Whether you work from home or simply need a small space where you can take care of some business-related issues now and then, a home office or at least a desk represent a must-have. What’s great is that you have the freedom to organize and decorate this space however you want and this can even include creating your own desk.

Building or designing your own desk is easier than you might think, especially if you can put together the desk using existing elements such as a counter top from Ikea and two small bookshelves. We’re actually describing the Ikea hack shared by Sarah on Prettyprovince. Once you put together these three elements, everything else is really simple and fun.

Building your own desk is a lot cheaper than buying one. A good example is this desk you can make for under $80. start by cutting some wood boards to size. You need boards for the legs, the under desk support, leg supports and top boards. Putting the pieces together is quite simple and you can find detailed instructions on how to complete this project on Welivedhappilyeverafter.

There are lots of interesting ways in which you can conceptualize a desk.Four crates stacked in pair of two and secured together can form the base for the desk. Then all you have to do is add a top. You’ll have shelves for storage and a comfortable work surface.

An even simpler idea is to use a piece of salvaged walnut or something similar to make a chic, wall-mounted desk. Attach it to the wall, preferably in front of a window. You can even make it a corner desk. The raw edge top is exquisite. This desk was featured on Designsponge some time ago and was custom made byJared Rusten.

We found another interesting idea on Lizmarieblog. Here, the article proposes using two barstools as supports for a desktop. Combined, these three elements would form a desk that’s not only very easy to put together but also very customizable.

Two filing cabinets can serve a similar purpose. Alex from Northstory shows just how beautiful such a desk can be. Basically, you can make the desk as long as you want as long as the filing cabinets that support it on the ends can ensure a straight and usable surface. Notice that the desk top doesn’t sit directly onto the cabinets. It’s actually floating on top of them in a stylish manner.

An even simpler idea shared on Strawberry-chic is to use an old table as a desk. First you’ll have to take it apart and replace the hardware with new one. You can even make a few small changes on the way if you’d like. Then paint the table. The base can be a bright and cheerful color such as turquoise and the top can be stained.

Of course, it’s possible to prefer a style that doesn’t necessarily fit most of these DIY projects and designs. Perhaps your style is modern with a vintage twist. The desk featured on Forme-foryou is actually a really good example. If you want to make something similar, order some three-rod hairpin legs in raw steel and have a piece of pine cut to the desired size. Sand it and stain it in antique walnut.

If you want to build your own shelf desk, Atilio shows you how to do it. Since it’s a wall-mounted desk, it has no legs and this makes the space under it more airy. So go ahead and get a wooden board with the correct dimensions and two shorter studs and a long one. Bolt the studs in the wall and place the board on top.

A wooden pallet can be easily turned into a desk and this is actually a really cheap and simple idea. Place the pallet vertically and use it as a support structure for the desktop. You could also add a shelf placed on a different level.

Can you believe this chic desk is something you can make yourself for your own home? The transparent glass top is a really nice touch. The project is presented on Dwellingsbydevore and here you can find details about the supplied needed, the dimensions and everything else.

You can apply similar principles when building a desk for your work office. Wouldn’t it be a lot more interesting and fun with everyone would take part in such a team project? Abeautifulmess offers a detailed description of how you can put together a pretty great desk. Follow the instructions and turn it into a team building activity.