I am calling this post “IKEA Desks & Office Makeover Part One” because this office makeover is only the beginning. There is still so much I want to do in this room, but the new IKEA desk setup has already made the space feel more useful, organized, and inspiring.
The guest room in our house had slowly turned into a multi-purpose space. It was supposed to be a comfortable place for guests to sleep, but it also held part of my office, my vanity, my photography setup, and a growing pile of items I needed to review. Whenever guests stayed with us, I had to take down my makeup area and clear off the bed. It worked, but it was definitely not ideal.
Since we only have overnight guests a few times a year, the room started to feel like wasted space. I was trying to squeeze too many functions into a room that did not have a clear purpose. My photography setup, which was basically two white foam boards near the window, lived at the foot of the bed. The bed itself became a catch-all for products, notes, and anything I did not know where to store.
A few times, when Xavier’s best friend stayed overnight, he could not even use the guest bed because it was completely covered. That was the moment I knew the room needed a real plan.
My old desk was also much too small. I bought it almost four years ago, and I outgrew it quickly. Between my Muji drawers for makeup storage, my desktop computer, and my filming equipment, there was never enough room to work comfortably. I needed a larger desk, better storage, and a layout that could support both my office work and my vanity area.
The idea of reclaiming this space and turning it into a dedicated office and vanity room was exciting. I wanted something practical, bright, affordable, and flexible enough to grow with me as I continue updating the room.
My number one priority was creating a basic desk setup that gave me more surface space and better storage. I turned to IKEA because the pieces are affordable, easy to customize, and simple to mix and match. For an office makeover on a budget, IKEA desks and drawer units are hard to beat.
My dream was to have an L-shaped corner desk. Unfortunately, affordable L-shaped desks can be difficult to find, and many of the options I saw online were far more expensive than I wanted. Once I realized that IKEA LINNMON tabletops could be combined with different legs and ALEX drawer units, the whole plan started to come together.
The IKEA LINNMON tabletops have the same thickness, which makes it easy to create a custom L-shaped desk layout using different sizes. The tabletops can be purchased separately from the legs, so you can choose whether part of the desk rests on legs, an ALEX drawer unit, or a combination of both. That flexibility made it possible to build a desk that fit the room and my needs.
One helpful feature on the IKEA website is that you can choose all the items you need, add them to a list, and email the list to yourself. That gives you the item numbers and warehouse locations for your local store, which makes the shopping trip much easier.
My complete IKEA desk setup came to about $360 after tax. I also sold the guest room furniture we no longer needed for $260, which helped offset the cost of the makeover.
What You Need
LINNMON Tabletop, white — this is the tabletop my computer sits on.
Length: 59 “
Width: 29 ½ “
Thickness: 1 ⅜ “
LINNMON Tabletop, white — this is the longer vanity side of the desk.
Length: 78 ¾ “
Width: 23 ⅝ “
Thickness: 1 ⅜ “
GODVIN Legs, white — I purchased six legs for this setup.
Width: 1 ⅝ “
Depth: 1 ⅛ “
Height: 27 ½ “
ALEX Drawer Unit, white — the shorter five-drawer unit.
Width: 14 ⅛ “
Depth: 22 ⅞ “
Height: 27 ½ “
ALEX Drawer Unit with 9 Drawers, white
Width: 14 ⅛ “
Depth: 18 ⅞ “
Height: 45 ¼ “
How I Put It Together
The longer 78-inch LINNMON tabletop has two legs on one end and the shorter ALEX drawer unit supporting the other end. It sits against the 59-inch LINNMON desk, which is deeper and rests on four legs. Together, the two tabletops create the L-shaped desk layout I wanted.
If you want the GODVIN legs to line up neatly with the edges of the tabletops, check the placement carefully before adding the screws. Taking a few extra minutes to measure and adjust the alignment will make the finished desk look much cleaner.
I started the assembly with the short ALEX drawer unit. It had a lot of parts, so at first I was nervous about putting together the larger nine-drawer unit. Thankfully, once I got into a rhythm, the larger unit did not feel much harder. In the end, both drawer units took about the same amount of time to assemble.
The ALEX drawers were definitely the most time-consuming part of this IKEA office makeover. If you are only attaching GODVIN legs to LINNMON tabletops, that part can be finished very quickly. The drawers take more patience, but they add so much storage that they are worth the extra effort.
I have not permanently attached the two desk corners to each other yet because I want to make sure this is the final layout I want. Drilling holes feels very permanent, so for now I am leaving the setup flexible.
My New Desk Setup
My computer station is on the 59-inch desk. I love having a deeper surface for my desktop computer, keyboard, and daily work items. It already feels much more comfortable than my old desk. I am planning to get a taller desk chair so my elbows can sit closer to a 90-degree angle while I work.
As you move over to the longer 78-inch tabletop, there is a hair station where I eventually plan to hang a large mirror on the wall. For now, I have my old laptop set up there while I try to refurbish it and get it working again.
At the far end of the longer desk is my vanity area, with a small light-up mirror placed in front of the window. I love being able to get ready in natural light each morning. I know the lighting will change when fall arrives, but for now the window also gives me great natural light in the afternoons when I film YouTube videos.
The vanity end is also where I placed the short ALEX drawer unit. It now holds hair tools, makeup, skincare, and other beauty products that used to be scattered around the room. Having everything in one place already makes the space feel more functional.
Across the room, I moved my cube shelf unit and set up the larger ALEX nine-drawer unit. Right now, many of the drawers are still empty, but I plan to use this piece as a storage library for items I have reviewed or still need to review.
What’s Next?
I am currently looking at a few upholstered desk chairs, but I have not decided on a color scheme yet. I am no longer in love with the yellow paisley curtains in the room, so once I choose the direction for the space, I will replace them with two new sets.
I would also like to buy a new rug. For now, I am using an older brown rug, but it does not feel right for the finished office. A new rug will help define the room and make the space feel more polished.
I am also keeping an eye out for a large mirror for the hair station. Ideally, I would like to find one secondhand and paint the frame in a bright color for a fun accent. Eventually, I may add shelving somewhere in the room, but I have not decided exactly where or what style I want.
This IKEA desk makeover has already made the room feel completely different. It is brighter, more organized, and much easier to use every day. There is still more to do, but I am so happy with this first stage of the office transformation.