Home office desks
DIY Home Office and Desk Design
If the heart of the home is the kitchen and the dining table the place where family connections are made, then what is the home office?
Since lockdown in New Zealand, many of us have discovered that a home office is a luxury, a quiet haven, an escape from the chaos of family life. A place where we can think and organise, where we can plan, do our work and sometimes procrastinate in peace.
Across the globe, as workplaces change form we sit at home with our laptop on our knees on the living room floor. We share Zoom meetings not only with our co-workers but also our kids as we all congregate at the kitchen table. As such, architects and builders are seeing an increase in people searching to add an extra room or nook, for the sole purpose of creating a purposeful space, separate from the intrusion of everyday life.
The home office!
Within this space, there is a need to find the perfect desk and there are rules to finding this. We need to combine size, table height, chair height, possible storage into a space that varies for each of us. One size does not fit all. So how do we choose the right desk and what if we decide to design one yourself?
For most of us when we need a desk, we measure our space and then head to the shops. More often than not we end up compromising, either on style or size or storage. Designing your own, however, allows you to create a worktable which is precisely what you want.
Here are our top tips:
What is your purpose? This may seem obvious but actually take a few minutes to think about exactly how you want to use your space. Will you need space for your tech plus writing, will there be books or a canvas? Will this be a shared space? Does your desk need to be big enough for two people or at least have storage for two?
Measure your space. Height, depth and width all are important. What tech are you using, a desktop computer or laptop, what height is the screen?
Think about chair height. Have you ever knocked your knees on the underside of a desk because it poorly aligns with the chair? Do you prefer a chair with a back or a stool, and think about the best way to store your chair or stool when not in use.
Does your work mean you’ll be at your desk all day? Have a look the ACC guidelines to prevent discomfort, pain and injury to help guide your home office and desk design. Use this helpful checklist on how to set up a home office by positive people and banish those bad backs to ensure maximum comfort for yourself.
How do you want it to look? Gone are the days of the bog-standard school desk. Are you after a modern, crisp white or the calm, natural look that wood brings? Your home office represents your personality and your desk to suit.
Find someone to cut it to size - and that's where we come in. Across all our Cutshop® Franchises, our team is able to help you with every aspect of creating your desk. You bring us your idea, we can advise on material, cut it out for you and deliver it flat pack to your home ready for you to construct. Think it, make it, Cutshop® it.
Original 1930s desk with additional bespoke shelving cut by Cutshop® Mt Wellington.
Types Of Desk
For every home office workspace, there's a workbench that fits both size and purpose.
Writing Desk
Originally the purpose of a writing desk was for writing letters by hand and would consist of a top that closes to hide current work and create a minimalist workspace. Today writing desks are sleek, minimalist and have a large desktop suited more for a laptop than a desktop computer.
The stand-up desk
Stand-up desks, otherwise known as a height-adjustable desk or a sit-stand desk, are growing in popularity due to the purported health benefits that come from standing whilst working.
With a variety of types there are three that stand out:
The smaller desk accessory that sits on top of your current desk.
The adjustable height desk which you can raise and lower according to your need.
The permanent stand up desks which are always in an elevated position.
Computer desk
This desk houses the desktop computer and therefore is larger, more utilitarian and has plenty of space. Designed to include storage space for cables and extra hardware, this desk can include drawers and has a deeper desktop to house the keyboard and computer screen. And possibly a shelf for the printer, and somewhere to store the paper too!
Credenza Desk
The credenza desk is a separate piece of furniture which sits adjacent to the main desk and includes storage, shelves or drawers and provides an extra surface for work. Often this can sit along the wall or perpendicular to the main desk.
Corner desk
The perfect solution for any small and compact space, a corner desk allows you to maximise your space without compromising on purposefulness, due to its ability to create a deeper desktop space.
Floating desk
Floating desks or wall-mounted desks are rising in popularity with their sleek, simple and minimalist look. For those looking for a workspace which leaves the area under the desk uncluttered and cable-free, these desks look great and give the illusion of space. They often come with shelving and storage built-in and work wonders in small spaces.
Still not sure what type of style desk you want?
Find inspiration with this collection of home office and desk design ideas put together by Houzz.
Curved floating desk cut by Cutshop® North Shore
Designing The Right Desktop
When designing your own desk, you get to choose the right look that suits your tastes and style.
With a range of materials available, how do you choose?
Wood
Natural wood gives a timeless quality to any worktable, and with the right care and attention will last a lifetime. Either made entirely from wood or a desktop mounted on metal legs, natural wood such as pine is not only beautiful but reliable and sturdy.
Plywood
Plywood is layers of wood veneers bonded together. With its increased stability, hard resistance and high strength to weight ratio, you can be sure that your workbench will look amazing and stand the test of time. Or get a plywood that can be easily packed away when you need the space like this desk above designed and created by Keith from Cutshop® Waikato,
MDF
Building a desk out of MDF has many benefits, one of the main ones is cost. Utilising MDF as a component of your desk design will reduce the cost as opposed to using solid hardwood. MDF often has a range of laminates (eg. white melamine is a firm favourite) and natural wood veneers that you can use to create a desk that is reflective of your style. MDF can be stronger and more resilient than plywood so you can rest assured that you have created a sturdy and secure MDF desk.
Bamboo
Bamboo is a versatile material with a beautiful natural, light colouring with distinctive joints and knots, it makes stunning furniture and flooring. Hard-wearing, durable and distinctive in its aesthetics. A bamboo desk is not to be ignored.
Aluminium
Aluminium is a versatile material and is really useful when it comes to creating a work table. Often used as a component of a desk, perhaps aluminium desk legs with a wood desktop or as a whole aluminium desk, it is lightweight, fire-resistant and moisture-proof.
The Next Step
Take your idea or design to your nearest Cutshop® and let us do the heavy work for you. We will produce a 3D render of your desk and we can advise you on materials to use. We will then cut it to size, tape the edges, drill the construction holes and deliver it flat pack to your door ready for construction.
Don't compromise on the furniture you want, design it yourself.
Styling Your Desk And Home Office
Now you have your desk, morph your workspace into the perfect working environment. The beauty of a home office is that it allows you to turn away from the stereotypical ‘office’ proforma of durable, bland, drab and uniform in exchange for interesting use of colours on the walls. Combined with fun, vibrant accessories and you create a place where purpose and functionality do not compromise on style.
What motivates you to work? Fill your workspace with the extra accessories to ensure productivity whilst also providing an enjoyable environment to be in.
Utilise house plants which are recognised to benefit mental and physical health by reducing stress, increasing both creativity and productivity, clean the air, absorb background noise and ensure an overall more enjoyable working environment. Use floating shelves to house them and keep your floor space free to reduce clutter.
These circular floating shelves were designed by Susan Christie at Formantics and cut by Cutshop®.
Don’t be afraid of colour. Use colour on your walls, desk chair or furnishings to enhance creativity and promote peacefulness. Here are some suggestions to find that perfect hue for you.
Storage and furnishings. A happy workspace is one that leaves you motivated, energised and focused. Steer clear from clutter and mess by planning adequate storage to reduce stress and keep all your work in place. Use a pinboard or pegboard to house your ideas and think about shelving. Cutshop® can help with this too.
Lighting - Keep your workspace well lit, with as much access to natural light as possible and if this is not an option, invest in some beautiful lamps and ensure correct placement to minimise headaches and tired eyes.
Let your home office be a place you look forward to working in and have fun designing it to be exactly what you want. Our Cutshop® teams are here to help with expert knowledge, guidance and years of experience to ensure your home office furniture, storage and shelving are 100% on point!
Think it, make it, Cutshop® it!
“This is a really good system for the average person to use – you get a custom-built job for half the cost and Cutshop® really make the experience enjoyable for you. I tell everyone that’s building to go and see the Cutshop® team.”
