Back to school or just not quite back to the office, a designated work space energizes. Make it all the more appealing to report to day after day with a desk that looks as smart as it performs and can survive a career or two. Here, a brief selection of standout desks on task, and that fit a range of needs and spaces.
Japanese designer Keiji Ashizawa tapped his history in architecture and steel-working with his strikingly streamlined desk for Menu. A spare steel "frame"—inspired by the handrail of a staircase—defines the negative space and provides a tactile contrast to the wood surface. Functions as a desk, counter or shelf to store books and be hung at any height that the need dictates.
Make it happen behind this desk by Jonas Søndergaard for Danish house Umage. Sliding side drawers pop out to keep and conceal notebooks and pens. These metal wings are also handy for magnetizing notes. Rear compartment holds running chargers and cords, further hidden via specially designed legs.
Sim-lined functionality and signature color play come together in Gaston, a singular wall-hung desk. In a choice of 2 sizes, with a top display surface, cubby shelf and small and larger drawers (in a selection of colors to choose from!), beautifully detailed in matte lacquer with refined leather pull handles. The space-saving foldable desktop in either natural oak or walnut veneer harmonizes with designer Florence Watine's range of chic accenting colorations.
The uncluttered design centers on a pair of cantilevered drawers that seem to float within the frame. Available in styles that fit your needs: left or right placement of drawers; single or one one each side. Drawers available in either carefully matched wood veneers or ultra high-gloss polyurethane and are equipped with soft-close runners and a cable-management space. Choose the desktop in either durable tempered glass or a range of matte-lacquer wood finishes to match the drawers.
Equally suited for working, reading, socializing or relaxing, the Von Chair comes in both an armless version and this style with an attached surface area perfect for a laptop. Available with either a fixed right- or left-hand arm and table. Premium upholstery and craftsmanship realized in Ercolani's factory outside of London.
If sitting is the new smoking, where do we stand? The height-adjustable desk from Swedish design house String mixes it up during the course of a shift, and all at the touch of a button. Unlike many other desks in this category, String's maintains the signature visually light profile of the rest of this modular line, in this case due to the slim metal tubes that make up the framework. Option of cable routing and a small table-top compartment for passing device cables. Plus a plethora of attachments and accessories to optimize a clutter-free, yet functional zone, makes this one elegant work horse for office for home use. Available in 3 sizes.