time you’re shopping for organizers, look in other aisles and you’ll be surprised at what you’ll find. Bathroom organizers are great in craft rooms, garage storage is perfect for a home gym, office storage is good for kid’s rooms, and kitchen organizers can be used in bathrooms.
If you’ve been struggling to find the right organizers for your home, it’s time to think outside the box. 😉
#organization #organizinghacks #organizationideas #bathroomorganization #organizingtips
Anybody else get 20 seconds in and immediately reg Anybody else get 20 seconds in and immediately regret your decision? 😂
#organization #organizinginspiration #cleaningmotivation #homeorganization

Footer

Browse By Category

  • Organize
  • Projects
  • Lifestyle
  • Crafts
  • Holidays

Get Organized-ish

  • Courses
  • Printable Planners
  • Shop My House
  • Amazon Faves

Blog Info

  • Contact
  • Media and Press
  • Disclosures
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Organized-ish LLC © 2023 · Theme by 17th Avenue