The desk is an indispensable piece of furniture in every office and study. The majority of office workers work here daily, and even in times of home office and desk sharing, a desk in the office or home office is almost irreplaceable as a work surface and storage space for monitor, keyboard, mouse, and work materials.
Desks differ in size, shape, material, and frame. There are smaller corner desks as well as large, mostly rectangular workstations. In modern offices, you can also find ergonomically shaped office desks and increasingly often those with a high design Anspruch – be it through the tabletop, for example, made of glass, or for wooden tops, through a naturally curved tabletop edge, a so-called live edge. With these tables (then called a live edge table), the tabletop edge is shaped as the tree grew during its long growth. The edge is created by sawing off the bark and then sanding the edge down to the growth layer.
Especially in the home office area, there is nothing against repurposing an dining table as a desk. You should only pay attention to the appropriate size and the base frame – it must be as solid as possible and should allow for a wobble-free stand.
When it comes to material selection, you can find tables made of wood, metal, glass, and plastic. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages and should be chosen according to personal preferences and requirements. A solid wood desk conveys a more natural working and living feeling, while a metal table or an office desk with a plastic coating rather reflects the cool office environment.
Regarding the underframes or bases, a distinction is made between standing desks and sitting desks. Standing desks allow you to work while standing and thus offer an alternative to prolonged sitting. They are particularly recommended for people who spend a lot of time at their desk and thus have an increased risk of back and neck pain. Many standing desks have a built-in lift, so you can switch between working while standing and sitting. Often, a sitting desk can be converted into a standing desk by changing the frame, while the tabletop can be retained.
For standing desks and standing tables, it is also useful to use an anti-fatigue mat for standing desks for fatigue-free standing.
Sitting desks allow you to work comfortably while seated. However, it is important to ensure that the office chair is ergonomically designed and has the correct height.
Another important factor in choosing the right office desk is functionality. There are desks with drawers and compartments, which are particularly suitable for storing papers and office supplies. Other desks are `pure work surface´; for storing materials and documents, side tables, office containers, or sideboards are then used.
