I spend a substantial amount of my day on my desk, typing away to glory. Most of the time I also end up eating my meals on it! And binge-watching on some Netflix as well. And I’m sure that’s the case with most of us, since work from home became the new norm, and our home offices became our new hang-out spots. But having a great desk is really important! Simply a ‘good’ desk won’t do either. A great desk helps us work comfortably and effectively. It puts us in the right mindset, helping us achieve our daily productivity goals and checkmark all the tasks on our to-do list! Not only should our desks be clean, but they should also sport an ergonomic and functional design! And good looks are an added bonus. And finding a desk that does all of the above can be a Herculean task. But worry not! We’ve curated a collection of innovative, highly functional, and aesthetically pleasing desk designs, that will end your hunt for a great desk once and for all! From a multifunctional desk that features entertainment and work modules to a desk with a roof garden – there’s a perfect desk in here for everyone.
The Piano desk gives that traditional design a nod by incorporating it into your familiar wooden desk with some additional inspiration from the Standard chair by Jean Prouvé that elevates the minimal piece. The Piano desk was created so the designer could experiment with a hybrid material selection and play with interesting visual contrasts. On the one hand, we have metal which is a cold material that is beautifully balanced by the warmer wood. On the other hand, the same metal which allows for a slimmer silhouette is given the sturdiness with the addition of wood. The key factor in the briefing was to design a product with a democratic approach. That is how the minimal desk without any complex production processes was born while still featuring a small design element that other minimal desks didn’t have – the dipped shelf!
Meet Blis, a minimalistic office desk centered on the friendly, warm, and homely element – keeping in mind that it’s going to adorn your living space. The cool desk design keeps the wire clutter to a minimum for a clean look, hiding them from plain sight in the funneled legs. While it gives the impression of a very simple desk, there are inclusions that enhance the tidiness aspect further. There’s a sleek groove on the back section to store anything from files, papers, or pens to folders or charging cables. This section has an embedded board on top to pin all your important tasks, reminders or calendar events, or photos of loved ones to be always in a blissful frame of mind.
The Layout desk is a multifunctional workspace that comes with various entertainment and work modules to blur the line between WFH and play. Inspired by the blurring of work and play in WFH spaces, Juwon Kim, Jiwon Song, and Eunsang Lee framed Layout with a translucent, corrugated exterior finish that immediately catches the eye. Wrapped in sea green, the Layout desk is modular by design to incorporate a plethora of different work and entertainment features. The Layout desk is topped off with an upper cover that’s designed to conceal the workspace after the workday’s done.
Grown on Me is a collection of tables and desks with integrated cylindrical planters for greenery to sprout out of and grow. Outfitting our office and living spaces with lots of plant life gives each room a whole new personality. Plants help remove toxins from the air we breathe, brighten rooms that are already filled with sunlight, and bring life to our living areas even when no one’s in them. By integrating planters into its legs, design and research studio After Architecture constructed Grow on Me, a collection of tables with built-in, cylindrical planters to bring the garden to any room and office space.
Area Flip is a refreshing mobile office desk PC with a multi-screen setup that is designed to emphasize seamless workflow, interaction, and flexible private working zones. In a typical office setup with desktops as workstations, your portability is limited by the partitions and the wires that clutter but keep you connected. This also leads to a standardized working environment which can get monotonous with time. This problem demands a solution like the Area Flip which maximizes the mobility of the work environment. The Area Flip does this by transforming into a portable desktop, a presentation screen (vertical), or a flat (horizontal) screen for a lying board/screen that allows the people to collaborate better.
Merging the outdoors with the indoors, the Bridge is a work-desk accessory that adds greenery to your workplace. Quite literally a breath of fresh air when it comes to furniture design, the accessory sits on top of any open desk design, occupying the ‘no man’s land’ in between opposing workstations, and comes with a channel on top that’s designed to house an entire row of indoor plants. The Bridge builds on the increasingly popular idea of an open office and a collaborative workspace (as opposed to compartmentalized cabin spaces). It’s entirely made from plywood and can be flat-packed to a location and assembled on spot. It uses wooden joineries instead of metal/glue fixtures and can be assembled and propped onto any open desk, uplifting your current workspace with a neat touch of greenery.
The OnPlayOff is a conference table that lets you brainstorm/ work during the day and becomes your playground for some post office hours fun. Meet the feature that allows it all – a height-adjustable net that rotates into the table using a crank on one side. The table showcases a very Japandi-inspired, aesthetically pleasing wooden table for the work ambiance. Around four people can work on the table with their laptops without any issues at any given time.
Taking us back into the 19th-century households, a designer has conceived a contemporary version of the pre-modern day desk, called the Floor Desk, that by the mere look instantly reminds us of the era it belongs to. The desk constructed with a combination of high-end wooden material is distinguished by its appearance and exquisite details that celebrate the urbaneness of the ancient-style desk. The young Korean designer behind the rendition, informs that a desk in the 19th century catered as a tool for reading and writing. Since the rooms at home were usually small, the desks were made low and small to not look overwhelming in the room. The desks back then were more like chests with storage under the tabletop.
Named the “Program” this modular desk is ideal for creative individuals who love the freedom of organizing their desk as per their needs. Depending on the task at hand or the kind of tools required, the desk comes equipped with various cubbyholes and hanging spaces for you to get creative, literally! The different storage modules can be suitable for storing files, documents, or even your favorite magazines or sketches. In addition, the desk has a large storage box and a two-part table to further extend the modularity aspect. I find the design an eclectic mix of structure yet chaos – it has enough options to create an organized workspace or to embrace the chaos – it gives you the freedom to make your desk setup work for you.
Simply put, the Remotable is an adjustable, lightweight piece of furniture that’s as portable as your laptop. Designed to be set up and used anywhere, it gives you the flexibility and freedom to work from practically anywhere with the discipline and infrastructure you need to stay productive… and if you want to shift positions, just carry the table with your laptop to another location! The Remotable’s portable design is championed by its relatively simple construction, consisting of a telescopic pole that allows you to adjust the table’s height (shifting from a sitting to a standing desk) and even acts as a grip for you to carry it around.
