Built-In Floating Desk with Closet Rods
The first time I did this type of build where I converted a closet into a desk space was for my son, who needed a dedicated spot for his desktop computer. While he mostly uses a dresser for clothes and doesn’t have a ton that needs to hang, this is his only closet, so I still wanted to keep some hanging space available.
Fortunately, the sides of his closet were deep enough to accommodate some clothing storage. I used that space to install closet rods on either side, making the setup dual-purpose- a functional desk in the center, and (somewhat) hidden clothes storage on the sides.
This build is very similar to the version with floating shelves, so you can click here to read through that tutorial first. Then, follow the alternate steps below to modify the build for closet poles instead of shelving if that layout fits your space better.
There are really just two key differences between the two builds:
I shortened the desktop width so that it didn’t run wall to wall, leaving space on each side for hanging clothes without them touching the desk.
I skipped the floating side shelves and instead installed closet rods running front to back on both sides of the closet.
Desktop:
-Dimensions will vary based on your space but you want to leave enough room for clothing to hang on a hanger without the desktop being in the way. The hangers we use are 16.5” wide and I was able to add another inch or so for a little extra space. You’ll also want to make sure there’s enough space for your desktop to run wider than the opening of the closet so that it will have part of the wall at the front of the closet to rest on cleats. In some cases you don’t need a cleat on a front wall but since the sides of the desktop in this scenario will be free floating, the front cleats are definitely needed.
