Studio Desk

Whether you are a painter, a musician, dancer, or photographer, your studio needs to be spacious and aesthetically pleasing so that your creative juices can flow. As an

artist, your studio will be where you will be spending a majority of your time working so you need to be able to stay organized so that you can get the most amount of work done possible.  You will want your studio to feel comfortable and look good to maximize your attention span when you are working.  The most important piece of furniture that you should include in your studio is the studio desk because it is where you will spend the majority of your time working.

A studio desk also known as a studio workstation is usually a smaller desk that allows for maximum work efficiency.  These desks come in all shapes and sizes so you will be able to find one that suits your needs. If you are an artist that needs a computer to work, there are studio desks that have a spot for your computer. If you are a musician that needs the desk to have a spot for your keyboard, there are studio workstations that have a spot for it. Ideally, the desk that you want to purchase will be the one that has the amount of storage (drawers and cabinets) and the amount of space you need to work efficiently.

Besides the right combination of drawers, cabinets, and space that you need to look for in a studio desk, you might also take into consideration that material that is made of. For instance, if you are using a bunch of metal tools or other heavy objects, you might avoid getting a glass desk. Also, if you are using instruments like a trumpet or horn, you might avoid getting a wood desk because you might scratch it easily.  If you don’t want to worry about breaking the glass or scratching the wood, a metal studio workstation desk is probably the safest bet. You will also want to take the theme of your studio into consideration when picking out the material.

The price of a studio desk will depend largely on how simple or sophisticated you need the desk to be.  A simple wood desk will only run you $100-$200, but an elaborate desk with multiple racks and lcd monitor holders can cost over $3000. While these studio workstations might be more expensive, a serious artist might consider getting one, because you will be able to do a lot of work from one.   Also, I would recommend finding a studio workstation that is more customizable, because your needs will change as technology changes and you evolve as an artist.  You can find them at music stores and local furniture stores along with online stores. I would recommend shopping around at your local furniture store until you find the right fit in terms of space and storage, and then order the desk online.  You will have more choices and find better prices online. If you are interested in purchasing a studio workstation, I would recommend shopping here.

Whether you are a student or a very busy executive, you will always need a studio desk for your take home work. Even if there are thousands of desks out there that can

be built with ready-made plywood and a bunch of screws, there is no comparison in having your own homemade studio desk. Below are some simple instructions that you will need in building a studio desk.

1. You will need a 67-feet board made out of the wood of your choice, though using soft wood would be easier with all the screwing that you will be doing. It should be at least half an inch thick. This is where all parts of the wood will come from. Wood glue will also be important to keep the entire thing together, aside from the 30 1-inch screws. You will also need a hand drill, with a quarter diameter plug cutter and a Philips head bit, sand paper, saw, and a hammer when building a studio desk. After assembling all materials, look for a design where you will pattern your table.

2. You will need to measure the boards and cut them precisely. The work surface needs to be 58 inches by 24 inches. For the support boards, you will need 12 eight boards that will measure 12 inches by 30 inches. For storage and support, you will need one board to be six inches by 24 inches and two boards measuring 12 inches by 15 inches. The back slat needs to be 3 inches by 58 inches. The drawer supports will be made up of two joined boards, so you will need four boards measuring 12 inches by 14 inches.

3. Before you build a studio desk, sand all boards individually with a mildly coarse sand paper. It will be easier if you use a power sander, but sanding them by hand will suffice.

4. Use wood glue to make sure that the pins that will be holding the boards together will stay fit. In this process of building a studio desk, you will need to hammer down the pins in the holes drilled by the plug cutter bit at the sides of the boards. Do this in every board that needs to be positioned securely between any boards.

5. Use the screws on each position of every board where the pins are located. Aside from the glue, the screw will secure the wood boards from disassembling itself when building a studio desk. However, do not put screws on the table as it may interfere with the desk unit altogether.

6. Sand everything to rid the desk of any debris that it may collected during construction, then rub it with a clean cloth. You may use wood finishing material if you wish.

The main idea in building a studio desk is to have your own creation that you can be proud of sitting inside you room.