The Ultimate Computer Desk?

Roonster asks: "I've just moved into a new house and I am now lucky enough to have a separate room to use as a computer room/office. I have been searching for a new computer desk but most of the standard offerings seem to be lacking in imagination and design. I also tend to sit in a reclined position with my feet up on the desk beside the monitor, this eliminates a lot of the corner and U shaped designs. Have any of you come up with unique yet functional desk setups? I remember seeing some really wild (and expensive) workstations a few years ago, but have been unable to locate them recently. Any Ideas?" This topic was last discussed some 2 years ago. I figured it was time for a rehash.

Comments

I've always liked the Antro stuff

[shooz]

http://www.anthro.com/_applications/ContentCreatio n.asp

-shoOz-

Re:I've always liked the Antro stuff

[eht]

Anthro stuff is nice but expensive, at my last tech job the Anthro cart desk's were genereally more expensive than the equipment we put on them, as an ultimate computer desk, as well as an ultimate video editing desk and just about any other type of desk, Anthro cart is the best stuff money can buy, a lot better than the IKEA stuff everyone else got.

My DIY Office Desk Plans

[thecampbeln]

This is mostly a rehash for my very first /. posting (attached to Building a DIY Home Office, which was the real last time this question was asked like a year or so ago), but it right in line with the topic...

I designed my own computer desk and after using it for nearly a year now, I must say that I really like it a lot! I decided to build my own after realizing a few things...

After much searching around town I came to the realization that I wanted the look and functionality of a cheap desk but made out of hardwood like the expensive, god awful ugly unfunctional executive style desks. So from this I realized that I would have to make my own. Luckily, my grandfather is very skilled at woodworking and has made pieces of furniture before. So after talking it over with him I began making plans for a computer desk with enough room for:

• 3 Desktops
• 3 Towers
• 3 Printers (a DeskJet, LaserJet, and Scanner/Printer/Copier dealie)
• 1 17" Monitor
• 1 21" Monitor
• 10 Feet of Bookshelf Space
• 2 Telephones
• 1 Stereo Receiver w/ Speakers
• Enough room for a friend to setup his laptop for network gaming

I did the plans in MS Word 2000 (yea, try to keep the laughing to a minimum) in 1/12th scale (i.e. 1 inch = 1 foot). The plans show only the left side and the printer/server island. The second desk is a mirror of the left side. The plans are available here in PDF and Word 2000 versions. These plans are a little different from desk we eventually made, but the desktop area remained unchanged.

If you are truly interested in this design, I can take some photos of the finished product and provide modified plans for the version we built, along with a parts list (not to mention the "what not to do's" you only know after building one =). If you are so interested, just write a replay to this posting and I'll see what I can do. The approx cost of my desk for both sides and the server island was about $550-600 I believe (which included nearly $100 for some really nice drawer rails/slides/thingys).

Anyway this is the DIY home office solution I've came up with so I hope it either gives someone else ideas or the guts to do it themselves!

Re:My DIY Office Desk Plans

[crath]

The desk layout shown in the document on thecampbeln's website is very much like what I am using; although mine wasn't DIY.

About 18 months ago I moved my office into a room in my basement. At work, I had been using a HermanMiller Passage Suite and had been very satisfied with it. While brand new HermanMiller furniture was out of my price range, the local HM dealer did have some old show room components that I was able to purchase for a much more reasonable price.

I can't be the only one

[bryanthompson]

whose desk consists of an old door on a set of old milk crates. Maybe someday i'll go for the 'real desk' but for now, it works.

This would be quite an upgrade, but I can't imagine sitting there all day like that.
I saw on techtv the other day a desk that had 2 flat panels that hung down in front of you. It wasn't even really a desk... just a really sweet looking computer chair thing. I can't find the link to it, but it was a whole system, and from what I remember it wasn't too expensive. Anyone else know what desk I'm talking about? I'll look for a link...

Poetic Technologies

[Anonymous Coward]

makes some neat looking all-in-one integrated work areas. No prices listed on their website (so I'll bet they're pretty expensive), but they do look interesting.
http://www.poetictech.com/

Here's an example...

[Raetsel]

This desk looks very nice. I particularly like the rackmount piece, it integrates nicely.

All in all, it's a nice finish, a nice rack (mount), but not huge. This is a work desk, not a lounging desk.

Still, it's given me ideas, perhaps it'll help you too.

(Yes, it's off the Penny Arcade domain. No, the link isn't to a comic strip.)

Here are some photos of the desk...

[thecampbeln]

...including all of my crap already on it (least it's fairly clean). And please note that the "wall decorations" were obtained legally ;)

View the JPGs here.

Careful with cheap desks!

[JW555]

I've got an Ikea Amon/Curry desk. Nice size, looks good, was cheap etc. Only problem is, after 2.5 years of supporting a 19" monitor off centre, its got a curve to it, so my keyboard rocks. Damn annoying! Be alert!