Homemade Desk Storage Unit

My cohost, Shari Hiller, and I have decorated numerous home offices housed in a variety of spaces. Whether in a kitchen, bedroom or den, we've found there are three major areas of concern when designing a workspace. These areas include lighting, noise control and, perhaps most important, organization.

Interior lighting falls into three general categories: ambient, task and accent. Ambient lighting is indirect and provides overall illumination. It's important in a home office that general lighting is evenly distributed so there are no overly bright or shadowy areas.

Task lighting provides illumination for specific jobs. The light source ideally should be about 15 inches from the desk surface. Accent lighting is purely decorative and can be used to highlight artwork, collectibles or architectural features in the office area.

Noise control also is an important consideration in a home office. Hard surfaces tend to amplify sounds, so remember carpets, rugs and fabric window treatments can be used to help absorb noise.

An organized workspace is essential in a home office. Computer components, including printers, scanners and digital cameras, all take up valuable space, making storage a major concern.

One way to add storage to your immediate work area is to add a wall-mounted storage unit to your desk. This unit can store all the essentials and help make your home office both inviting and efficient.

If you'd like to build a storage unit for your desk, you'll need the following materials:

pine lumber
scrap paper
circular saw
tape measure
router and straight bit (or table saw with dado blade)
nail gun
hammer
finish nails
nail set
1/8" birch plywood
jigsaw
rags
lumber for cleats
craft board
self-anchoring molly bolts
cap molding
wood filler
220-grit sandpaper
tack cloth
paint or stain

To begin this project, measure the desk, and draw a detailed sketch of the shelf unit to use as a guide through the construction process. The piece is made out of one long top piece, four long verticals, six horizontal shelf pieces and several shorter verticals that make up the individual storage sections.

Cut each piece to length using a circular saw, remembering to add an extra 1/2-inch length to each inside measurement on the horizontal shelf pieces to account for the depth of the dado joint.

Use dado joints (rectangular slots cut into the wood across the grain) to secure the pieces together. Dados can be cut using a router with a guide and a straight bit attached, or can be made by using a table saw with a dado blade. Cut a 3/4-inch wide groove 1/4-inch deep across the vertical boards where the shelves will be attached.

Put the pieces together to check the measurements before gluing. Once you're satisfied with the fit, secure the pieces with wood glue and nails. Use a nail set to countersink the nails if necessary.

The unit is backed with plywood. Draw the outline of the unit onto the plywood and cut it out with a jigsaw. I've found it's a lot easier to stain the plywood before securing it in place rather than trying to stain it when the unit is assembled.

Once the stain is dry, attach the plywood back to the unit with finish nails, and drill several holes in the backing for molly bolts, which will be used to secure the unit to the wall.

To create two magazine racks, measure the horizontal space of the cubbyhole area on the lower left. Mount four angled cleats to the inside of the cabinet. Cut two pieces of 3/8-by-6 craft board, slide into place and then secure each to the cleats with nails.

To finish the piece, surround the top with cap molding and then fill the nail holes with wood filler. Sand the entire piece smooth and remove the dust with a tack cloth or damp rag.

Stain or paint your piece as desired. Mount your unit to the wall using self-anchoring molly bolts.

Creating a functional home office can be challenging. Careful consideration to lighting, noise control and organization can go a long way toward creating an efficient work area at home. Try adding this wall-mounted desk unit for additional storage, and you'll really be in business.

(Matt Fox and Shari Hiller alternate writing this column. They also are authors of Real Decorating for Real People and co-hosts of the Home & Garden Television show Room By Room.)