At least 43% of Americans say they spend time working from home, according to a Gallup poll conducted last year. With a steady increase in workspace flexibility, the need for a home office space is more important than ever. Not everyone has the time or the expertise to design their own desk, but creating a custom computer desk or a custom desk for your home office is not only feasible, it’s easier than you think.
Custom desks for a home office
If you work from home every day or even several days a month, you may already have designated a room in your home as your office, but does your work space fit your needs? Did you purchase a pre-fabricated desk from an online or big box store that is almost what you need, but not quite? We’ve had clients come to us looking for a better solution—a custom desk and work area for their home office that has what they need, not just what they could get.
Desktop. While some desks are free standing, more often than not our custom home office designs involve built-in desktops and cabinetry. This means customizing the size and finish of your desktop, giving you the space, you need for the things you have and the ability to add a personal touch to the finish. Think of your desktop as more than a place to rest your laptop—it’s something you have to see 8 hours a day, 5 days a week (or more!)—so make sure you love the way it looks!
Cabinetry. Cabinets don’t always have to make your home office feel traditional and formal—we create custom cabinets in an infinite number of configurations. The limit is truly your imagination! We’ve created looks that double as home libraries, more modern looks with open shelves and cabinets with doors, and custom cabinets that include a display function so you’re always surrounded by your favorite things.
Drop down desk. We mentioned the drop down desk in the “custom computer desks for small spaces” section but we want to add it here, as well. We’ve had larger designs with a drop down desk perfect for the occasional co-worker, consultation, or home-work buddy that may need some additional desk space in order to get the job done.
File cabinets. Our custom cabinetry includes home office furniture like pull out file cabinets for those files that require hard copies. Make the drawers as small or as large as you need—when you customize your space, you get what you want!
Lighting. Accent lighting and LED lighting make a home office space complete. Make sure you think about what kind of lighting works best for your needs and tell your design expert your thoughts on what you’d like to see.
A Murphy bed. No, we’re not saying you need to have the perfect place to take a nap during the day but being able to add a guest room to your home office’s repertoire means you have a multi-purpose room that can help you get through holiday visits with a bit more ease and comfort for your guests.
Design your own desk
The word “custom” has shown up multiple times in this post already—and that’s not an accident! While purchasing and assembling pre-fabricated office furniture works for some, at some point, the need for custom arises and that is where we start making more room for you. For some clients, inspiration comes from their at-work offices, for others, it comes from the many ways in which the room will be used: guest room, craft room, home office, or a place to get away and have a quiet moment with your favorite book.
When you design your own desk, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind, so make sure you’ve asked yourself the following questions:
How will you use your desk?
Will it just be a place to rest your laptop or desktop or will it also be a place where things are written, cut, colored, sewed, glued, or fabricated? Make sure you keep all of this in mind, so both the size and finish of your desk stand the test of time.
What are your storage needs?
Will you just be storing binders and files? Will you also want to display or store books, awards, art pieces, vases, craft supplies, etc.? You’ll want to think about what you’ll want to store out of sight versus what you want to display.
What do you want to display around your desk and in your office?
Plants, baskets, figurines, antique cameras—you name it, we’ve created custom display cabinets for them. Home offices spaces are no different as surrounding ourselves with things that make us happy and inspired also makes us more productive. Think about the things you’ll want to see while you’re working hard and let your design expert know.
Custom desks for small spaces
A small space doesn’t exclude you from creating a work from home paradise fit for a king (or queen)! There are more than a few options available to conserve space and make the most of what you have. Here are two of the most popular:
The drop down desk. Like the Murphy bed, the drop down desk folds out when needed and stows away, out of sight, when it’s not. For people who either work from home occasionally, or need to maximize their space at all times, the drop down desk is an ideal solution. Our drop down desks are currently available in widths of 24 or 30 inches and can be stored away in cabinets with depths of 15 or 20 inches.
Wall units. Wall units are available in a variety of sizes – from 12” to 24” deep and from 19” to 90” tall. They can be open cabinets with adjustable shelves or can offer door and drawers for additional storage options. Regardless of your space, there’s a wall unit that’s the perfect solution. Create more storage options and choose from a wide variety of finishes to make sure your work from home space has a grown-up look and feel.
While there are many more things to think about before you create your custom computer desk and home office space—these will help you get started. Need a bit more inspiration? Don’t forget to check out our customer gallery and see some of the builds we’ve done for people just like you.
