Virily Editor
If you want to be productive at work, you should invest in a good desk. This piece of furniture will equally contribute to your professional achievements, well-being and life satisfaction. Below, you will find valuable recommendations on how to select your ideal desk.
Size
The most important parameter that one needs to take into account when choosing a desk is its height. By default, most manufacturers make them 30-inch high. If this is too much for some people, they can easily solve the problem by raising the height of their office chair. But if someone is too tall for an average table, they would struggle to find space for their feet and might start suffering from backaches. To identify whether the height of a table suits you personally, you should bend your arms at 90-degree angles. If in this position your hands rest comfortably on the horizontal surface — then feel free to buy this desk. Otherwise, you might consider purchasing a model with adjustable leg heights. You can find both standing and sitting desks of this sort on the market.
The second most essential parameter is the depth. Some people believe that the deeper their desk, the better. In fact, if the horizontal space in front of you is too large, you might face two problems:
- Imagine you need to plug something in and the only available socket is located closer to the far side of the table. If the cord is too short, the electrical appliance would end up being situated too far from you.
- If you place the monitor of your computer comfortably close to you, there would be too much empty space behind it, which is not too rational.
Finally, your chair should snuggly fit under the desk. Otherwise, you would need to sit too far away from your documents, books, computer or whatever you normally work with.
Shape
Straight desks are functional, versatile and available in all possible sizes. One can put them in the middle of the room, against the window, facing the wall and literally anywhere. However, this solution might have two potential shortcomings:
- It might fail to provide its owner with enough space for working and storing things
- The design of straight desks is often too simplistic
In the first case, one can buy shelves or a set of drawers and place them near the table. In the second case, one can buy their desk from a shop that offers stylish solutions for efficient work — such as, for instance, Room Service 360.
Corner desks offer much more usable space and effortlessly fit all sorts of room layouts. But one would have to always face a corner, sitting with their back to the door. This is not the best solution for an office where people would be coming and going through that very door. But if you work from home, such a location should not be a disadvantage. Plus, you can place a mood board or small shelves in this corner to customize it.
U-shaped desks are perfect for busy people who love multitasking. One can organize several working zones for themselves and comfortably surround themselves with all the objects they might need during the day: papers, printers, lamps, glasses of water, snacks, phones and so on. However, it would be a rare luxury for a simple office worker to have such a desk since it occupies too much space.
L-shaped desks offer a more compact alternative to U-shaped versions. Their primary shortcoming consists in the fact that in a typical room, there would be only one, maximum two placements for such a piece of furniture.
An armoire becomes a life-saver when the space is limited. But in this case, the desk itself would not be too big. One would hardly be able to place anything on it except their computer.
Material
The durability and the ergonomics of the desk largely depend on the material that it is made of.
- Laminate is the most budget-friendly option. Yet you should avoid the cheapest solutions since they would not last long. Thick, high-pressure laminate, on the contrary, would serve you for many years without cracking, chipping or falling apart. From the aesthetic viewpoint, it does not look posh at all — but if one’s aim is to cut down expenses, the thicker version of this material would do.
- Veneer or wood are the most common solution. They are eco-friendly, stylish, comfortable and durable. Yet one should be careful when putting objects with sharp edges on them since they might leave scratches. Cups of hot coffee might leave marks too.
- Steel or metal are exceptionally long-lasting and heavy. It might be tricky to move such a table around the room.
Glass is not so popular for desks because it is too slippery and fragile. Besides, not everyone finds it comfortable to work on a transparent surface — some people state that a dark, even surface contributes to better concentration and higher productivity. But if you want one, there are plenty of variants on the market.
Additional features
For a worthy desk, it is enough to have stable legs and a comfortable horizontal surface. Additionally, some models might feature:
- Channels or holes for chords
- Computer compartments
- Hutches
- Pull-out surfaces that temporarily turn a rectangular table into an L-shaped one
These solutions might look handy at first sight — but make sure they do not occupy too much precious space.
Desk warranties might last from 12 months to a lifelong time. When purchasing this piece of furniture, pay special attention to its corners: there should not be any fraying.
Conclusion
When choosing a desk, one should rely on their budget, the size and configuration of their room, their body parameters and style of work. Rectangular desks made of wood or metal would be a universal solution that suits almost any premise and any job. Before you purchase one, make sure it offers enough usable space and can be comfortably combined with a chair and set of drawers.
