apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Genius - i love it!

That is such a cute idea! I wonder how difficult it would be for a newbie to home renovation?

good golly, i must make this! this resolves so many of my storage/work/art issues!!!

not only do i love the concept, the look is just stunning! i've been on a tear these days with pink paint in my home but am trying not to overdo it. here, i can paint the inside pink with abandon!

That Martha! She did it again!

That bookcase contraption is pretty cool - part superhero & part crafty! I like the unexpected pink inside too!

Doesn't anyone else thinks the first picture looks like an oversized dollhouse furniture?

so lovely!
it reminds me of a vintage barbie doll trunk.

i have to say i'm not a martha fan. but she does do some good work. my only worry/wonder with this project is how it swings easily without being unbalanced or scratching the floor.

To avoid scratching the floor you could put the really good teflon furniture buttons on the bottom edges - they slide really well.

Oneformybaby, the post reads, "One case is attached to the wall, the other swings out on casters when you need to work and it is closes with a vintage latch." The casters should roll gently on the floor. And the piano hinge runs down nearly the whole length of the joint - so the balance should be ok. Thankfully, the 'back' piece is attached to the wall to prevent tipping.

I think this is really cute, and smart. But, won't things fall out when you close it. Or, potentially fall out?

Brilliant! This makes me less sad about the demise of Blueprint and more excited about my soon-to-arrive MS Living. In fact, this project seems like it was originally Blueprint content.

Wow. This is GENIUS. Especially because I'm planning on moving into a small apartment. Totally freakin' fantastic. Genius. Ge. Neee. Us. Wow.

Heck yes, Martha, would you like to come join me for tea??

To PlanItGirl: You use plexi-plastic retail shelving barriers in the front of the swinging half of the cabinet to prevent things from falling out. Keep your eyes peeled the next time you're at Target or someplace with slanted shelves -- these are what hold the product from sliding off the end of the shelf. Don't know where you get it, though -- maybe Home Depot??

Wait -- so something else that just occurred to me: this will be really deep. Depending on how deep the bookshelves are, it will be as deep and large as a wardrobe. The photo above is very deceptive because it is head-on -- you can't see the depth of the profile, and you can't see how much space the desk thingy takes up in the room on its own.

I still think it sounds great -- I'd rather have this than a giant hide-a-tv bureau. Still. I suspect this is a surprisingly large piece of furniture when all is said and done.

i have been working on something like this ... can you post more details on the other features? i don't know where to get the fold down desk mechanism, etc.

Joan, you'll want something strong enough to bear the weight of someone leaning on it, so one hinge probably won't do it. See if you can't take a look at sewing tables that have fold out leaves, or any table that has a fold out leaf: you should be able to rig either a sliding 2x4 which supports the drop-leaf and locks into place, or, rig a swinging plank under the shelf which swings out 90 degrees (you ever seen the folding table in side the old VW vans?? something like that) to hold the drop-leaf upright.

Errr...I'd wait to see the article in Martha Stewart, and then go chat up a furniture maker...maybe just to bounce ideas of feasibility off him/her. You don't want any hinges to give way.

Does anyone know the paint color of that bookcase, it's yummy...i'd love to paint my kitchen cabinets that color.

Anyone?

Love it!

Oh, man! I'm re-doing my office, so this will totally work with it as I'm pressed for space.

I got my Martha mag yesterday and just knew there'd be an AT post on this! Artsandletters - I don't think this is intended as a space saving solution but more of a concealing of your junk solution.

thanks arts and letters - i'm going to print out your post!

nikita, i think it will be a space saving solution because desks are huge and often don't contain enough storage for things like printers or file drawers. you often get one but not the other. i have been thinking of how to be able to use a shallow bookshelf with a fold out desk surface since i can't seem to find a good affordable armoire. i'm not crafty and i have no money so it's hard to find something that will fit into the space. if you see my cure before photos, you'll realize how desperately i need something to put the office materials into!

It's not that deep. Those bookcases are no more than 10 inches deep at the most. 20 inches is like a buffet depth.

I f@%king love Martha!

diy instructions are up on ms's website.

http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=73f7687fb2c58110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&autonomy_kw=desk%20set&rsc=image_4

Does anyone know where I could get that second white desk? (the one that functions more like a secretary's desk). I've been looking for a desk solution that isn't very deep (less than 15") and this would work perfectly in the space where I need it.

I can't find anything about it on Martha's website...

Awesome, brilliant...and everything in between.