Modern Desk Ideas

Repurposed Pieces

• Repurposed tables or other architectural pieces---even if older---can be made into modern desks. The key is to find pieces with modern lines: straight legs, sparse to non-existent hardware, and solid (not hinged) rectangular tops. For example, a solid oak or walnut library table on casters takes on a modern appearance when floated, or placed away from the wall. Old industrial tables or new kitchen islands made of stainless steel work well as modern desks: they inherently possess clean lines, and steel speaks directly to the modern aesthetic.

  One repurposing idea is to create a one-of-a-kind desk by placing a desktop across two identical supports. Two sawhorses made from light-colored pine or brushed steel, topped with a salvaged door or window, is modern design with a twist. A custom-fitted piece of Plexiglas on top provides an even work surface. Photos beneath the Plexiglas can hide a plain desktop while displaying personal articles without cluttering space.

Unusual Materials

• A modern desk need not be rectangular or especially large. Unusual materials can give a desk a modern appearance. For example, a desk made entirely of molded Plexiglas is about as modern as it gets, but one of the more costly options. One square Plexiglas table surrounded by smaller Plexiglas nesting tables is a modern yet functional display. The smaller tables can be used for stacks of art books or other necessities and rearranged at whim. Because of their transparency, the other elements in the room have equal importance in overall composition.

  Galvanized steel is equally as modern, but on the other end of the expense spectrum. Galvanized steel might more typically be at home as a greenhouse work table, but like stainless steel, its metal look is innately modern. For those who like to mix styles, the unfinished nature of galvanized steel can take a room in a number of design directions.

Modern Elements

• Certain design elements can give a simple desk its modernist edge. For example, a large work area benefits from moveable pieces. Castors add function as well as a modern element. Four plain square tables topped with glass or Plexiglas and zigzagged through the center of a room offer a workstation suitable for more than one person. If the tables are plain, ultra-modern chairs such as chrome-based and Plexiglas-backed office chairs offer the design element that carries simplicity into modern.

  Industrial-style chrome desk lamps also work on behalf of overall design, as do modular storage pieces on castors, such as rolling filing cabinets. One easy way to strike a modern tone is to use a monochromatic color scheme. For example, with steel or metal elements, a palette of all white furthers the modernist angle.