DIY Bedroom Office Desk...Rustic Ralph Lauren Style!

I've been wanting to redo the little nook in my bedroom for sometime.  It seems I'm always last in this house.  Well...now when I blog or do any work up in my room I'm not sitting on the bed, but rather I'm sitting at my NEW DESK....WOOHOO!  I designed this desk from scratch wanting to try a Rustic Ralph Lauren Style.   I'm REALLY happy with the outcome.  I think you will like it too!  I started this project yesterday around 2:30 and had it complete by today around 12:00 (and YES...I slept)!  So about, 1 1/2 days.

New Desk Hand Built for only $53.00 with Tax

Before...I had just put these old chairs just to get me by until I had time to fix the area!

The Process

First, I measured the area to get a ruff idea of how big I wanted the desk to be!  Then off to Home Depot to find the wood I had in mind.  After I found what I was looking for I started to compare cost and wood type to be sure I kept this desk under $50.00!  I unfortunately went over my limit by $3.00.  Oh well... I could have done worse.

The Wood I bought!

 I purchased:

 2 ~ 4X4's

1 piece ~  Birch 2X4X1

I had nails, table saw and sander at home, last minute I added birch around the sides (but, I had this in my scrape pile)!

I did find the decorative bolts 4 for $1.97 at Lowe's

 

Started building the legs!

   Next, I started building the legs!  At first I was going to try this fancy crisscross design, but then decided I didn't want the desk not to have leg room so I went with the standard leg design.  This does look different thou because the wood I used was 4X4's and they really have an impact.  I wanted a modern Ralph Lauren Design that was timeless.  I really think this was achieved.

 I bolted the legs together from the top down so no screws are visible anywhere on the piece, except for the bolts I added for "THE LOOK"!  Otherwise, this piece has clean lines!

Lilly is always the helper...NOT!

 Next, I added the top Birch piece and screwed this in from underneath as well.  Lilly thought she was helping me make this level.  I assure you she was NOT HELPFUL:)

At, this point I stood back and decided to add a 4" skirt around the tabletop to balance the ultra thick legs. After I finished the skirt, I distressed the top of the!  I took chains and a saw and "Beat" the desk up until I got the desired look I wanted.  Then I sanded the top, lightly so it blended well.

The stains I used!

I decided to get the "LOOK" I wanted I needed to mix a few stains together.  I LOVE the General Finishes Stain because the product is the easiest stain I have ever worked with.  I started with a Walnut water based stain, while the table was still wet I added the Rust-oleum Weathered Grey stain, then added the Burnt Umber Glaze effect over that and touched up with the Walnut stain again.   This seems like a lot but, I assure you it went quick.  After I let the piece dry for 4 hours I added a General Finishes Polyurethane!  Then, let it dry a bit again.  After it was dry to the touch I added the decorative bolts.   And YIPPEE... I have myself a Ralph Lauren Desk.

Here is  close-up

Here is another!

In these pictures below you can see the desk in the bedroom space.  I might add a rug at some point! But, for now I'm ONE HAPPY GIRL!  

I tried shutting the blinds for the picture but this is a hard one to get.

Ahhh. I can work at a desk in my bedroom now!  LOVE IT!

Blog away!

No desk of mine wouldn't be complete without a Tiffany & Co. BOX...lol!

Hope this gives you an idea!