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Are you trying to turn your tiny spare bedroom into a home office? Need to carve out space in your studio apartment so you can work from home? If you’re like most of us, your work involves the use of a laptop…and that means you’re going to need a desk.
The good news is this: lots of manufacturers and retailers design and sell desks for small spaces. And to save you hours of online shopping, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite wall desks, floating desks and secretary desks for small spaces.
If you’re on the hunt for a small desk for your tiny office or crowded apartment, check out this list of the 11 best desks for small spaces.
Avalon Ivory Faux Shagreen Desk
We’re starting off this list of the best small desks with our absolute favorite, the Avalon Desk from Cb2. This art deco-inspired design features a narrow silhouette and nickel-plated hardware. With its minimalist design and slim profile, it can be floated in the center of a room or pushed up against a wall in the smallest of spaces.
So why did this design make the top of our list? Because it can do double duty as a vanity.
The narrow drawers are as perfect for holding cosmetics and makeup brushes as they are for holding pens and paper clips. If you spend as much (or more) time doing your makeup as you do working, this style offers the perfect blend of elegant style and purposeful function.
Related: 10 Things To Do Right Now To Make A Small Space Feel Bigger
Urban Outfitters Mid-Century Fold Out Desk
This fold-out desk from Urban Outfitters is a real stunner. Featuring a solid wood construction and a mid-century design, this desk only sticks out from the wall 13” when folded.
One of the coolest things about this desk are the secret storage compartments that would be perfect for hiding unique trinkets and tokens but would also totally hold pencils, pens and office supplies.
The compact desk is so beautiful it would look great in your living room or separate office space.
Available from Urban Outfitters, $449
VariDesk Small Standing Desk
If you’re looking for desks for small spaces, you might want to buy one that’s not even a desk at all.
The VariDesk Small Standing Desk is a tabletop option that you can put on any flat surface. It offers nine adjustable height settings, so you can use it flat or make it 30” high. With that type of flexibility, it’s perfect for use in a small space that doesn’t offer the room for a permanent desk of any size.
What’s great about the Varidesk is that you can store it beneath your couch or bed when you’re not using it. Then, when you need to use your laptop or hand-write notes, just open it up and create the workspace you need.
Put it on your coffee table, on your kitchen countertop, or wherever you need to set up a workstation. The flexibility that comes with this standing desk is well worth the price.
OneSpace Glass and Wood Computer Desk
Glass and wood come together in this sleek and modern computer desk. This desk features a pull-out keyboard tray and a workspace large enough for a dual monitor set-up.
Built for workspace mobility, this desk has room to fit any size tower underneath while the frame was specifically designed to be out of your way.
The glass and wood combination and curving wood arch design of the frame, make it a perfect addition to both modern and rustic home decor.
IKEA Wall Mounted Desk
The IKEA Bjursta wall-mounted table was made for two different types of people:
Minimalists who can’t tolerate clutter and people who need to squeeze a desk in a teeny, tiny space.
At a price that anyone can afford, this little tabletop is ideal for use in any small space, as it takes up almost no space at all. As long as you have three feet of empty wall, you can mount the Bjursta wall table with a few screws and a few minutes of your time.
IKEA sells this design as a dining table, but we love it as a makeshift desk. And if you’re living with limited space, this design can do double duty as an impromptu dining table and a laptop desk.
What’s great about this design is that you can mount it as high or as low as you like. If you like to work while standing, mount it at counter height. If you have a favorite chair, you like to sit in, mount it to work with that chair. The possibilities are endless.
Nightcore Wall Mounted Table
The smaller your space is, the more important it is to choose multi-purpose furniture. And this folding-desk is designed for precisely that. You can use it as a dining table to eat breakfast. You can use it as a place to do arts and crafts. You can use it as a place to write your first great novel. The bottom line, you’ll have plenty of space for whatever job you need this desk to do.
This floating desk doesn’t just include a flat surface for your laptop or your notebook paper. It also boasts adjustable shelves, cubbies and a 3-tier tilt storage partition perfect for books and magazines.
Tyriq Ladder Bookcase Ladder Desk
When space is limited, you’ve got to make the most of it. And there’s no better way to do so than with a leaning ladder desk that offers lots of storage.
With two shelves and a laptop table, this ladder desk is perfect for use in any small space. As long as a few feet space long your wall, you can incorporate this simple table/shelving unit into any space and not worry about the loss of square footage.
Ameriwood Home Landon Desk
For less than $200, you can create a space-saving home office that’s functional and stylish. The Ameriwood Home Landon Desk features hairpin legs and a small letter-size file cabinet for file storage.
This desk is on the bigger side of our small desk selection coming in at 45” wide, and will comfortably accommodate a laptop, lamp and accessories. If you have space, you can coordinate with a matching bookshelf.
Related: 21 Home Decor Items Under $25 To Elevate Your Space
Walker Edison Industrial Corner Writing Desk
Industrial design meets supreme functionality with this corner desk from Walker Edison. Small enough for the coziest of dorm rooms and features a cord management hole for computer cables or other electronic devices.
The black mesh metal backing protects pens rolling away from you and includes a clip-on pencil cup for extra storage.
This desk will hold a small personal computer or laptop and makes a terrific writing desk for journaling or late-night cram sessions.
West Elm Mid-Century Mini Secretary Desk
Embrace the beauty of mid-century modern design with this small secretary desk from West Elm. With slender, tapered legs, and a flip-down door, this petite desk doubles as both table and work surface, depending on how you use it.
The top shelf is perfect for displaying decorative accents. Flip down the door, and you’ll find a workspace with a little cubby to hold journals, notepads, and other office essentials.
This design requires minimal assembly. Plus, it’s easy to coordinate with a variety of other West Elm pieces, many of which are designed to add style and function to the smallest of spaces.
Zone L-Shape Desk with Bookcase
This corner desk is anything but ordinary. Pairing functionality with a sleek modern design, the L-Shape Desk with Bookcase provides ample storage space and enough workspace to accommodate your laptop, files and anything else you may need.
The hutch can be assembled on either side of the desk for use in any home layout.
Available from AllModern, $695
You’ll Need More than A Desk
While a desk may be the most important piece of furniture you’ll need while creating a proper work-from-home set-up, you’re also going to need a few additional items.
Chairs For Small Spaces
Your new petite desk set-up is going to need a place to rest your buns unless you’ll be standing. We rounded up five desk chairs that will fit in your small room and give you some pretty comfy vibes as well.
Related: The 9 Comfiest Office Chairs [That Also Look Great]
Mainstays Blush Velvet Office Chair
We love this blush office chair. Not only does it look super luxe with matte gold-painted legs and blush-colored velvet material, it costs less than $100 making it affordable luxury.
Ergonomic Office Chair Desk
This ergonomic chair is available in every color under the sun and costs less than $40 making it a perfect budget conscious choice. The curved back design helps support your body for those long work days.
OSP Home Furnishings Milo Office Chair
A comfortable padded back support and a sturdy chrome base give life to this small but chic office chair from OSP Home Furnishings.
YogaBo Ergonomic Balance Ball Chair
If you hate sitting in a chair or are worried about the long term health impacts of sitting all day, this is the “chair” for you. Sitting on a ball helps to activate your core support muscles to improve posture and stability.
Bonus, The washable slipcover hides an invisible base so you’ll never worry about your seat rolling away like when you use a traditional yoga ball.
NOUHAUS Palette Ergonomic Office Chair
With customizable “just-for-me” lumbar support, that changes the back and seat tilt together and adjustable arm height, this is one desk chair you can truly make fit your body. While it is a little spendier, coming in at just $200, the comfort makes it worth the expense.
Desk Accessories
If you are working in a small space, you don’t want to overwhelm your office with clutter, but you do want it to feel like a homey place to work. Stores like Urban Outfitters, Amazon, Uncommon Goods and Etsy are great places to look for accessories for your home office. You’ll find everything from hyper-functional pieces to fun and efficiency reducing distractions like the Work From Home Survival Kit.
So What Are the Best Desks For Small Spaces?
The best desks fit your budget, capture your personal sense of style and fit where you need them to fit.
When you start shopping for a desk for your small space, remember this one thing:
The smaller your room, the more important it is to find furniture that serves multiple purposes. So when it comes time to buy your next desk, look for one that functions as a desk, vanity and dining surface all in one nook-sized package.
You may also be interested in: 12 Things For People Who Basically Live At Their Desk
The 11 Best Desks for Small Spaces:
- Avalon Ivory Faux Shagreen Desk
- Urban Outfitters Mid-Century Fold Out Desk
- VariDesk Small Standing Desk
- OneSpace Glass and Wood Computer Desk
- IKEA Wall Mounted Desk
- Nightcore Wall Mounted Table
- Tyriq Ladder Bookcase Ladder Desk
- Ameriwood Home Landon Desk
- Walker Edison Industrial Corner Writing Desk
- West Elm Mid-Century Mini Secretary Desk
- Zone L-Shape Desk with Bookcase
Jessica Heston
view postJessica Heston
After 15 years in the fashion industry, this Philadelphia native ditched her corporate career to focus on writing full time. Jessica is a TV junkie, whiskey lover and true crime addict. She finds inspiration from Broadway musicals, Hitchcock films and The Beatles. She is happily married without children, which she credits as the reason for her professional success, youthful attitude and solid eight hours of sleep every night.
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