This TikToker Has a Smart Hack for That Built-in Kitchen Desk

Kitchen desks are often relics of the era of landlines and bulky desktop computers. Why this mini office ended up in the kitchen is something that can’t fully be explained, but it’s rare that kitchen desks are used for anything besides extra kitchen counter space anymore. But how can you make the desk look less like a desk without having to get out the power tools?

One TikToker figured out a temporary way to make her kitchen desk stand out less, and this DIY project takes less than 10 minutes to do. 

“We weren’t going to use this as a kitchen desk (hello, coffee station), so this $30 remedy was the move,” TikTok user Sarah Joy (@sarajoy.tv) wrote in her March video.

All she needed to purchase was a set of 24-inch cafe curtains — those are the curtains that only cover the bottom half of your window — and a tension rod that would fit in the space underneath the desk. Put the two ingredients together, and you have a perfect solution.

“I still want to build out cabinets in this space, but this does the job right now and adds some charm!” Sarah Joy wrote in the caption, adding, “(And some extra storage for bulky appliances.)”

The curtain ended up looking like a vintage-style sink skirt. These skirts are often used to hide the plumbing underneath antique farmhouse sinks or are sometimes installed to act as makeshift cabinet doors. They add a cottagecore/farmhouse feel to any kitchen and are a perfect way to hide clutter or unaesthetic kitchen items.

So if the kitchen desk has plagued you for longer than you’d like to admit, try adding a skirt before demoing the entire thing. It could help your kitchen go from outdated to vintage chic.