Your home office desk is a vital component of work-from-home success. You should select one that fits your room and offers the necessary functionality. Just like your office chair, your desk should be the right size for you and a comfortable place to sit or stand.
When choosing a desk for your home office workspace, it pays to give a lot of thought to what will help enable you to be the most comfortable and capitalize on your productivity.
Ask yourself what you will mostly be doing, how much space you need, and what features you think you might want.
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What Is The Function Of A Home Office Desk?
Although a home office desk can have many functions, the primary one is to create office space for you to work from home.
As more people find remote employment or flexible schedules that allow them to work from home at least part of the time, purchasing home office furniture to make a workspace more functional has become increasingly popular.
Desks facilitate these needs:
- Computer placement: Most people need a computer for remote work. Ask yourself if you want room for a laptop or desktop. Is one computer monitor enough, or would multiple screens help you to be more productive?
- Filing Cabinet: Some desks have a drawer that doubles as filing storage.
- Shelving: One might want a hutch-style desk with storage space all around, or simply add a bookshelf for extra storage of work-related binders and reference manuals.
- Work Surface: Desks come with different size tops to meet your needs. How much space do you need for a work surface? Do you often do writing on the desk?
What Is The Difference Between A Desk And A Table?
It might be tempting to simply work at a table or counter, but there are distinct differences between a table and a desk. First is the obvious.
A table is used for eating or playing games, whereas a desk is designed for working. A table usually won’t have storage space for work materials like a desk will. However, both desks and tables are 28”-30” in height.
Some desks, however, do resemble tables. What is important is having a designated space. If you both eat dinner and work on the dining room table, you may have to remove things so you can move to the next function.
Although some people who work remotely do so from their sofa or mattress and do not have desks, most people find having one a necessity. So what makes a desk preferable for most people?
Why Work At A Desk
So why work at a desk instead of a table? Having a specific workspace helps with separation.
- Dedicated Work Space: While you certainly can gather up your things and place them on the kitchen table when you decide it is time to work, having a dedicated workspace allows you to get to work quickly without losing time.
- Height: Although standard desks are similar in height to standard tables, many desks do come in a variety of heights to fit any body type. In addition, some desks can be adjustable so you can sit or stand throughout your work day.
- Keyboard Tray: Many desks have a place to tuck the keyboard away, so that your keyboard is slightly below the surface of the desk.
- Seating: Purchasing a comfortable desk chair is equally as important and can lead to higher productivity. Don’t skimp on this portion, either. The chair should fit comfortably under the desk.
- Storage: A table does not have drawers for storing your work items, whereas a desk usually has plenty of room for these items. You want quick, easy accessibility for anything you need while you work.
The 4 Considerations For A Home Office Desk
Scale and placement
As you determine what type of desk you should buy for your home office space, you need to consider scale and placement. Is the room you are putting the desk into only an office, or does it double as a guest room? How big is the room? Where do you plan to place the desk?
When choosing a desk for smaller spaces, you obviously need to look at smaller desks. Sometimes a corner desk is the best decision in a smaller room when you need to make the best use of space.
Do you want your desk near a window, or would that be distracting? You likely want your desk near available outlets for plugging in your computer, printer, and anything else you might need. Should the drawers lock to keep others out of your files, or is your work not confidential enough to warrant that extra expense?
Is it important that your desk match the other furniture in the home? A natural wood desk might look odd in a room with all cherry furniture, for example.
You might choose a white desk to match white woodwork in a room. A desk that will be placed in your living room might have a different look than one you can tuck away in a spare bedroom.
Function
What type of function does your desk need? A corner computer desk that is an L-shaped desk would give a lot of storage, workspace, and even a place for your printer. While one person might find that completely necessary, another person could find it a waste of space.
Do you work best with two monitors? If the answer is yes, you need room enough for them both on the home desk that you choose.
Is storage space necessary? A hutch-style desk or one with shelving can be nice for both storage and display of family photos. Consider if you just need a couple of simple drawers or if you want room for file storage. Some desks have drawers that double as file cabinets.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics takes into consideration how your body is most comfortable and able to work without injury. There are many considerations that go into an ergonomic desk
Good workspace ergonomics minimizes how much you have to bend, twist or move in uncomfortable ways. There should be plenty of leg space under the desk. Some individuals find that a height-adjustable desk is very helpful to their body staying comfortable and injury free.
A newer trend in desks is the standing desk. Some are simply standing desks but most are adjustable, so you can sit or stand. You can add an adaptable addition to any desk.
You will want your computer monitor or laptop computer at a good height for you to work comfortably. Sometimes this means putting a small pedestal on the desk to raise the computer up some. Be certain everything is at the correct angle for you to look at comfortably and without neck strain.
Style
There are many styles of desks. Pick one that is not only comfortable but works with the decor of your room. A wood desk can range in colors from natural wood to espresso to painted white.
You can purchase small writing desks or huge executive desks. Figure out what you need to work comfortably and garner productivity.
- Executive Desk: This is typically a very big, fancy desk that screams “boss.” This oak wood desk is beautiful and functional. Executive desks may have bigger tops and more storage.
- Floating Desk: A floating desk makes use of minimal space and is attached to the wall. Preferred for small spaces, this desk may not be for everyone.
- Gaming Desk: Gaming desks usually have room for multiple monitors as well as speakers.
- Glass Top Desk: A simple glass top desk has a sleek look and feel to it. Some might say fashion over function with this one.
- L-Shaped Desk: If you need a lot of surface space for working, an L-desk is a good choice.
- Leg Desk: A leg desk is just the tabletop and legs. There are no drawers or storage spaces, buy you can purchase cabinets to slide under this style desk.
- Pedestal Desk: Pedestal desks often have storage on both sides of where you put your chair and legs. This particular model comes in black to complement your home furniture.
- Secretary Desk: A roll-top desk is often referred to as a secretary. Some people like this because they can hide items from view simply by closing the door.
Not surprisingly, desks became a hot commodity during the recent pandemic when many people started working from home.
This caused a shortage among retailers as best-selling models quickly sold out. Now, most places have a great selection of desks back in stock, so it is a great time to upgrade your home office furniture.
