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

Simple but effective

[djmitche]

My cheap desk is a large piece of frosted glass intended as a tabletop, supported by two tripods. I got it from IKEA. I believe the glass was $80 and the tripods $25 ea. I have a dual-head system, but they're both flat panels, so I still have lots of space.

Care about your back and eyes

[karnat10]

I think besides functionality ergonomy is very important, because you probably sit on your desk many hours every day. If you sit with your legs on the table all the time, and your desk doesn't "support" that feature, you'll end up in a wheelchair!

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...

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.)

what about DIY

[paradesign]

if you have an idea of what you want, make a quick sketch, it dosent have to be any thing fancy. or start by writing down all of the qualifications for it, it seems like you have a few in mind. take that to any reputable hardware store ( the local one, you know with the old man thats always there) and talk to the guys there. they will be able to show you what materials and fasteners you have to work with. if you go in with a little more direction (read a small 'blueprint') theyll help you cut your materials and set you up with everything you need. building what you really need is infinitely more satisfying than buying a premade solution.

or if you have no mechanical abilities, and thats fine, you can go to IKEA and buy kits at a reasonable cost. plus theyll look good.

Re:what about DIY

[mmckinstUM]

I have a similar desk. I found a large wood door in the trash that I rescued. It is about 9 feet long. Instead of bookcases I have a minifridge holding up one end and another smaller fridge and old computer as the other end.

It is the best desk I have ever had. I have room for my two monitors, ample space to do schoolwork, and still more space for stoarge or whatever. It's a bit weird cause I have nor shelves or drawers.

All of the good desk I have seen have been the do it yourself variety, usually done pretty cheap using second hand parts.

Store bought desk tend to be cheap and not sturdy. They are constructed from particle board and held together by pegs or some other crappy means. A _good_ store bought desk will cost you a lot. Try going to a used office supply store and see if they have any real old desk, those are always the best. If there are any colleges in your area go to their surplus stores/sales, you can always find an old desk or material to build one yourself.

check this thing out.

[Mr. Quick]

it's in the latest wired.

only $7K!

http://www.mypce.com/products.html

Get a real desk...

[sudog]

A Poetic Desk!

PoeticTech Desks

All others pale by comparison and the amount of comfort and human convenience is mind-boggling. There's even room to put in tiny little fridges!

There is nothing better (that I've seen) than what these guys can do for you. A computer desk with air conditioning; a power swivel--for the whole desk just to track the sun (no sun-glare for you); specially-designed ambient lighting; ultimately adjustable seats! What more need be said? This Ask Slashdot is answered.

Re:Get a real desk...

[BSDevil]

Every time this topic comes up someone mentions these guys - and I agree, they do look cool as all hell (I mean really, who dosne't want a desk that rotates?), but has anyone actually tried one? Most times that I buy a desk, or nay furniture, I field-test it either at the store, a friend's house, or in my bedroom. Has anyone actually tried one of these systems, or even seen one in the flesh?

Personally, I just use a standard executive office desk. Nice huge workspace, sliding keyboard tray, cable organizers at the back, and two small bookcases on wheels that roll around the room. Tower lives beside the desk, printer lives on one of the bookcases, and you can guess where the books live. Maybe it's just me, but I don't mind getting up if I need a book or grab a printout. Now if you took away my Aeron or my second monitor, that would be an entirely different story...

Nice L Desk

[blogan]

I got a nice L-desk that can be found here It doesn't have a ton of cabinets, but it was cheap and hold my stuff.

Ikea

[iankerickson]

Go to Ikea and look for the "Jerker" desk. Terrible name for a product in an English speaking country, but it's a great desk with lots of room. The have shelves, keyboard trays, cable organizers, and CPU holders (which are good for holding USB/1394 devices in a stack or your PDA/camera/cell phone stuff). They also have a rack of lights your can bolt under the top shelf for built-in lighting. You can also adjust the height of the tabletop, but you have to take the desk apart to do it.

ObSimpsons Quotes

[phillymjs]

Quote 1:
Bart: According to three-time soap box derby champion Ronny Beck, "Poorly guarded contruction sites are a gold mine."

Quote 2:
Marge: Homer, we have a perfectly good bookcase.
Homer: Yeah, but this is what they're doing on campus. Besides, it isn't costing us: I swiped the cinderblocks from a construction site.

[At the site, a worker walks forlornly up to his boss]
Worker: Sir, six cinderblocks are missing.
Boss: There'll be no hospital, then. I'll tell the children.

~Philly

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.

Ultimate `stands' and ThinkerToys

[yandros]

A company called Ultimate makes keyboard stands and `studio equipment stations' that are quite popular in the music world. After poking at some of these in my local Mars Music, I decided that they were almost what I wanted, and then found the `ThinkerToys' stuff -- basically, Ultimate sells the individual pieces used to construct these stands, so you can design your own. Mine is a 3-tier, sitting next to a 6' wire rack shelf. I made the `desktop' myself, from thin pressed wood (Mmmmm, luan...) sheathed in corrugated plastic (available at any decent art supply store). The displays sit on a row slightly above this one, and there's a utility shelf above them. There's also a side-shelf mounted on the right support, slightly above the kayboard, that holds my laptop when I want it and swings out of the way the rest of the time. The wire rack shelf holds the CPUs, printer, scanner, and other junk.

My setup was a little pricey (about $400 total, I believe), and took a while to get `just right', but I enjoyed putting it together, and I'm pretty happy with it.

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!