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embrace slow and mindful living💚
Embarking on a DIY project is always incredibly fun and highly cost-effective. Completing an item that you spent pouring your heart and soul into can be immensely rewarding, especially when it turns out exactly as you envisioned it would.
Whether you are a newbie to DIY or a pro, it is always good to do some research before you begin creating your own furniture. If you find yourself in need of a new office desk, and are feeling up to the task of building your own one, you will be pleased to know you're in great hands!
We have carefully curated this article to help you familiarize with various ways to craft a sustainable desk, that won't have any negative impacts on our planet.
You may dive into this project for the enjoyment aspect, or perhaps you have chosen DIY over a sustainable furniture brand, to keep expenses low. Whatever your reason, it is important to ensure that your DIY office desk is crafted using eco-friendly methods.
In light of global warming, many people are turning into conscious consumers to help save and preserve our natural environment, as well ensure that future generations will be able to safely inhabit our planet.
Buying mass-produced furniture can often facilitate carbon emissions, and excessive waste, which is harmful to our planet. Sustainable DIY is a better and affordable alternative to fast-furniture, and will ensure that you minimize the likelihood of a negative environmental impact.
Aside from being conscious of our Earth's environment, sustainable DIY also ensures you are purchasing responsibly sourced materials. This means that the employees who have harvested any resources have done so in safe work environments, and have been fairly paid for their services - unlike most fast-furniture brands.
The majority of today's mass-produced furniture is created in sweatshops, meaning workers are treated inhumanely and receive an unfair salary for their hard work. This is why sustainability should always be upheld.
In order to create an eco-friendly desk, you must purchase sustainable materials. In doing so, you will be reducing your carbon footprint, and ensuring that you are welcoming safe materials into your home.
An Important Note: Many manufacturers incorporate Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) into their materials which cause a range of health issues over prolonged exposure. It is vital for your own health that you source organic materials that are free from VOCs and any other harmful chemicals.
To help narrow your search, we have listed 4 sustainable materials that will help you craft a stunning eco-friendly desk.
Upcycled and Recycled Wood
Reclaimed wood is favoured by many sustainable office desk brands as it prevents waste and provides the wood with a new life. At Mojo Boutique, we love reviving old teak wood furniture to craft stunningly rustic items. We also use driftwood that is ethically sourced from Indonesian beaches, to create refreshing, modern furniture that is full of character.
Buying live edge wood is an easy and cheap way of sourcing sustainable materials for your desk. In most cases, live edges are left over untreated cuts of wood that construction workers would otherwise dispose of.
You may decide to purchase an antique wooden desk and transform it into something new for your office. Or, if you happen to have old wooden furniture sitting in your loft or garage, channel your inventive streak and make use of what you already have.
FSC Certified Wood
If you would rather buy brand new and pre-treated wood, it is important to make sure that it is FSC certified. This certification means that the wood you are purchasing has been responsibly grown and cut.
Opting for FSC certified wood will ensure that your purchase is not contributing toward deforestation, which causes tonnes of CO2 emissions and results in many animals dying and losing their homes.
Bamboo
Bamboo is widely advocated as Mother Nature's most robust sustainable materials. It renews at a rapid speed (growing 1mm every 90 seconds!) and requires no chemicals to help it flourish and grow.
Bamboo is believed to exceed many materials for its strength, including bricks, wood, concrete and even steel. This means that you can craft a sustainable desk that will comfortably endure daily usage.
Upcycled and Recycled Metal
If you are an experienced DIY fanatic, and are looking to explore new, more advanced avenues of creation, try using upcycled and recycled metal to create a frame for you desk. If you are newer to the exciting world of DIY, you may decide to take a less advanced route, by repurposing some old metal table legs for your office desk.
We all know how expensive metal can be. Purchasing old metal will mean that you can buy this material for a fraction of the price. You could also ask around, or go to a scrap yard and attain metal for free!
Sustainable Rattan
Rattan is very similar to bamboo with regards to how fast it can grow. Because rattan is so light, it can be easily harvested and manipulated into all sorts of intricate designs, such as wicker. If you are looking to add a bohemian touch of texture to your work space, you should definitely incorporate rattan into your desk.
You may believe that sustainably finishes are hard to come by, however, you will be pleasantly surprised to discover that there are many eco-friendly, non-toxic finishes on the market.
Try searching for polishes, varnishes and paints that are Greenguard Gold certified. This means that the product you are purchasing has been extensively checked in line with a strict health and safety criteria. This certification often means that a product has very little to no chemicals and toxins that are detrimental to our health.
If you want to purchase a finish that is 100% safe, search for VOC free products. There are many eco paints and varnishes that are plastic free and organic, meaning they are completely harmless and non-polluting to both your home's environment and the planet's.
Finding inspiration be tricky, especially if you have multiple preferences. If you know exactly what you are going for, then you are already well on your way to creating a DIY masterpiece. However if you aren't entirely sure what you like, a good way of pinpointing a specific style is by creating a mood-board.
You can use platforms such as Pinterest to create a digital mood-board, or, you can create a physical one to help inspire your creativity. This will also aid you to discover your unique aesthetic so that you can create a desk that reflects your individuality.
To further your inspiration, here are some of the best desk styles that embody timeless interior aesthetics, so that you will never grow bored of your creation:
Purist/Minimalist Desks: Minimalist desks consist of uncomplicated features, making this style perfect for a DIY newbie. If you love purist design, then minimalism is likely your match. This kind of desk shouldn't have any complicated details, serving as a functional yet attractive piece of office furniture.
Eclectic Style Desks: If you'd prefer your desk to be the focal point of your office space, you may want to go for an eclectic style desk. Eclectic interior is often bold and decadent, compromising of metallic accents, vibrant colors and quirky silhouettes.
Standing Desks: In recent years we have seen a significant rise of ergonomic furniture. A standing desk often has adjustable heights that allows you to alter how you work, and cater to your comfortability. Because of the adjustability aspect, a standing desk may be best if you are more experienced with DIY builds.
Mid Century Style Desks: Mid century design is making a huge revival at the moment all thanks to its sleek and sophisticated style. This interior aesthetic often marries natural, warming wooden textures with muted tones to create a harmonious balance.
A classic mid century desk is symmetrical, with storage space on either side and a vast surface for your work materials.
At Mojo Boutique, we stock a variety of high-quality sustainable office furniture, all of which is ethically made-to-order. If you feel like you are no longer up to the DIY task, or perhaps if you need a chair to accompany your newly crafted desk, discover our collection or artisanal desks today. We also stock a charming range of office-friendly decor, such as our handcrafted pen holders, photo frames and plant stands.
We adhere to sustainable practices throughout every stage of production at our boutique, to ensure we are effectively minimizing waste, reducing unnecessary pollution and supporting the livelihood of Indonesian craftspeople.
In line with our eco-conscious passion, we have additionally partnered with South Pole to launch a variety of projects that offset our carbon footprint. Discover more about our sustainability here.
