how to: kids’ art table
09.25.07
With the purchase of our latest Craigslist find and the reorganization of my studio, Otis suddenly found himself without a place to draw. He still had his little chalkboard table, but because it was round with a hole in the center, it was not a good space for drawing with pen and paper. So we came up with our own little Ikea hack: a multi-purpose art table. For some reason, I prefer tables to easels for drawing, probably because easels make me think of paint and paint makes me think of Oh My Lord, There’s No Way Kids And Paint Mix In This House!
Here’s the list of supplies we used. Most of it was purchased at either Ikea or at the hardware store.
index curtain rod
index wall hardware
vika olegby table legs
vika persbo table top
magnetic bar (ours was black and named something different, which I can’t find on their website)
paint
unsanded grout
chalk
craft magnets
glue (I used a hot glue gun)
markers
roll of paper (we used Ikea’s Mala)
We used the Vika Persbo table top, but only because we already had it. I was using it as an ironing board, but since it didn’t fit into my new studio, I was looking for a new use for it. It’s quite large, which is good for us because kids can eat at the table when we have friends over rather than worrying about our new table. Any of the Vika table tops that are paintable can be used, and they’re pretty inexpensive. Of course you can also do this to any finished table as well.
Prime, paint and finish the table top according to these directions from Martha and crew. I gave my tabletop two good coats of paint, and chose a dark grey to go with our cabinets.
Turn the table over and install the index wall hardware, centered, along one short edge of the table, making sure that there is enough room between the hardware for your roll of paper. For our particular setup, we also had to make sure that the wall hardware didn’t get in the way of the table leg hardware. Thus I attached the wall hardware after the leg hardware, but before the leg itself. It might make more sense if you look closely at the following pictures.
Hang your roll of paper on the curtain rod and install in the hardware.
Turn the table over and install the magnetic bar, centering it on the table. Make sure it is tight enough to hold your paper down and to use as a tearing edge, but not too tight so that you can’t slide your paper through easily.
Glue craft magnets onto the caps of markers (I used a hot glue gun) so that the markers are attached to the magnetic bar, ready to be used.
Here you can see Otis using his new table (looking like he draws a lot more than he really does). He also occasionally attacks it with chalk:
Pretty simple. The most time-consuming part of the whole project was waiting for the paint to dry. Then you can hang your kids’ finished artwork up on your homasote bulletin board!
Entry Filed under: home improvement, how to. .
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1.
Elizabeth | 09.25.07 at 10.28 pm
You are a genius. This is the best thing I have ever seen, now I need to figure out how to modify it so that I can do this to my drafting table.
2.
Leah | 09.26.07 at 2.50 am
That is brilliant. I want one for myself!
xxx
3.
martha | 09.26.07 at 6.05 am
Great idea and such clear instructions.
The table is beautiful!
4.
Carey | 09.26.07 at 8.49 am
Oh my god. I love it!!! Can’t wait for my little guy to be old enough for a drawing table. Better bookmark this one. Thanks for the instructions. Good work shiso!!
5.
kristin | 09.26.07 at 4.07 pm
oh this is sosososo clever!! my son will just LOVE to create on such a beautiful space. thanks for such clear instructions.
6.
Steph D | 09.27.07 at 7.07 am
Wow! so cool. Thanks for sharing how you did it!
7.
Dianne | 09.27.07 at 8.18 am
This table is awesome! I love all of your ideas. Loved the bulletin board as well.
8.
Lynsey | 09.28.07 at 2.56 am
You’ve been tagged! http://swirlyarts.blogspot.com/2007/09/i-knew-that-one-day.html
9.
Mefuza | 09.28.07 at 7.51 am
Love it! What a great idea! How do you come up with ideas? I always find something new from you. ThankS!!
10.
Tina | 09.28.07 at 12.54 pm
Great table! I’m definitely bookmarking this as well.
11.
Violette Crumble | 09.28.07 at 1.37 pm
Geeenius! I am actually going to Home Depot this weekend to buy the board to make based on your tutorial.
Now, how do you explain to Otis that he is only to draw on paper and not every wall and table and chair?
12.
Tiffany Johnson | 09.30.07 at 11.26 am
LOVE IT! So smart- I’ll have to do something like this when we get more space for a kid’s table. :)
13.
lulu | 10.1.07 at 12.14 pm
Really clever! I have a gigantic, very heavy roll of butcher paper from Costco, which we use for the same purpose, and I’ve often wished for a table like this that could hold it (instead of having to wrestle it to cut pieces off and taping them to the coffee table). Thanks so much for sharing your great ideas!
14.
Di | 10.4.07 at 3.13 pm
What a great idea! I bet Otis is having a ball at his new custom built table!! Very clever indeed!
15.
sara | 10.6.07 at 8.00 am
Thats awesome!! I want one for myself!
16.
s'mee | 10.7.07 at 9.47 pm
I love the magnets on the markers…and am wondering why no one ever thought of that before! Simple. Genius.
17.
Meg McElwee | 10.8.07 at 3.40 pm
Incredible! Would you mind if I linked to you on my blog? Thanks so much for passing on this idea!
18.
Tara | 10.12.07 at 6.54 am
Wow!!! I’ve been trying to find a way to hold my roll of ikea paper, too (except it’s for me, not the kids LOL). This is possibly the best idea that I have seen in a looooong time. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
19.
Life in Irvine » æŽ&hellip | 10.15.07 at 3.02 pm
[...] how to: kids’ art table [...]
20.
claire | 10.16.07 at 2.16 am
That is fantastic, I’m quite inspired to make one of those for our children!
21.
sissi | 10.19.07 at 3.42 am
wow! wonderful idea! bravo!
22.
Sumi | 11.21.07 at 2.07 pm
Cool idea!!. I am going to make one for my girl. Thanks for sharing. where did u get the Chair for your kids? I love those chairs.
23.
globe | 12.18.07 at 8.03 am
I love it! Especially the mental energy in designing it from simple beginnings to a perfect end. Things are meant to be practical and versatile.
24.
PAULA | 12.29.07 at 8.26 pm
I love your idea with the table - I just ordered it at IKEA - I wondering about the purple, orange and red littles seats in the picture. Where did you get them?
Thanks,
25.
pozzynette | 01.2.08 at 7.34 am
I love your idea !!!!
26.
effiemay | 01.2.08 at 9.10 am
I already have everything needed for this project in the house…now just need my husband to get home from work to put it all together. Love the marker/magnet idea. Thanks for the inspiration!
27.
Melissa | 01.3.08 at 2.31 pm
I love this idea and think I might have to try it for my sewing table really.
28.
Como hacer una mesa de di&hellip | 01.3.08 at 10.32 pm
[...] Incluso no solo tus niños la usarán para dibujar, pueden usarla para cualquier otra cosa, ya que mientras no dibujan, el rollo de papel estará en el borde de la mesa sin ocupar espacio. Será una mesa multiuso. Via | shisomama.wordpress.com [...]
29.
Sandrine | 01.3.08 at 11.18 pm
Superbe! I simply love it!
Great idea!
Happy new year!
30.
Leif | 02.15.08 at 7.15 am
This really looks like a great idea. Could you please tell me, where you did get those wooden chairs and the coloured seats (they look being stackable, right?)? I was searching over and over but didn’t find any on the net.
Thanks, Leif.
31.
Renee | 02.16.08 at 8.04 am
Thank you so much for sharing your instructions. It is just what I was looking for to turn an old table into a craft table for my artistic son.
32.
sequinK | 02.18.08 at 3.37 pm
Thanks so much for this how-to!
For those of us that are painting challenged, IKEA has a new tabletop in the VIKA line called GREVSTA which comes with a black, chalkboard-like finish. I was just there this weekend and saw it. It costs a bit more than some of the other tabletops, but looks great and my little one LOVES it.
And for some previous posters, I think the wooden seats are OFFI:
http://www.designpublic.com/shop/offi/53
33.
Ana | 02.19.08 at 9.54 pm
This is AWESOME! I always wanted an art table for my kids and looked at Pottery Barn Kids catalogs with sadness… knowing that I can’t afford their art table. Thank you so much for this wonderful idea!
34.
mesheca | 02.24.08 at 9.15 pm
I just made this tonight after my visit to IKEA yesterday!! Thank you for making me feel like a crafty mom. It was so easy and I am so proud of myself.
I did not paint it yet as I have a 3.5 and 17 month old that love to make messes. Maybe in a year or two I will let them use chalk in the house, lol
35.
kiro | 02.26.08 at 8.23 am
That’s wonderful. I was wondering if your child would ever resist drawing on the floor and wall. It’s so easy for him to get it any time he wants.Cos mine already did, when we were out of sight.
*You will know what i mean when you come visiting my blog. * It’s a brilliant mess!
36.
Ana | 03.14.08 at 6.26 am
I was at the store the other day and the name of the magnetic bar is SPONTAN.
37.
Alexandra Samuel | 03.30.08 at 4.49 pm
This is fantastic, and I’m totally inspired to go to Ikea right this second (admittedly, it doesn’t take much to get me to go to Ikea.)
One concern to flag: if those craft magnets come off your marker lids, or somebody else uses stronger magnets, it could be very dangerous for kids. When kids swallow magnets, as sometimes happens, the attraction between magnets in their intestinal tracts can perforate their organs. Yikes!
So, be careful with this aspect of the project. A potential alternative (from my kids’ daycare): take a 1- or 2-inch thick board, and drill holes in it that are the diameter of your markers. Stick each marker in a hole.
38.
jules | 04.6.08 at 10.54 pm
this idea is absolutely genius - i’ve been telling everyone about it and i had to go out to ikea last week and make the table. i put it together and our 2 yr old son LOVES it - uses it as an art table and a train table too. it’s great - the perfect height.
where did you get the cushions in your picture? they’re really cute - i want to get something similar to that but can only find the zid zid ones.
thanks for sharing the how-to tips!!! i love how you think - innovative, practical, and economical!
39.
kathy | 04.18.08 at 11.02 am
This is fantastic! I was actually going to head out to IKEA to check out some kids tables, but they all seems so small, and I have twins, so I need something bigger. This will be perfect. How high are the stools and chairs you have pictured? I wonder if any of the IKEA kids chairs would be the right height.
BTW, I found the magnetic bar on the IKEA website. It’s called the Spontan magnetic rack for 99 cents. Here’s the link.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30117169
40.
Barbara Smith | 04.29.08 at 5.41 pm
so perfect. I love those table legs.
41.
Peter | 06.17.08 at 1.31 am
This is an excellent idea. I am looking forward to putting one of these together for my daughter.
With regards to ‘priming’ the table. Do I require a separate primer for this or is it okay to add on an extra coat of paint?
Does anything else need to be done to the table before priming/painting?
Cheers,
Peter