A Quick Guide to Buying Office Desks

A desk is a furniture form and a class of table often used in a work or office setting for reading or writing on or using a computer. Desks often have one or more drawers to store office supplies and papers. Unlike a regular table, usually only one side of a desk is suitable to sit on (though there are some unusual exceptions, such as a partners desk). Not all desks have the form of a table. For instance, an Armoire desk is a desk built within a large wardrobe-like cabinet, and a portable desk is light enough to be placed on a person's lap.

These days more and more of us have a computer at home, and whether you have a spare room to use as a dedicated office or study, or choose to fit your computer into a corner of a bedroom or living area, you will need some kind of desk to keep it on. An old table or writing desk is not really ideal in the long term and it's well worth buying a proper computer desk.

Home computer desks are specially designed for their purpose, with a combination of divided storage space for all your equipment. At the very least you'll need shelving for your CPU, monitor and printer. A computer desk will also be equipped with a pullout keyboard tray for your comfort and convenience. Some desks also have extra features such as shelving for books and CDs, drawers for pens and file drawers.

When deciding what sort of computer desk is best for you, you'll need to consider how often you're likely to use your computer and what you use it for.

For instance, if you work from home or do lots of paperwork, it will be useful for you to have a large work surface to spread out all your papers. Alternatively, if you just use your computer to surf the internet in the evenings or send emails, a more compact desk could be suitable.

You'll also need to consider the position where your desk is to go, how much space is available, and the style of your décor.

The majority of computer desks have a rectangular shape and are designed to fit against a wall. There are also several variations on this basic design, depending on your needs and the layout of your room.

• A corner computer desk is good for making the most of limited space and can be fitted into any spare corner of a room.

• An L shaped desk is useful if you'd like to clearly divide a room so you have a separate working area, as well as extra work surface.

• Another design is the U shaped desk, which is practical if you need lots of storage space and you need to keep lots of books, papers etc within easy reach of your computer.

If you'd prefer not to have your computer equipment and all those wires on constant display, there are a couple of options worth considering. One is a mobile computer cart with wheels, which you can easily move out of the way when not using your computer.

The other is a computer armoire, which is an elegant-looking storage cabinet with a built in computer desk. You can simply close the doors on your computer and your armoire will blend in nicely with the rest of the furniture in your room.

Once you've decided on the design that's most suitable for your needs, you can select a color and finish that will compliment your existing décor and furniture. Choices include various types of wood, metal, plastic and laminates. So, your new computer desk won't only be functional, it'll look great too!

While choosing office desks, the buyer needs to keep in mind the aesthetics of the office. The office furniture should be in synchronisation with the design and décor of the office. Furniture is not something that is changed after every few years. People buy furniture with the notion that it will last for at least a couple of decades. Hence, durability and easy maintenance of the furniture are also features that people look for while buying office desks and other office furniture.

Wooden office desks are the most preferred ones because they look elegant and have the ability to suit any kind of interior. But, it requires tremendous maintenance and is prone to damage and scratches. These days though, laminate office desks are the most popular, because they are very easy to maintain. Laminate is basically referred to furniture that has a wooden core but a plastic finish. Metal office desks are also extremely popular. They lend a very different and contemporary look to the workspace. They are durable as well as easy to maintain.

The price range of office desks ranges from the very costly to the reasonable and even cheap. The buyer has immense variety and price range to choose from when it comes to office furniture, especially desks.