A survey by AlphaWise, Morgan Stanley Research , says workers in the UK, Spain, Italy, France and Germany hope to work from home for two days a week post-pandemic. But if WFH will be permanent, how will it work for people living in small spaces?
Until now, you may have spread work out on the kitchen table or, if you're in a flat-share, worked in a chair or propped up in bed. Some of you have even taken to using an ironing board as a desk. None of these is a long-term solution.
We're big believers in product design solving all kinds of problems. Here are six desk designs that could help you stay productive in small spaces.
Here are five desk designs that could help you stay productive in small spaces.
1.The bed-desk combo
Huffington Post reported on this bed-desk hybrid from Studio NL as an ideal place for napping at work. But that was six years ago. We think this award-winning design could be a cool purchase if you're looking for a space-saver. Its desk panels fold down to create a bed with a single mattress. The website doesn't give a price, but it's an idea worth investigating if you want to save space in a bedroom or still provide a bed for guests when you've converted a bedroom into an office.
2.The hideaway wall bed
This desk-bed wall-bed system from Hideaway Beds looks a bit like a piano, but it's a nifty foldaway single bed disguised as a desk. There's space to put your laptop, papers and a Hotbox on the desk. But what we like most about it is that you don't need to take stuff off the desk before opening or closing it. Sales manager Michael Downton tells us that interest in their wall beds has increased substantially during the pandemic. Hideaway beds allow customers to modify their rooms into dual purpose areas, allowing office and living space during the day, which converts into a bed to sleep at night. As well as the single bed, you could go for a double wall-bed system with a table if you have £1,307 to £1,593 to spare. It may be the right solution if you're downsizing from a large home to a smaller property.
3.The rustic WFH desk
If you want to set up a home office but don't want it to take up too much space or look ugly, this handmade desk from Maple Barn Designs on Etsy is an attractive solution. It comes in various wood options and eight different sizes starting from £199.50, so you can find a style and a size that fits your d√©cor and it fits neatly into a small space in a lounge or a bedroom.
4.Slimline sit-stand desk converter
Sit-stand desks come in all shapes and sizes and increase productivity from 10 to 20 per cent. The ultra-slim sit-stand desk converter from vonhaus is sturdy and doesn't take up a lot of space. Even better, it's a snip at £59.99.
5.Hallway or under-stairs desks
If you have a hall, space under the stairs or a box room, look out for compact desks - perfect for the snuggest of areas. We're strong on quality at Hotbox, which is why we like the Leonie desk from Made. British designers SmithMatthias have given the 79cm-wide desk a simple, timeless design, and it's the only one here that has a drawer. The Leonie comes in solid oak and is easy to assemble. According to reviewers, it is solid and compact and has lots of storage and a pull-out desk.
