So there’s this other house for sale in our neighborhood that appears to be our house’s twin (the one with the coat closet where we have a mysterious and inaccessible empty box). One sort of hilarious thing about the house listing is that it refers to the wide upstairs hallway as a “loft.” Naturally, when we learned that we have a loft where we always thought we had a mere hallway, we decided we should probably start making better use of it.
Really, we already knew we should do that, because this is how it’s looked for quite awhile now:
In fact, coming up with some better uses for this lofty hallway is on our list of goals for 2014.
One of the things we had to move out of the former guest room/office when we moved Abe in was the Ikea shelf that holds our two printers and assorted printer paper. So for hallway project number one, we decided to move it out into the hallway and add a little desk area next to it.
My original vision for this hallway involved lots and lots of shelves everywhere, but Dave, aka The Buzzkill, pointed out that we couldn’t put tons of permanent shelves on that wall between Milo and Gus’ room and the bathroom because that’s where the attic stairs come down. Blast it all!
Enter the Norbo wall mounted table from Ikea. We can use it as an all purpose desk/table, and then fold it down out of the way whenever we want (particularly on the rare occasions when the attic stairs need to come down). We added in a few of these $6 Marius stools that can also easily stack together and get out of the way when we need them to. I don’t know what color this hallway will wind up, so I left the Norbo birch for now…it’s possible it will get a makeover at some point in the future, depending on what wall color we end up with and what we do with the rest of the hallway.
This was a super quick little project. I put the desk together and then Dave hung it up, with the help of many children:
Folded up it looks like this:
All set up it looks like this:
I love a quick project!
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Love the obligatory Globe! Those little shelves are pretty common as a boat fixture. Good idea and good use of the space!
what a great use of space!!! looks awesome!
I agree with Cassie, such a great use of space and on top of it, it looks great too 😉
I love little nooks like this in unexpected places. It’s as if your house grows several square feet. I love the stools and the blond wood table. So pretty. Fave Foto: Abe helping out 😉
Yep this is awesome! I have never seen these desks at IKea but now my head is spinning and Im thinking I could use something like this for my work room! It looks fantastic friend!!! Nicole xoxo
Ooooh that is a really good use of space! I love the fold down desk- Ikea really does think of everything! haha
Dave, aka Buzzkill…that made me chuckle.
He’s really no fun at all….with all of his MEASURING and his LOGIC
That folding table. I need it. I want it. It would be perfect for the barn.
Great use of space! Love that it folds up. Did I mention that?
lol–yes, I can see why this would appeal to you ;). Dave’s cousin actually bought a very similar (or the same?) table when I was with her at Ikea years and years and years ago…I think I’ve secretly been wanting a place for one ever since. I’m a sucker for efficiency.
Three cheers for function!
The table makes the space so much more functional. Love the teamwork install too. 🙂
How genius are you to make use of this space! I would have never thought of this!
Thanks, Jenna–I kind of can’t stand the sight of a wide hallway sitting around doing NOTHING–all the spaces in this house have to earn their keep 😉
Not a wide space, but you manage to use the part of it! I love how the table works, even just a small amount of weight can carry and that blue stool! Great ideas! Good looking kids by the way.
Great use of this space, and those stools are so cute!
Thanks, Erin! I think they’re even on sale for $5 this month….I don’t see how Ikea can even MAKE them for that!
Great use of space!!! Following on Pinterest!
Thanks, Selene!
Glad the house twin is revealing all the boxy colonial’s secrets!! This is such an incredible use for this space! I love that table!
I’ve just about given up on them having an open house so I can REALLY snoop :).