Week One SCYS: Work Table Suggestions

I am absolutely delighted by the number of people joining me in this year's studio clean-up.  I get so excited each time I get an e-mail update from a reader.  Keep the pics and stories coming!

I've had a bunch of people ask me for suggestions on work tables.  This is a tough one, since I'm not particularly thrilled with my current table:

Ugly, ain't it?

At the time, it was cheap (around $80), sturdy, and I knew it would hold up to years of abuse as it was the exact same table I had seen in every rubber stamp store workshop in our area.  I love the fact that I can really spread out and work on several projects at the same time.  But, good gravy, it is an eyesore.

I've pondered this beauty from IKEA:

I love the fact that it is counter-height.  I work best when standing up and I would love to not have to lean over my table.  Unfortunately, I would need two back to back and these bad-boys are $499 each.  I can take my family to Disneyworld for a week for that.  But, oh, can you imagine having all of that storage space????

I'm currently contemplating buying a laminate countertop and placing it on top of two of these (one at each end):

These are only $44.99 each at Target.  I would have additional storage and I could build it to 36" high (standard counter height).  I could probably store all of my idea books in the cubes and free up my primary bookshelf for pretty things!  The countertop would be a nice firm surface for stamping and it wouldn't be yucky brown.  Hubby suggested a hollow door from Lowes that I could paint any color (hello, pink!) as the topper, but I don't think it would have a firm enough surface.  One mishap with the eyelet hammer and I would have a hole through my work space.  What do you think?

My girlfriend Jenny is getting one of these for her studio:

(you can find this desk here)

Again, great storage!  The drawers on the right are perfect for rubber stamps!  Unfortunately, this is only half of my current workspace and at $479.69 each (Jenny found hers used, clever girl!), I'm right back at Disneyworld vs. table.  Disneyworld wins each time. 

I've also heard from a number of people that scrap in their dining room.  They store their stuff in there, but the dining room table must be kept clear when they are not working.  I wanted to mention this great product:

 

It is called the "F.R.E.D." and it is a portable desktop that allows you to hold your work with magnets.  Need to move your stuff quickly?  Just fold the legs and stack your work.  Done!  I've had these on my wish list for a while.  Even though I have my own workspace, I often need to switch from personal scrapbooking to other projects.  I'd love to be able to switch my work space out quickly!  Each $44.99 "F.R.E.D." contains one 15"x15" table, one 14"x14" removable mat and eight magnets.

If you have some space in your home, but not an entire room, you might consider the ScrapBox:

I couldn't handle such a small work table, but look at how much you can cram into such a small space.  The price tag on this beauty is a whopping $1,495!  There are cheaper models, but seriously, that's a plane ticket to Paris and four nights in a great hotel!   

So, tell me, what is your primary work space?

I'll be back on Wednesday with photos of my own clean-up and some links and photos from readers.  Keep the e-mails and comments coming!

Comments

[Angie M]

My husband turned an old wood door into a table top. The best part is that it was free as it was trash from a remodeling job and it already had cord holes in it from where the door knob used to be :) He then just put legs under it for me. It gives me all the crafting space I need and was the best price. You could easily put something like the target storage under it instead.

[Ellen Crawley]

I use a table that my husband built years ago for the house we lived in when we first got married. It is a great table, but didn't work in our current dining room. It is a farm house table. It is the size of most dining tables, so I have lots of room (when it is cleared) and it looks good. I painted the legs sage green to match the rest of my studio. The top is solid wood and although it has a finish on it, from time to time I get the sander out and sand the entire top so that its like new. I then use a liquid finish to keep it clean for another year or two.

[Leslie]

I have been using a table my mother used for many years before her death. So needless to say there are many memories attached to the table - but it has no storage so I am considering the $500 ikea table with an extended top so I could sit on a bar stool on one side and have the drawers on the other side. It is a lot of money so am still considering other options.

[judi mh]

If you want to continue using the Staples table, think about cutting pvc pipe to mount on the legs to lift the height to countertop -It also gives more height underneath to hide isis type carts etc.

If you use the target cubes, you can purchase butcher block type countertop from ikea. The 8 ft is about 129 and can be cut to fit. The cubes may need additional support to hold it.

I personally use an old dining table 36 x64 that is placed in front of my bookcases. Plenty of surface and supplies are on bookcase. I consider the reaching and swiveling for supplies part of my workout routine. I would prefer a counter height at some point.

I also saw a table that was adapted by adding wood sleeves to the legs that raised the height. Very clever and not permanent, but sturdy. Looking forward to this series.

[Cathy Scrivnor]

I also use a banquet table and went to OSH and got a set of bed risers. They raised the table 5inches, which made the table standing height for me. I do have a fantastic cutting table from when I was quilting, but it's way too deep to fit in my room. Until the day comes when I can assemble it again, it is stored under the bed. I would love to have that IKEA set up... but I'd rather spend money on supplies :)