Custom Desk Ideas

Shape and Style

• Don't get stuck in a rectangular rut. Desks can be any shape and style that suits your work needs, so consider using unusual materials or a custom mold to form the framework of your desk, then adding a flat top for a work surface. Custom sculptor Tom Spina has designed desks and tables using pipes and gears, plus his infamous molded "Han Solo Trapped in Carbonite" desk that takes an image from "The Empire Strikes Back" and turns it into an unprecedented office style. While that may not be your style, even small changes away from the norm, such as a trapezoidal or curved desktop rather than a rectangle, can make your workspace feel more welcoming. Consider a glass work surface with an open space below for a light, airy feel.

Productivity

• Make your custom desk efficient by adding the features you need to remain productive. If you like to tack ideas and notes to a bulletin board, build one in as a backboard for your desk or have one slide out in a shallow drawer. If your desk is used for computer work, make sure there are holes to run cables through, or if you use a mobile laptop computer, wire an outlet into the desk's surface so you don't have to crawl around underneath every time you need to plug in. Add a whole power strip if you use multiple electronic devices. Keep frequently used paperwork or envelopes handy by building vertical files into the desktop or add a swivel stand for a dictionary or other reference book on one end of a larger desk.

Extras

• Add pleasure to your work desk by designing in a built-in stereo system. Rather than taking up valuable desktop real estate with a music player and speakers, have the player installed under the desktop or in an open shelf with easy access, then find speakers that can be built right into the desktop itself.

  Other custom options that add fun as well as function include false-bottom drawers so you can keep your private papers private and custom lighting to add style as well as help reduce eyestrain. Whether you have a themed desk or a more classic variety, having a permanently installed lighting fixture at approximately 15 inches above and less than 39 inches beside your work surface creates optimal lighting.