[macleod]

I just signed a lease for an apartment next year at University and I am now starting to look for a desk because I am really excited about getting a desk for some reason. I need some advice and though I would ask you all what you like and what you don't like! First off I will explain what I have and want out of a desk. I have a Mac Pro and a MacBook. I want a desk that has a keyboard and mouse tray so that I save some desk space and with the wireless keyboard and mouse it is nice and easy. I want to be able to use my computer but also have plenty of space to work with text books and written work. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should get or where I should get it from? For some reason I am having trouble finding ones I really love. Thanks in advance for any advice or direction.

[Ryan]

I would check out Ikea. They have a line called "Jerker" (whoever thought of that name, well, wasn't thinking) that might suit you well.

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/store...umber=90030564

They have various accessories you can add like a computer holder and keyboard shelf.

Here's a photo of my desk, also from Ikea.

[709]

We've had a couple of desk threads here in recent memory. Take a look through these two and you might find something you like:

The Desk Thread
Desk: Where did you buy, and why?

I'd check dealmac.com's office furniture section as well. Occasionally something good pops up.

[World Leader Pretend]

I have a nice drafting table that I use as a desk. Maybe you could get a VESA mount and make a CAD-style workstation? It would be pretty neat if you're into writing on an incline.

[Yonzie]

If there's room, I'd make sure to get as big a desk as possible. 3'x6' is a good size without it being too wide. Then there's plenty of room for a LCD, keyboard and big books (in that order, from back to front).
I feel that Ikeas desks, while excellent, are a tad smallish.
The one I have now is 2.5'x5' and it's a huge improvement on my previous setup (prior to getting a mac) primarily due to the change from dual CRT to single LCD. I imagine putting the screen on a movable arm would do a bit more space wise as well.

(it's this one from Ikea)
Not very clean, sorry, but you can get an idea of the space available. The keyboard still has a good 5 inches to go before hitting the screen. We moved a few weeks ago and putting stuff into place takes priority over cleaning up

[Windowsrookie]

Dude, those chocolates are the bomb.

[macleod]

OK. SO far you all have really helped but I am going to add some extra criteria for the desk and if you all could help it would be great. I would love if it has a spot for the mac pro to sit like on those Anthro ones, but I couldn't really find an Anthro one with a keyboard tray and workspace on the desk for all my stuff. My problem is that I will have an ACD, my mac book and my speakers on my desk, so I want my keyboard and mouse in a tray. I also, like I said before, would love to be able to turn to the left or right and work with text books or if the desk has enough space, work right in front of the monitor. Anyone have specific desk suggestions for this? Thanks again!

[macleod]

Looking at the Anthro catalogue actually helped a lot. It seems like their products have a lot of custom configurations so I should be able to find what I want. Thanks for the link to that sight. More advice is still welcome though!

[*Joe*]

I would take a trip to your local IKEA, thats where I got my desk. (like 99% of the UK population buys their furniture at IKEA, it's our favourite shop).
I don't know the name, but the range I got my desk from was customisable, you choose the top, the legs and the accessories separetly and they all 'fit' together. It worked out really well, more than enough estate for my 15"PB, a 17" LCD and 10 tons of crap that is everywhere.

[macleod]

Yeah it seems like IKEA might be my best bet seeing as $1000 plus for a desk is a little outside my budgeted amount. Any more specific advice on desks would be great! I am still hoping to find one that is L-shaped and where I can work in the corner with my computer and put the mouse and keyboard in a keyboard tray. That would be perfect! Thanks again for all the input thus far!

[Windowsrookie]

Do you know anybody that could make one for you?

[macleod]

Every time I got to IKEA online there are like three desks to choose from and they aren't what I am looking for at all. Do the stores have more models and types or is this everything? Sorry if this is a dumb question I have just never been to an IKEA and can't seem to find anything I like on their website!

[Wrao]

I bought a pretty banging desk from Office Depot not too long ago. It was only $69 and it more than suits my needs, it has a small top shelf where I put my audio interface, it's got another small shelf for a printer, space for speakers, a sliding keyboard sub desk, a sliding drawer with a bunch of trays for supplies, it has a PC tower sub-desk(which I use for a waste bin) it even has a little 8 space CD tray that attaches to the side for computer related discs. I dig it.

[macleod]

Originally Posted by windowsrookie Do you know anybody that could make one for you?

I was going to look into getting one made but I just don't want it to be really expensive. It doesn't have to be the most beautiful thing (like I enjoyed the looks of all the antro ones) but I have kind of a specific design I am looking for! Maybe that is my best option. Anyone have an idea about the price ranges for having one made?

[macleod]

Kind of like this but with longer sides so that I can have to the left, right, or in front of me. I need a lot of workspace because a lot of my work is online or using my computer but I need access to printed materials like my class textbooks or handouts and such.

EDIT: This is even better but I don't think I would ever be able to expand to dual monitors with that and also wouldn't want my printer on the desk taking up valuable workspace. The idea of having the desktop in a little enclosure where the drives come out at desk level is cool but I don't know if my Mac Pro would fit and both drives would be accessible. I guess I will go browse these stores over Thanksgiving break!

[Yonzie]

You could also get the tabletop from a craftsman and buy (cheap) legs at Ikea... They have a computer holder as well, although I don't know if your TowerMac will fit.

[*Joe*]

Originally Posted by macleod Every time I got to IKEA online there are like three desks to choose from and they aren't what I am looking for at all. Do the stores have more models and types or is this everything? Sorry if this is a dumb question I have just never been to an IKEA and can't seem to find anything I like on their website!

From my experience, they don't have most of the stuff online, you have to goto a store. With their desks it's complex because in the store they have a whole section of desk(tops) and a whole section of legs that fit them. Listing them online would not work because there are just so many combinations of different tops and legs. In addition you can get all sorts of accessories like hanging CPU holders etc...

[Matsu]

Consider a big simple 4 leg table. I like to sprawl out when I'm working. Sometimes it gets a little inefficient, but it's nice to have room for a notebook, a few draft copies and a textbook or two, all open -- at least it was when I was a student. Now, when it's work, it gets a little crazy sorting an inbox/outbox full of paper mail, assorted to-do's, reports, releases, etc etc... I periodically lump all the assorted piles together and slog through them one at a time just to reclaim some desk space.

A table top on a couple of file cabinets works well too, if you have need of filing. Some of the solutions presented here (and in the linked threads) are pretty good.

Things to consider:

How much time will you spend at your desk?
How much room do you have for it?
Will you be sharing it, or have room mates?
How long before you have to move it?
Where are you going to put it?

It's so tempting to put a desk up against a wall, I've done it myself, but it's not great for your eyes. You should be able to look up at something farther away in order to give your eyes a rest. It's a tough one because an ideal placement (to ease eye strain) usually means that distracting peripheral sightlines are not covered -- a potential problem in busier environments. Ergonomically you want the equivalent of blinders, to minimize peripheral distraction, while being able to look into a space, to relieve accomodation and eye strain... It's a matter of taste and convenience ultimately, but something to be aware of.

I would stay away from corner desks. Some people like that ensconsed feeling they get from being in a corner, and they're very space efficient when you don't have room in an already crowded living space, but those qualities tend to work against you from an ergos standpoint. Often they don't have enough room to really stretch out your feet, and there's a lot of working off to one side that happens, so you end up less comfortable than you could be...

[thegeriatric]

Great thread. I too am looking for a new desk. Thank's for some great ideas.

[World Leader Pretend]

Something like this?

[macleod]

I will probably spend about 1 to 3 hours a day on work and some time just browsing the web and playing/working not for school on my computers. My room is going to be about 11 ft 10 inches by 14 ft 6 inches and I will not have a roommate in the room with me. So it isn't tiny but I plan on having a decent sized bed in there, my TV, and my desk. I just feel like the corner desk is the best use of space because it gives me three work areas. One in front of the computer in the corner. Another to either side. If you look at the desks I linked to in this post they seem to be pretty open leg room wise. Do you think that those desks have the problems that you listed Matsu? I would love to have enough space to have it not against a wall but that just isn't practical with my amount of space. I will also probably be in this apartment for the 2 years I have left in University, unless I hate it. But it is really nice so the only problems I could even imagine are location based and that doesn't really bother me.

Originally Posted by macleod Kind of like this but with longer sides so that I can have to the left, right, or in front of me. I need a lot of workspace because a lot of my work is online or using my computer but I need access to printed materials like my class textbooks or handouts and such. EDIT: This is even better but I don't think I would ever be able to expand to dual monitors with that and also wouldn't want my printer on the desk taking up valuable workspace. The idea of having the desktop in a little enclosure where the drives come out at desk level is cool but I don't know if my Mac Pro would fit and both drives would be accessible. I guess I will go browse these stores over Thanksgiving break!

[Matsu]

L shaped are fine. I should have been more specific. It's corner desks -- those diagnal, corner hutch thingamabobs, with numerous over and under shelves on each side, and a slide out tray or work surface, often in the corner -- that are a problem. Even the L unit posted just above here would be better, but look closely, there aren't really two work surfaces there. The return is just a storage area underneath, you can not sit facing it (no where for your legs to go) and so if you want to work at it, you have to twist you neck and torso. It's one work surface and one utility surface, Ok place for a printer/phone/scanner etc etc...

If you want an L unit with the computer in the corner, make sure that the bottom of the desk is clear at least on one side, so you can turn your whole chair and sit at that side -- an actual work surface. It's nicer to have as much of your work surface in front of you as possible -- and this is easy with LCD displays. The extra depth of a corner unit was more useful when CRTs roamed the den... not so much now. That said, the GALANT desk tops from Ikea come in left and right biased corner units that are clean and unobstructed -- more of a regular table with a slight swell at one end -- chosen correctlt it can give the wrap-around feel I think you're after...

BTW, they do seem pretty open, at least the second one, not so sure about the first...

[macleod]

So I finally decided on a desk! I literally just ordered a 60" W fit system standard unit from Anthro. They were awesome helping me choose from all the possible configurations. They are also running a 35% off sale so my parents went for it as it was similar to the cost of other desks that they had purchased. I will post pictures of it when I move into my apartment and set it up (the first part of June). This thing should be sweet!

[709]

Congrats. Anthro makes a solid kit.