Hey everyone! I hope you had a fantastic weekend. Ours’ slipped by all-too-quickly and I didn’t get done quite as much done as I was hoping. I’ve got a lot planned for the coming weeks though, so be sure to stay tuned!

Last week, I showed you our gussied-up printer station – I mean, why just put a printer on a table and call it done when you can make it all pretty and fancy, right?

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Anyway, the foundation behind this Pretty Printer Station is a simple white desk that I gave an oh-so-chic tailored skirt. Not only does it conceal our filing cabinet, printer and laminator, but it also adds a major color pop to this side of the room. This project was so much easier than the final result would suggest, so I just had to show you how I did it!

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Here’s a quick little reminder of where I started over the summer: a really low filing cabinet that became a catch all for random junk and treasures. Over the summer, I purged and cleaned out a lot of the clutter, and the filing cabinet became the perfect home to our printer and laminator.

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I wanted to conceal these three things, not only for aesthetics, but more so from little hands that like to push printer buttons and empty important file folders 😉 After exploring a lot of options at Target, Overstock, and other resources, I settled on this simple white parsons desk for several reasons: 1) the dimensions were SPOT on for fitting over the filing cabinet; 2) it was super inexpensive; and 3) the Parsons style would match some of the other lines in the room. I mentioned in my last post that I am not thrilled with the quality of this desk. I know it was only $60, but the construction, materials, and overall appearance of it are really, really cheap.

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While a table skirt seemed like the obvious choice here, for some reason I didn’t think of it at first and the table sat like this (above) for quite a while. When my neighbor suggested I skirt the table for some color and coverage, I was off and running within minutes. I originally had a different plan (with different fabric), but then I found this perfect-match teal fabric on the $5/yard flat fold table at our local fabric store. I snagged it up and within 24 hours got to work re-doing the fabric skirt in this new style and fabric!

To make this tailored skirt, you will need:

  • A table or desk or cabinet or bookshelf that you don’t mind stapling in to
  • Fabric – I ended up using just shy of 2 yards of 54″ wide fabric
  • Staple gun and staples
  • Measuring tape

First, I took (and re-took to be sure!) all my measurements: length and width on each side of the table. My desk has a little lip on it, so I measured from under the lip to the floor for my length measurement. I also measured the “width” and length of each table leg. I then cut out my fabric rectangles, adding a few inches to each length/width measurement for each section. This part wasn’t super exact since I knew I could fold and sew each piece to fit perfectly as I went.

In the end, I had two leg pieces, a front panel and two side panels.

I started by ironing over the long edges of my leg pieces on both sides, making sure that my final width was the exact width of my table leg. I also ironed over the top edge about a half inch. I then stapled across the top and all the way down one side of the leg. I then pulled the fabric as tight as I could, around the table leg, and stapled it down on the other side. At the bottom, I folded the fabric under and stapled the bottom closed. I then repeated on the other front leg.

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For the side and front panels, I worked on one at a time to make sure the measurements were just right. I started by ironing over and sewing down one side of one of the side panels. I then held my panel up to the table and marked where the final width should be. I then ironed over and sewed down the other long side. I then hemmed up the bottom of the panel by ironing over a half inch and sewing shut. At this point, you don’t need to worry too much about length, just hem all three sides of your panel.

Next, line up the bottom of your panel with the floor (or bottom of the table) as well as the sides, then crease or mark where your fold line at the top of the table should be. Take your panel off and iron a nice fold across the top of your panel at the right height you just marked. Then, using a staple gun, attach the panel to the table on the underside of the fold you just ironed. Try and get your staples up into your fold as much as possible. Once you flip your fabric right-side-down, re-crease or iron your fabric for a nice finished edge.

(Notes: It helps to have an extra set of hands for this if there is someone around who can hold while you measure/staple. Also, I found it easiest to lay the table down on its side to staple the side panels on across the top!)

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Repeat the same steps with the panels on the other two sides. I didn’t skirt the backside or the top.

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With a bit of measuring and ironing and very little sewing, I now have a nice tailored skirt for this cheap little desk for less than $10! Once it was finished, I set to work giving it some major style up top!

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I know it looks all pretty and for show, but don’t forget…underneath, it’s one of the hardest working spaces in our whole office!

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I have a few more little projects from this office corner to show you still, but I’m going to take a little break from the office for variety’s sake. On Wednesday, I have a quick and sparkly bedroom update to show you!!!

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Hope you all have a great start to your week!

See You Soon!
Megan