Choose the Spot Before the Furniture
A good home office starts with where it is, not what the desk looks like. Before buying, check:
- A separate room with a door if possible; it separates work from rest and suits video calls.
- If not, a quiet corner away from the TV, the kitchen and the main walkway.
- Close to sockets and the internet point, so cables do not cross the room.
- A suitable video-call background: a tidy wall or bookcase, not a bed or an open door.
- Near a window for daylight, oriented as described in the lighting section.
Desk Sizes
- Height: 72–76 cm suits most adults; a height-adjustable desk lets you switch between sitting and standing.
- Width: 120 cm minimum for a laptop and papers, 140–160 cm for a monitor, computer and writing space, 180 cm or more for an executive desk.
- Depth: 60 cm minimum; 70–80 cm is easier on the eyes because the screen can sit further back.
- Knee space: at least 60 cm of clear width with no drawers in the way.
- Behind the desk: about 90–100 cm to push the chair back and stand up easily.
An L-shaped desk suits people who work on screen and paper at once, giving each its own wing.
The Chair: The Most Important Piece
You can compromise on the desk, but not on the chair if you work for hours each day. Adjust or choose it so that:
- Seat height lets your feet rest flat on the floor with knees close to a right angle.
- The backrest meets and supports the curve of the lower back.
- Seat depth leaves a gap of two to three fingers between the seat edge and the back of the knee.
- Armrests sit at roughly desk height or adjust to it, so the shoulders relax.
- It stands on a five-wheel base for stability.
A high-backed leather executive chair looks impressive, but make sure it meets these points before its looks win you over.
Screen and Lighting
- Place the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level, about an arm's length away, 50–70 cm.
- A laptop used for long hours needs a stand and a separate keyboard, or your neck will bend forward.
- Set the desk so the window is to your side: a window behind the screen causes glare, a window behind you causes reflections on it.
- Add a desk lamp aimed at your papers in addition to the room's general light.
- For video calls, soft light in front of your face works best, not from above or behind.
Storage and Cable Control
- A mobile drawer unit under or beside the desk for daily papers and supplies.
- A bookcase or filing cabinet with doors for archives; crowded open shelves look messy behind you on camera.
- Cable grommets in the desktop, with a tray or basket underneath to keep cables off the floor.
- One nearby shelf for what you use daily; everything else in closed storage.
Give the printer and other noisy equipment a place inside a ventilated cabinet or on a side unit away from the work surface; they take a lot of room and are used only occasionally. Count sockets before you build: a monitor, computer, lamp and phone charger mean at least four, and a power strip fixed under the desktop beats one lying on the floor.
Classic Executive or Modern Minimal?
The classic executive desk relies on solid wood and hand carving, sometimes a leather-inlaid top, with a bookcase behind and a high-backed leather chair. It suits a villa study where the owner receives business visitors, and it needs a generous room; allow space for two visitor chairs in front with about 90 cm between them and the desk.
Modern minimal relies on a clean top, slim legs and hidden storage. It suits apartments and corners and keeps the focus on work. In between sits a middle path: a simple-lined desk in warm natural wood that fits most homes.
A Desk in a Shared Room
- In a bedroom: match the desk's colour and material to the rest of the room so it does not look out of place, with a cabinet that closes over paperwork at night.
- In a guest room: a sofa bed and desk make the room useful all year.
- In the living room: set the desk against a wall and define its zone with a small rug, or divide it off with an open shelf.
- A console 45–50 cm deep can serve as a light laptop desk in tight spaces.
Having Your Desk Made to Size
At Arti Design we make classic executive desks with hand carving and modern desks with clean lines, to the size of your room, with a written price and lead time before production, and our own team handles delivery and installation.
