These home office desks will work wonders in your space

Refine your workspace with our edit of contemporary home office desks to buy now, from multifunctional pieces to design classics, small desks and simple work tables that help keep your study organised

Home office desks by Studio Klass for Molteni, photographed in a dimly lit space with a marble bust and two chairs visible in the next room
Home Office Desks: Touch Down Unit, by Studio Klass, produced by UniFor, home version distributed by Molteni&C
(Image credit: press)

Great home office desks are key to create the best study areas in your home. And the best home office desks feature an ergonomic design, well-considered proportions and the right amount of accessories. Whether you need a compact work surface for a small home study or a large bureau for a more expansive office, these contemporary desks are sleek and elegant, while functionality comes from features such as integrated USB ports and lighting, and discreet storage. 

Conceived by some of the most celebrated creative minds and produced by some of world's best furniture manufacturers, our selection of office desks includes historical designs, multifunctional workstations, essential furniture pieces and desks in bold colours. 

13 Home Office desks from contemporary makers

A small and minimal writing desk

writing desk with black legs and dark red top

(Image credit: press)

Name: Baguette desk
Designer: Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, for Magis
Price: on request

Originating from Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s popular Baguette dining table for Magis, this compact writing desk features die-cast aluminium legs and a slim top made of veneered Fenix with edges in painted ABS. The Baguette desk is available in three colour combinations: beige with a white edge and legs, burgundy with a black edge and legs, and grey with a black edge and legs. The perfect writing desk to transform a corned into a home office, it works just as well as a small dining table for small spaces. 

magisdesign.com

An iconic desk rediscovered 

Bodil Kjaer office desk by Karakter

(Image credit: press)

Name: Office Desk
Designer: Bodil Kjaer, reissued by Karakter
Price: DKK 47.999

Danish architect and designer Bodil Kjaer created this office desk in 1959, originally designed for MIT and later made famous by featuring in an early James Bond movie in the 1960s. The simple, almost floating design was reissued by Karakter in 2018, and the rosewood and chrome metal combination of its origins updated with a contemporary spin. In this new version, the oak top, equipped with discreet drawers, sits on top of a graphic lacquered aluminium frame (available in red or grey). At the time of its creation, the desk was part of a larger family of objects that demonstrated Kjaer’s approach to a flexible work environment, with elements that could be combined by each user to suit different needs. The essential design of the desk and its modern life make it as relevant today as when it was first conceived. 

karakter-copenhagen.com

The compact and versatile workstation that adapts to any environment

Studio Klass workstation for Molteni & C, a multifunctional and compact desk with shelves and drawers embedded in the design

(Image credit: Amos Fricke)

Name: ‘Touch Down Unit’ workstation
Designer: Studio Klass for UniFor
Price: on request

This versatile office workstation adapts to any environment, from airport lounges and libraries to high-end offices and private studies. It sits on 360-degree swivel castors and offers a rich palette of colours and configurations, and compact storage space, as well as a modular walnut desktop, allowing you to work sitting or standing. A wired version comes with a flip-door hiding USB ports and a rechargeable battery, while wood and leather trays let you display your sharp stationery on the side cabinet (or hide it inside, if you are of a messier disposition).

molteni.com

A monumental, leather-clad desk

collecrible desk by Jumandie Seys clad in black leather


(Image credit: press)

Name: Arch desk
Designer: Jumandie Seys
Price: on request

This monumental desk by emerging Belgian designer Jumandie Seys is conceived as a micro-architecture, and is the result of a series of 3D visualisations to explore the endless possibilities of digital rendering. The starting point for the design is inspired by the architectural arch, defining the curved symmetries of the piece. The weather leather canvas used to clad the desk adds a textured depth to the piece, making it a standout desk.

jumandieseys.com
weareatelierecru.com

A slim leather desk 

‘Terrazzo’ desk by Nicola Bonriposi, for Potocco

(Image credit: press)

Name: ‘Terrazzo’ desk
Designer: Nicola Bonriposi, for Potocco
Price: £1,500

Known for combining creative innovation with artisanal tradition, Italian furniture company Potocco has worked with designer Nicola Bonriposi to realise this new desk. Characterised by a delicate silhouette and refined details, ‘Terrazzo’ is an ode to minimalism and elegance. The slender metal structure is all restraint, while a leather desktop adds a luxurious touch, and an upright back partly encloses the workspace and keeps stationery from falling off. Touches of burnished brass complete the design.

potocco.it

An elegant desk with functional details

Burgundy desk with oval shape and cabinets concealed in the thick legs

(Image credit: Emanuele Tortora)

Name: Romancier desk
Designers: David/Nicolas, for Carpenters Workshop Gallery
Price: on request

In true David/Nicolas fashion, the Romancier desk for Carpenters Workshop Gallery features exquisite details, from the oval purple leather top to the satinated brass hardware, and the ridged  curved legs in amaranto wood doubling as storage cabinets. Combining the functionality of a home office desk (such as the well-considered proportions, discreet front drawers and spacious cupboards on each side) with eclectic elegance, the Romancier desk is available in a limited edition of 8 pieces, and follows a large collection from the Beirut-based duo for the gallery, which demonstrated the studio’s design talent through an extensive collection of furniture made of stone and wood. 

davidandnicolas.com

The small desk for any space

A desk in ash wood with oblique legs and raised shelf with two drawers

(Image credit: press)

Name: Treviso Desk
Designer: Matthew Hilton, for L. Ercolani
Price: from £1885

This compact desk by Matthew Hilton combines a small footprint with intelligent design and honest craftsmanship. Available in ash or walnut, the desk features built-in drawers and a raised shelf, and takes up little space in the room thanks to the oblique legs and small desktop space. The design nods to Ercol’s history and modernist aesthetics, updated by Hilton for the modern workspace. 

lercolani.com

The historic office desk design reimagined for modern life

A black wooden desk by Charlotte Perriand, featuring a curved top and photographed in a studio by a window and near a series of wooden bookshelves

(Image credit: press)

Name: 'Petit Bureau en Forme Libre'
Designer: Charlotte Perriand, reissued by Cassina 
Price: on request

Part of Charlotte Perriand's freeform design experiments, Cassina's 'Petit Bureau en Forme Libre' was originally designed for her own Montparnasse studio. Perriand's pioneering design approach is evident in the curved forms of the home office desk, allowing users to approach the piece according to their needs and allowing flexibility of use. The desk was an innovative design when it was first conceived in 1952, and remains a marvel of furniture design to this day. Made of solid Canaletto Walnut and available in a black version, Perriand's desk design was discreetly updated with optional space for cables, combining its modernity with an added functionality.

cassina.com

The home office desk that combines Italian expertise with a Japanese aesthetic

A simple desk design by Kensaku Oshiro for Poltrona Frau, with a solid ash base and grey leather top. The desk also features a double top that can be slid to one side to change the work surface or create storage

(Image credit: press)

Name: ‘Iren’ desk
Designer: Kensaku Oshiro for Poltrona Frau
Price: £4.150 + VAT

Designer Kensaku Oshiro was inspired by the Japanese concept of ‘iren’ ( indicating ‘an invisible but deliberate continuity between points, lines and characters’ in Japanese calligraphy), a motion that ensures complete harmony between symbols. The resulting office desk is a combination of harmonious lines and practical details. Thanks to a simple movement, the desk’s double surface can overlap to extend the workspace or create storage, and recharging and USB are discreetly concealed in a leather-bound metal box. The gently curved work surface is engineered for a more comfortable arm positioning, and the desk is also available in a wall-mounted version with fitted LED lighting. 

poltronafrau.com

A colourful home office desk to create a working alcove in any space

Home office desk by Mathias Hahn for Schoenbuch featuring a blue and dark green surface

(Image credit: press)

Name: ‘Akira’ bureau
Designer: Mathias Hahn for Schönbuch
Price: from €2,950

The ‘Akira’ home office desk by Mathias Hahn for Schönbuch is a bold piece of furniture that is both a functional workstation and a peaceful retreat. The compact surface can be extended to maximise deskspace, and the bureau includes storage compartments that can fit a laptop and notebooks, as well as a smaller case to fit pens and similar items. The desk is a sculptural statement piece whose elegant design is enhanced by the rich palette of matt painted finishes, which can also be customised to create bold, contrasting colour compositions. 

schoenbuch.com

The organic, modular table

A table with black oval base and large wooden top

(Image credit: press)

Name: ‘POV’ table
Designer: Kaschkasch for Ton
Price: €7,493,53 (for ‘POV’ table 467)

Designed by Cologne-based studio Kaschkasch, and produced by Czech bentwood specialist Ton, the ‘POV’ collection of tables comes in two heights, three base types and six tabletop shapes, allowing for multiple configurations. The bases are made by joining three bent plywood forms, and the same process is used to produce a stackable conical stool. The collection is available in beech, oak and American walnut, and can be finished in various colours.

ton.eu

The mini office desk addition with space for plants

Small black and chrome home office desk by USM. On the left side are spaces for plant pots, photographed with two plants with green foliage

(Image credit: press)

Name: ‘World of Plants Sideboard’
Designer: USM
Price: £1,373.10 

A design classic since its creation in 1965, the ‘USM Haller’ modular system is branching out with a new range featuring integrated plant pot cut-outs, allowing you to build a towering green wall or simple herb display around your desk. Not only is the contrast between the furniture’s metal grid and soft cascading plants aesthetically pleasing, but the greenery should also help reduce stress and boost creativity. The range includes panels in five sizes and 14 colours, pots in terracotta or basalt, and a discreet watering set.

usm.com

The compact writing desk that fits anywhere

Small writing desk in wood by More Moebel

(Image credit: press)

Name: ‘Harri’ writing desk S
Designer: Peter Fehrentz for More Moebel
Price: from €2,517

This compact writing desk is sleek and elegant while small enough to fit anywhere. Featuring a veneered tabletop available in walnut and oak, the table's design is defined by a curved edge that results in a slim writing surface and a more generous side for a ribbed drawer and discreet flap for cables. 

more-moebel.de

Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.