What cool desk ideas do you have for a home office?

I always thought the Lian Li DK-05F was pretty cool - a computer case that’s a desk with a glass top. Not sure it really solves a practical problem, but it’s cool!

So I have a big 4k TV that I use as a monitor. The distance from the bottom of the TV to the desk should really change when I switch from sitting to standing. It would be cool if the screen mount also lifted when going from sitting -> standing.

It's cheaper to buy a repo adjustable desk than MacGuvering something from Home Depot.

I spent $$$ making a counter height 3D printing table via all ways X crosses in tension stainless cable and threaded loops and stainless threaded rods through the base. Cut stainless cable is wicked sharp.

built-in fridge?

This was posted a couple years ago. Make sure to check out the first pic:

https://blog.luap.info/drafts/i-built-a-lay-down-desk.html?h...

And discussed on HN here:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24687458

Button under the desk controlling LED lights outside the room. The light indicates whether you're in a meeting and can't be disturbed, working but can talk if necessary, or just chilling.

I think it’d be neat to embed USB ports within the wood. The cables could be embedded in the wood using a router, completely out of sight.

Imagine plugging your phone, keyboard, or mouse, directly into the wood. There might be some downsides, but it’d be unique.

I prefer wired keyboards/mice for their reliability. But aesthetically, I don’t like having a bunch of cables spread across my desk.

hi. happy to sponsor you a free height adjustable frame. pls email me at duy@autonomous.ai

ps: i lead the hardware + software labs at autonomous (autonomous.ai), a smart office company. super excited to see what you’ll build!

I did exactly this about 4 - 5 years ago

I bought spring-based (not electric) height adjustable legs / frame and then went to home depot with a friend and cut a 70" x 30"ish x 1" piece of wood. Added a rounded edge to one side, sanded, stained it, then screwed it into the frame.

I love it. It's huge compared to a typical desk, and although I haven't done anything unique with it, it's been solid.

I dont really know what I'd add to it that would be worth giving up desk space, tbh. The conveniences / tools I use work fine being on the desk rather than part of the desk

Route cable management into the desk so you can have wired peripherals without wires everywhere.

A directional speaker above you so you can take meetings without headphones but also without the sound bothering others.

https://soundtube-int.mseaudio.com/fp6020-ii.html

If you like solid oak, take a look at https://ergohide.com/

I would love to see a desk with an integrated mechanical keyboard, or an inlet for them. I really liked the mechanical keyboards I had, but ultimately I prefer very slim keyboards.

I've been happily hacking on my Ikea Bekant for three years. I replaced the top, replaced the buttons with a double throw rocker switch (1), built a Mac Mini/laptop shelf on the back half, a KVM switch on a little shelf in the front.

Cable management isn't horrible but there's a lot of room for improvement. I'd like to replace all the AC adapters with one big one that can supply everything.

I've built some outlandish and unsatisfying desks in the past, the gradual approach has been better.

1. This is unsafe for children, as they might figure out a way to flip the switch and crush themselves. Please take this consideration into account.

For a while I've wanted to build a big red "Ship it!" button (think emergency stop button). When slammed, it runs `git add -u . && git commit -m "Shipped!" && git push`

Having the mobo upside-down below the desk.

I was at Home Depot to get a 6 foot butcher block countertop for this purpose, but then a 12 foot butcher block countertop caught my eye... and that's how I ended up with a 12 foot desk. Huge pain to transport. Takes up too much room. I have no regrets.

If you get a butcher block countertop from a big box home improvement store, make sure to finish it right away, since they are moisture sensitive and the plastic wrap job is usually somewhat damaged by the time you get it, due to the vagaries of transport.

I've got a big partner desk, picture 1940s law office [1]. I've always wanted to make it a standing desk, but haven't yet found a good candidate which would require no modification to the original desk, save mounting hardware underneath the desk surface. It would need to be slim on the feet (about 2 inches of clearance underneath the file cabinet drawers), and able to support about 200lbs of gear to adjustable heights

If y'all have suggestions, please let me know! Following this thread closely

[1] - https://i.pinimg.com/736x/2e/7f/ec/2e7fecdc12ec89d510e11033e... Kinda like this, but the top is totally separate from the cabinets, and is slightly wider

About 30 years ago I got a K+N [0] desk which is height-adjustable (in 25mm increments) and uses a massive beam to support the wood (clad) tops. The tops slide out for access to the cable channels, and the beam means very few legs are needed. Screw all the fast computers it's outlived (486 onwards), it's definitely going to outlive me [1].

You can't buy stuff like that these days (at least, if anyone knows who makes comparable stuff then please let me know).

* [0] https://www.koenig-neurath.com/en/ * [1] http://139.162.254.15/desk.jpg

I did something like this recently, and it turned out okay; going into it I already expected there would be multiple iterations before I was really happy with it.

My idea was to have the smallest actual desk surface possible for my needs, maximizing the number of screens/pixels in my field of view. I got the heaviest duty electric standing desk frame and built on top of that. The desk surface is about 16” deep, which allows me to have smaller monitors that extend below the surface of the desk (but still within view) mounted beneath my bigger monitors. I also set up rails (2x6) at two different heights to accommodate monitors at eye level and below, and at above eye level, so basically three rows of monitors. All of my monitors are on arms, which in retrospect was maybe not the right choice, since I don’t actually need them to move, and the arms make them wobble a bit when I bump the desk.

I have my work and personal laptops each on a monitor arm (with a laptop tray). Laptops on arms are actually the best thing ever, since I can use them sitting or standing without adjusting the desk height, and I can have a laptop positioned over my mousepad. Got one of those aluminum mstand things collecting dust.

If I had to start again, I would get a second standing desk frame just for my desk surface and laptop arms. I would cut out all the monitor arms and build a sort of parabolic-shaped frame on top of the heavy duty standing desk frame to hold my monitors infixed positions relative to each other. With two standing desk frames I could easily adjust my desk height vs monitor height.

I also have a drivers seat from a PT Cruiser mounted to a gas cylinder chair base. This is mostly great, but I think it would be better without wheels, or at least with stiffer wheels. If you go this route be on the lookout for car seats with built-in heat; not sure why all desk chairs don’t have this feature.

I guess I have a lot of thoughts on this lol.

Do you move much? I had two of those solid wood Ikea desks in an L shape and I eventually got rid of them because they were absolutely miserable to move. I don't remember the exact weight but I think they were something like 80lbs each and I'd have to drag them up stairs on their sides alone. I miss that desk set up but I move every year or two since I rent and I just couldn't deal with them anymore.

Now I've got a fully jarvis frame with some amazon wood top just sitting on it.

Not a desk idea, but... I've thought about getting a nice seat from a wrecked vehicle and mounting it on a rolling platform for a desk chair. The nicer ones are heated and ventilated

Get an Eiermann 2 tubular steel base. It is (slightly) adjustable, it can support very large boards and they also offer a cable tray to hang on the frame

I tend to mostly focus on the displays. The desk(s) follow from that...

I currently have two 43" 4k displays (Philips BDM4350UC) next to each other. One directly in front of me, the other angled to the side. It's not working great - too much strain to use the right half of the side screen.

What I'm curious to test: one 43" 4k screen in the the middle with an LG DualUp 18:16 screen to each side.

Maybe I should just get two pivotable regular cheap 24-27" 16:9 displays and be done with it, a bit like this:

https://old.reddit.com/r/battlestations/comments/aogog4/my_p...

[delayed]

Are we talking ultimate dream desk that definitely won't ever be built or something more approachable? This is weirdly one of the things I daydream about.

In the latter case there's a few things I'd do, but in general simpler is better. I like clean desk surfaces, so starting with a nice piece of wood is great but entirely optional (and wouldn't do on first version). Most important thing to me would be to start with an adjustable height desk. Preferably a standing desk[0] but at minimum adjusting while I sit because I like to move around. The next thing is about ensuring a clean desk. The far side of the desk should have the apron inset so you can get vesa mounts on easily.

Now for extra bonuses. Back end of the table has slats so wires can be passed through. Only to be thick enough for the cable because the end is open (I hate wrangling port shapes through awkwardly sized holes, just go around). Front apron and back surface would be nice to have small usb pass-through. Back for things like mouse and keyboard so they don't have to reach wherever the desktop is. Then just simple LED underlighting because I like to work at night and don't want to always have the full lights on so I can fall asleep sooner. Thing that I probably wouldn't actually do but could always be added later: insets for wireless things like locations to put your phone to wirelessly charge without needing to dock.

But if I were actually to do this, I'd probably just get a butcher block like Blamazon and pre-built adjustable height legs.

[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djaebibxGdI

I made a quick and dirty desk when I started working from home during COVID. Plywood with some quick finish on some legs I got from Amazon. I didn’t spend too much time on it because I wasn’t sure how long I’d be working from home. Some things I added:

* Integrated cable management: I attached the power strip and the LAN switch under the desk. I’ve got cats that get curious. * usb hub on the side * Boom arm for my microphone.

I’m working on building a new desk right now. Some things I want to add: * Better cable management. I’d love a little cabinet under the desk that all the cables go through and stay hidden. * Some sort of bag or box on the side so I can sweep my desk clean * built in wireless charging. * integrated KVM switch. Preferably a button under the desk I can press to switch between computers. * built in hardware mute switch/press to talk for my microphone. * some sort of rail mounting system for monitors, camera boom, and microphone. * foot hammock

As you'd would expect, Wolfram has a post about his home setup, including a custom built desk [0]. Also as one would expect, the post is as lengthy as it is insightful

0: https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2019/02/seeking-the-prod...

Get an older desk - preferably one of the many-drawered variety - at a thrift store, Craigslist, second hand store or similar. Also, get a 25 to 30 cm wide, 4-5 cm thick slab of some fine wood, Oak or Elm or something else relatively heavy. The slab should cover at least the width of the desk plus ~12-14 cm but it can be wider. Cut two 6 to 7 cm heigh 'feet' for the slab off the side and mount these on the bottom of the slab so that each foot sits on the edge of the desk. Put the slab on those feet on the back side of the desk, put your monitor(s) on top of it. The keyboard and laptop - that is assuming you have a stationary system at home, otherwise replace 'keyboard' with 'docking station' - go underneath the slab when not in use of when - like I have several times a day - the cat comes by to help you with your projects [1]. Get some 'home entertainment system speakers' from that same thrift store/Craigslist/Freecycle/dumpster and spread them out on the back of the slab behind the monitor(s), put the subwoofer in the foot well under the desk.

If you are anything like me the slab will eventually be covered in parts and pieces, rolls of solder, breadboard with cables going hither and thither and more but at least the stuff is not directly on the desk, ey?

[1] this is assuming the cat is as bad a hacker as ours is, if yours is actually better by all means allow it to participate.

I think anything you can mount the computer in a drawer. Not having the case sitting on the floor or on the desk sounds really nice. I've told my wife for several years that I'm going to make a desk with a hinged top, and every night at midnight a small motor lifts it up until everything slides off onto the floor. That way people wouldn't stack random junk on my desk rather than figuring out where it should really go.

My employer gave us an allowance to build our home office when Covid hit, I used mine to get a width adjustable dual-motor electric desk with 4 memory slots for different heights. According to spec the two linear motors in this desk can lift about 150kg. =)

Our apartment at the time was kinda small and I had to fit my desk to a very specific slot, so no off-the-shelf desk would've fit the nonstandard size. I bought a 100% wood kitchen counter cut to my measurements and finished it to fit the decor.

We've moved since and I took off the old tiny desk, spread out the legs and got an even bigger kitchen counter cut. Still the same base. The old desktop is now my SO's remote work table, with a similar set of height-adjustable legs.

tl;dr

   1. Get a base with a memory so you can set your favourite positions fast (sitting, standing+writing, standing+just watching)
   2. Get the biggest desktop you can fit and get a sturdy one. If the tabletop is too light, it'll shake and vibrate as you type.
   3. Ikea Skådis pegboards can be attached to the actual desk so they move up and down with it: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/skadis-pegboard-white-50320805/

Whatever you decide on leave room for mugs/plates/bowls etc and random things that you just put in there 'to remind myself to do this thing'

I always setup my desks so the keyboard mouse etc have homes off of the desk so I can have a completely clear desk to do other tasks like writing or crafts

A monitor suspended from the ceiling and a chair that leans back, split keyboard mounted to each handrest.

I have been using a 180x90cm dining table as my desk for a long time now (maybe a couple of decades). My only regret is that it’s not height adjustable, but it’s not easy to replace it with a sit/stand desk.

I have a Steelcase Airtouch desk. I think it's probably the best lifting mechanism on the market, fast, no electronics, single column. I want to make a new base for the mechanism that is much heavier so the desk doesn't move, probably adding 100 pounds of mass to it. With this I could mount a larger surface to the desk.