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Underground > Art, Fashion & Design >

Desks

21:23 / 31.10.06

So, I'm looking for a new computer desk - something that's going to sit in my living room, and I want it to be, I dunno, 'modern'. I want to contrast with the lumps of brown wood elsewhere in the room. Thing is, I'm struggling to find anything at all appealing in a sea of splintery pine trestles and fragile-looking glass nightmares. It doesn't even have to be a desk - it could be a nice table. I just want something pleasing and tactile to sit my desktop computer on.

So, I thought I'd ask what people here are using - for inspiration. Most of us are reading this at some sort of desk or table, I'd have thought. What's it like? What's good about it? What's bad about it? What would you like? Desks.

00:52 / 02.11.06

I have a secondhand Jerker desk from Ikea that I use. Quite happy with it since it's configurable in all sorts of different ways and on the cheap. Adding multiple shelves or separate surface is a few minute process. My desk is set up with a deep main surface with pull-out corner extensions and a smaller shelf-like unit to keep a storage surface separate from the working one.

If I could have any work surface, I'd love to get a Vitra Vanadium... total bad-ass. I wish I could find an image of it, it seems to have gone missing. Hmm.

While searching for desks are you also looking for a good task chair? I found an Eames Aluminum Group in the area that was cheap and in good condition. Surprisingly comfy if you spend a lot of work time seated. You also get the added bonus of owning a design classic that you could turn around and sell one day for what you paid for it.

01:40 / 02.11.06

I've always been a fan of maple color woods since they are not as "heavy" as the dark wood types. Anyways one question to ask yourself is will you be using this just for a computer, or will it also be a workspace. If a workspace is on your mind then make sure it is something that a chair can fit under, otherwise you'll be stuck hunching over.

Personally I have two desks in my room. One is a computer/multimedia desk with a shelf about an inch off the floor where the computer sits. To do work I have an actual desk that I can sit at and do my homework and study. I got this desk at Target for quite a steal since it was the last one. It does wobble a bit if your push it, since it is not of solid construction (held together by screws and dowels), but don't get me wrong, it works great for a student on a budget.

If you have a nice (I guess I mean that you are an adult and not a college student, though don't think that means I have no sense of style) living room, go for one of those L shape desks since that will help keep it out of the way, plus lots of zip ties and other wire management tools. But all in all this might not mean much since everyone has their own sense of style and you will have to make up your own mind in the end.

Just take your time, don't rush it. And of course good luck.

13:56 / 02.11.06

I don’t know the Vandium, banshee, but Vitra have lots of things I’d love to have if money were no object.

The industrial heft of The Terminal, for one:

The simple elegance of this by Jasper Morrison for another:

I also like the dynamics of this Franco Albini number:

I like this too, but mostly because colour is such a rare commodity in these things:

But, alas, I’m looking to spend less than a grand, so those are all out.

Chairs, yes, I’m also in the market but struggling less to find something I like. I lurve the Eames Aluminium group, but if I could have anything, it would probably be the Oson S by Antonio Citterio:

But I’ll probably settle for this more affordable approximation:

Then again, maybe I should compromise less and think about second hand.

Yatima – that’s a good question. It will primarily be for sitting at a computer, although some surface space would be nice – particularly if it’s an appealing surface. Habitat have a thick, highly polished walnut desktop which looks lovely and begs to be stroked, but it’s too big for the space I have in mind for it, and the support options are shit. I like the idea of something glossy and sumptuous though. However, I already have a dining table, so workspace is not essential. Even something like this wouldn’t be out of the question, for instance.

Thanks for your replies.