Monday, August 23, 2010

The Palette Desk Project - Part 4, sunken monitor treasure



~ The Palette Desk Project ~

(all parts to date here)







Today

 Part 4 - sink that monitor!

    Well, my top secret 'sink that monitor' palette/ladder/sawhorse desk is on it's way! I so wish I had a big reveal for you today, but there's too much to cover to get it all in. So here we go. Let's sink a 27" monitor into your desk so your neck fixer guy can take some summer holidays too!

    Aren't the aged grey woods above rather awesome?!? Sigh..


    So here's the wall unit begging for a funky one of a kind desk to sit in front. Let us begin!


    First, figure out all things electrical. Don't worry about pretty right now. Just function matters. I chose two major plug outlets so I could better hide two lamp cords running down the wall unit.


    I call this next stage a dry run. Everything will be plunked loosely in place to make sure it functions exactly the way I desire before making it permanent.

    Legs in place - check! Wider... narrower... pushed back into the wall unit more... play play play. We'll see.


    Next up, the frame work which happens to be an old ladder is placed and fiddled with as well.  What's cool about this apparatus is it's pretty easy to custom fit this type of desk most anywhere with this method. All you need is a saw to make it all cooperate.

    So how on earth can a monitor sink into a desk like this you ask? Can you guess before you look further?

    Betcha it won't be what you expect. :)



    I decided I wanted the desk top to look flawless, like the monitor was just short, so I placed a separate board behind the ladder.


    The well sanded and prepped palette boards are loosely fitted into place. Oops! I have to remove a few, because...


    ... I want a hole exposed in the back where the monitor will sit of course!  Is it the right height? Let's check.


    Nice.


    Well wouldja look at that... it's working. The wood in front of the monitor was simply scooted into place, stopping at the monitor stand and will be shortened in front.


    So, this is where I lock the cats out of the kitchen so they don't play teeter totter with the top boards, and try it out for size!

    Whoops. That is NOT a dinner plate you see. No sireee.. I don't ever do THAT! :P

    Is the reveal next this time?!? I still have to attach the boards and bring out the paint for a little decoration so I'd better not promise anything before it's time...

    Opinion time! The palette boards don't look grey enough to play with the saw horses as I had hoped they would. Should I paint the sawhorses white? Or grey and age the top? Crate up the top? Make the top white and leave the sawhorses as is? What would you do?

    But oh my.. the height for everything is awesome. Am I convincing you yet that this crazy idea will actually fly?!?


    I'm a talker. Come on over and chat. :)

    29 comments:

    1. Hmmmmm...you could go a lot of ways with this. I'm thinking paint the sawhorses white, and leave the top natural. It would tie in with your wall unit I think. Maybe put a clear finish on the top to protect from water rings from glasses and ahem...food stains ;P

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    2. Donna, that is most excellent! White on top, sorta like white wash and leave the bottom as is! Leave it unadorned for awhile...till the next revelation hits ya, lol! It will be so big and open! WOW!

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    3. In case you want to age the wood....I was watching Turf Wars yesterday and they needed to age new panels on a wood fence to match the older section. I think they used a baking soda mixture to spray the new panels and it greyed them. Wish I had taken notes, but maybe you can find someone who watched it.

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    4. My vote...and I'm no longer sure this was even an option...is to gray the top and paint the bottom white-ish. LOVE your "sunken" monitor!

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    5. CRATE UP THAT TOP BABY!!! My favorite post ever is your crate stairs... I check that post weekly so I can dream!

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    6. I'm thinking staining the top white. Like a white wash. Sort of like on part of the ladder. Some parts are more opaque then others. You could even do some crating on the ends on top of that. If you love the gray in the horses, why cover it with white and then have to try to duplicate it on top?

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    7. I say don't touch those horses!!! I would white wash the top with very little crate words on it. You have so many wonderful things going on behind it I wouldn't want to take away from it. I still want one of these desk and shelves for me in my office! Can't wait to see the finished project!

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    8. For me personally, I would leave the top and paint the saw horses white to tie into the shelves behind. I noticed you have some unpainted boards behind where the monitor will be so if you left the top of the desk as is, it would mimic those boards...although you probably won't be able to see them if the monitor is in front of them =)

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    9. White saw horses...natural sealed top...and someone mentioned crating the top with words..LOVE IT!!!

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    10. It's so awesome to hear your opinions! 101 images are buzzing through my head with the info you're giving me. I know any of them would work, but which do I pick?!? Oy...

      Donna

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    11. It's flying! And it is not crazy, it is genius. I have to go back now and read the first episodes in this story, because I want those wood beams you used to make the 'horses' (you did make those, didn't you?, will go read that now).
      Love how this is turning out and NO don't paint the horses, just finish it and see if it all really needs to be so matchy matchy, I think I like it like this.

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    12. This is so cool!!! Can't wait to see the finished project!!
      Hugs
      SueAnn

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    13. oh god I adore this so much I could cry with jealousy :(.

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    14. How fun Donna!! ... I love natural aged wood so I say... Don't paint the sawhorses!! They are beautiful the way they are! I like the idea of "crating" the top with maybe the combo of fakely graying/aging the pallet boards. It's looking good! Love it! Where's the ball to sit on? :)

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    15. Donna, you are something else!! What a fabulous idea!

      I love the idea of graying the top boards to match with maybe a few crate graphics (I would think too much would be distracting while working). I'm going to look for that "Baking Soda" aging solution mentioned above.

      Look forward to the final reveal!

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    16. Leave the sawhorses as is - they're so pretty, even you said yourself. Paint the top white b/c it's new and not so pretty!

      Looks good...but not sure what you're going for maybe I should read the previous postings!

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    17. I say gray the tops up. The bottom looks excellent the way it is. Your sunken monitor idea is genius!

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    18. #13 Georgia, don't be jealous, just build one too!!! Couldn't be an easier build. Fit your stuff together like a puzzle, cut to fit and call it done.

      Donna

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    19. Leave the sawhorses alone. You can always paint them later. We need a long shot so we can see the entire wall and the room. Don't do anything now. Maybe a slight white wash. This was such a long project you don't want to mess it up at the end. It's too bad you can't make a natural gray finish on the top. Ann

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    20. Cooooool...that's like my iMac at work! I mean the monitor, not the desk! :)

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    21. Crate it up! I love those stairs too. I keep seeing piles of palettes around and think of all the cool stuff I could make. Thanks for your inspiration!

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    22. You are awesome! I want one in front of my built-ins...like tomorrow. I have NO idea what "crate it up" means...will I be blog slapped?! I'm still a new kid on the block so bear with me. Haha! Anyhow, I think you should leave the saw horses as is & paint the top white OR white wash the top & paint the saw horses white. How's that for help?

      Hugs,
      Jami

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    23. #22 Jami, crate it up is a Funky Junk term of sorts. If you've seen my crate stairway, crating something would be a similar treatment. :)

      Donna

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    24. Just luv how U used the ladder. How's the neck?

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    25. Awesome, Donna! That sunken monitor is SO CLEVER!

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    26. donna i say leave the saw horses alone bc you picked them for their 'look'. yrs ago i got a pine stain that was grey and wood be a perfect match for the top with a crate it up over that maybe with some white it would be even more wow.
      on a nother note we heat with wood and our wood pile is 60 feet from the house last yr it was up and down thru the mud soooo i convinced my husband that maybe a pallet bridge/boardwalk would be better [a paver walk was going to be over $500.] this is inspired by you;)

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    27. The monitor looks so good sunk into the desk. Great design choice!

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    28. Great idea on the sunken monitor. Just love that huge palette desk! I see you linked up at Centsational Girl's "where do you blog" party as well.

      Thanks for sharing!
      Brittany
      http://www.prettyhandygirl.com

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    29. I don't have any better suggestions than what all of the talented bloghers have, so I just want to compliment you on your awesome vision - It is beautiful - I would have never been able to see those things and say "I think I'll make a desk". You are truly talented - thank you for sharing, I'll never look at an old saw horse the same.

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    I love your comments and read every one of these! For more interactive feedback from me, I'd love it if you'd join my FJI Facebook page where communication is always current and incredibly fun! Thank-you!