Desks

For those of us who work at home the importance of a good quality desk can never be overestimated. While it may seem like a trivial matter a good, comfortable work space is vital to bring out the best in our work - anyone who has ever been forced to finish an important assignment during the commute to work will happily testify to that fact.

So what should you look for in a desk? While choosing a desk may seem like a no-brainer, it's actually much more involved than simply picking something with enough space to lay out our papers and computers. In fact, there are many options to choose from that will make our work that little bit easier and, hopefully, just that little bit better.

For The Home Office

Most home workers will, unfortunately, be pushed for space. While we'd prefer to be able to work at a large executive desk it often isn't an option. After all, home offices are usually located in whatever space we can spare. With that in mind it's important to select a desk that can offer us the greatest use in the smallest space.

The best home office desk for most people will be some form of computer desk. Since most home workers will make use of a computer, such a purpose made desk is an ideal solution. Designed specifically for a personal computer, computer desks provide space to hold a keyboard, monitor and the computer itself in a way that is both space-saving and comfortable - allowing you to spend hours at the desk without causing fatigue.

For the few home workers who don't make use of a computer there is always the option of a traditional writing desk. Its simple yet attractive styling makes it useful both as a workspace and as an accent piece - a beautiful antique desk finished in cherry or a similar hardwood.

Since space is at a premium in the home office it can often be worthwhile to invest in an 'L-shaped' desk, also known as a corner desk. When there isn't enough room to fit a desk elsewhere in the room, this option allows a large workspace without taking up all of the floor space in a home office.

While not the most practical option for the home office, rolltop desks have long been a mainstay of the antiques market. If you're hunting for a purely decorative or light use desk there can be no more attractive option than the rolltop desk.

For The Kids

We can coax and berate our children until the cows come home, but without a comfortable workspace we will have little luck encouraging them to settle down and do their homework. While it will always be a challenge to make the little ones sit down and study, we can make it easier by providing our children with their own desk in their bedroom - their own private workspace where they can get on with their studies without our interference.

A student desk, also known as a kid's desk, usually comes in the form of a pedestal desk - a basic work surface half resting on a chest of drawers, with legroom under the other half.

It may not be much, but you never know - by investing in a desk for our children, encouraging them to study, we may well be setting them on the path to a day in the future when, instead of working in just one of many identical cubicles in an office, they will go shopping for a desk for their own home office.