Desk Size Guide: Choosing a Home Office Desk

A desk should fit both your room and the way you work. Measure your space and equipment before choosing a straight desk, corner return or storage design.

ASHWOOD reclaimed wood desk with steel scaffold-pipe legs — THE ASHWOOD: check the desktop footprint and leave room for your chair.

Measure the room and your equipment

Record width and depth in centimetres. Include skirting boards, radiators, windows, doors and sockets. Mark the proposed footprint with masking tape and check that you can pull your chair out and walk past. Set out your monitors, keyboard, mouse and everyday equipment, including cable connections at the back.

Check the space beneath the desktop

Cupboards, privacy panels, shelves and steel supports affect chair and leg space. Allow room to open cupboard doors and drawers. A shallow desk that looks neat in a photograph may not have enough depth for your equipment.

Measure corner desks on both sides

Write down each return’s length and depth separately. Stand where you will sit and identify the side for the longer return. Send a sketch with walls, sockets, doors and seating position.

HAGUE reclaimed wood corner desk with two connected working surfaces — THE HAGUE: measure both sides of a corner desk and the space around your chair.

Height, shelves and installation

Measure your current comfortable desk height and chair arrangement. For a sit-stand desk, check the full height range and leave enough cable length throughout its movement. Keep the moving area clear and follow the supplied instructions. For integrated shelves, agree dimensions, intended loads and any wall restraint. A folding wall desk needs a suitable wall and appropriate fixings; confirm installation and loading before ordering. Do not use it as a seat or step.