No place to pay your bills? Convert a foldaway ironing-board kit into a miniature hideaway office. DIY Decorating & Design host Nancy Golden explains how. Buy a foldaway ironing-board kit at a home-improvement store. Units come in surface-mounted or recessed styles. Our project features a recessed unit that's installed in the wall between two studs. When not in use, it folds flat against the wall (figure A). Before installing the unit, paint and finish it inside and out. Use the ironing board as a desktop, or replace it with a piece of 3/4" shelving board cut to fit the opening. Prime and paint the desk and wall mount to match, making sure to cover the underside of the desktop as well as the top. Use wood glue to attach a piece of cork to the inside door to serve as a mini-bulletin board. When the piece is finished, mount it inside the wall between two studs, making sure to place the unit so the desktop is at a height of 29" instead of regular ironing-board height. If desired, add a shelf and narrow wire baskets to the inside wall of the unit to hold office necessities.
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