Trying to buy an awesome desk

[Darfuria]

Hello everyone. After shopping around, contacting several retailers, trying to find a price justifiable bespoke designer and considering DIY, I am now coming to you for advice.

I'm looking for a desk, or a combination of furniture including a desk, to provide my home office solution. I don't have an absurd amount of stuff, but I suppose I do have more than the average person. I'm self-employed, and work from home, so the desk(s) will have very frequent use, and therefore needs a lot of leg room.

Also, any suggestions for cable management would be greatly appreciated.

I require storage, and thus use of, the following things:

2 full-size towers
Macbook Pro
24" widescreen monitor
20" standard LCD
External soundcard
Netgear ethernet switch
USB hub
Printer
Hi-fi amplifier
2 hi-fi monitor speakers
Dell Mini 9
Xbox 360

I may well get a second 24" widescreen monitor so that I can use it as an external display for my Macbook, whilst using the other 24" as the display for my Windows machine. I'm also considering a KVM solution so that I can share my USB keyboard and mouse between my Windows machine and my Macbook - again, suggestions welcome.

The Xbox 360 connects to the 24" monitor.

The Macbook, Xbox 360, external soundcard and one of the towers all connect to the hi-fi amplifier. This needs to be in a central location for volume control/input switching.

I also have various docking stations and peripherals, but they go without saying.

The second full-size tower is a server, so doesn't really do much apart from connect to the 20" LCD.

The USB hub is probably best out of sight, but connects to the Macbook, and has iPhone/iPod docks, the printer and other peripherals connected to it.

The one desk I found that I really like the look of is in the O'Sullivan Living Dimensions range, but unfortunately it has been discontinued (image: http://www.desk-warehouse.co.uk/images/imagebank/uploads/desk(1).jpg)

Really looking forward to your responses.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Melrose]

Two optional methods, both can be as stylish as you want:

1. Prouve Table from DWR - but at $4,275 I dunno...

2. Or, set up two good quality saw horses or antique radiators (the kind that came out of an old house) - they're just the right height for a desk - and fix an old door horizontally across the top. Sand it a bit and seal it so it won't flake or splint, and if you need to lay a piece of hardwood over the top of it to make it flatter. Depending on your look, either can be a showpiece.

I like the industrial and/or salvage look.

 

[Darfuria]

An amusing response, indeed.

 

[samiwas]

I was about to suggest the desk I have, as it works wonderfully for me (not as much stuff, but also constant use as a work-at-home office). But then I see that it's the one you linked to, and it apparently has been discontinued! Although mine has a center shelf thing for a tower. I don't have a tower, so it's my footrest.

So yeah. I'm no help. The next desk I get will definitely be DIY, designed for everything I need.

 

[chown33]

2. Or, set up two good quality saw horses or antique radiators (the kind that came out of an old house) - they're just the right height for a desk - and fix an old door horizontally across the top. Sand it a bit and seal it so it won't flake or splint, and if you need to lay a piece of hardwood over the top of it to make it flatter. Depending on your look, either can be a showpiece.

Can setup two small bookshelf units as supports for door, and store the towers in there. Hides the clutter, but keeps them accessible from the chair position.

Also look at baker's racks, which can be had in various sizes. Might be pricey.

Visit Target and look in their kitchen section for wire racks, and their storage section for wire-rack closet organizers. These can be mounted to underside of desktop with simple vertical drop-down wood brackets, and you can put a lot of smaller gear (router, stereo) where it can be accessed but remain mostly out of the way.

 

[Darfuria]

I was about to suggest the desk I have, as it works wonderfully for me (not as much stuff, but also constant use as a work-at-home office). But then I see that it's the one you linked to, and it apparently has been discontinued! Although mine has a center shelf thing for a tower. I don't have a tower, so it's my footrest.

So yeah. I'm no help. The next desk I get will definitely be DIY, designed for everything I need.

Do you remember where you got the desk from?

 

[samiwas]

Do you remember where you got the desk from?

OfficeMax or Office Depot...I can't remember which. I think it was OfficeMax. It was over 6 years ago.
I think mine is a little bit of a different model than you showed, as I have no filing cabinet on the left, but I do have the tower shelf in the middle.

 

[R94N]

Ikea? They have a few modular systems you can use.

 

[KeriJane]

Ikea here.

If you have an Ikea anywhere nearby try them first.

They have a lot of fantastic desks at low prices.

Otherwise, look around at Fry's, Office Depot, Office Max, etc.

It's best to assemble them yourself or to know someone that is very handy and careful. Sometimes the store will assemble it but then it's harder to transport.


Here's my Ikea desk.... since I took the picture, I've replaced the right hand "sawhorse" with a 3-drawer cabinet from Office Depot.

It's great!

Have Fun,
Keri

PS.... Nearly all of my tables are GLASS! (Kitchen, Coffee, Computer) Only my sewing table and workbench aren't made of fused silica.... I wonder if this is a significant personality flaw?