Remote work was already a growing trend, but the coronavirus pandemic has now made it the norm. For some office workers the change will be temporary; for others, it may become permanent. Either way, a comfortable home office workstation is vital, but it can be tricky to find the space in which to set it up. In particular, workers may have trouble finding the right computer desk for small apartments. Fortunately, there are some creative options. Here are several small apartment desk ideas that will help to maximize space utilization.
Floating Desk
As you might have guessed from the name, a floating desk is not a piece of freestanding furniture taking up floor space but a desk surface attached to a wall. It can be as small and simple as a 1’ x 2’ plank of wood attached to the wall with brackets. Borrow a chair from the kitchen table and you have a simple, space-saving, cost-effective home workstation.
Some floating desks fold away, sitting perpendicular to the wall when in use and folding up parallel to the wall when stored, including supportive legs that also fold in neatly for storage. Other floating desks can be more furniture-like – for example, on a ladder shelf that’s anchored to a wall, small high shelves function as decorative storage and a deeper table-height shelf can be used as a desk surface.
If you need storage for paper files or other items, look for a floating desk that has cabinets or cubbies mounted underneath on one or both sides. Additional features you can find on floating desks include pull-out keyboard and mouse trays and hidden cable management.
Alcove Workstation
Think about the layout of your apartment. Do you have a small space that doesn’t lend itself naturally to another use? You might be able to turn it into a cozy office by creating an alcove workstation. Perhaps there’s a narrow extension off the living room that leads to a window view or some open space underneath a staircase. Some kitchens have alcoves that are easily adaptable to a work area. An alcove along the wall of a bedroom, designed for display or storage furniture, can be used for a desk instead. You can modify a bookshelf built into the wall by extending one of the shelves, transforming it into a desk.
With all the available options, you’re likely to find a desk that fits the dimensions of your alcove. However, if you want a custom fit and can handle some DIY, look into building your own! The construction is minimal, and when it’s time to move out, just fill in the wall holes as you would for artwork.
L-Shaped Desk
A non-traditional shape may be the ideal design solution when seeking out the right computer desk for small apartments. Placing an L-shaped desk in a corner frees up floor space by efficiently taking advantage of space that’s otherwise tricky to fully use – and staying out of the way within the room.
Pay attention to depth and length when shopping for a small apartment desk. Many L-shaped desks have equal-length sides, but some are uneven, which can actually work to your advantage when dealing with uneven amounts of space on each side of the corner. Some offer configuration flexibility and under-desk storage like filing cabinets and decorative shelving. Multi-tasking furniture is one way to save on valuable space!
Desk Riser
A desk riser, also known as standing desk converter, is a way to get the benefits of an ergonomic sit-stand workstation without the space (and expense) commitment of a full height adjustable desk. Thanks to its small footprint, the riser can be placed on a traditional desk, table or other existing furniture.
Risers often comprise multiple levels to place the keyboard and mouse comfortably below the laptop or monitor. Standing desk converters include strength in a small package – despite their size, some even have the space and weight capacity to support multiple monitors.
There may not be one “best” computer desk for small apartments, but the variety of options available should ensure that you find a home workstation solution that fits just right!
