7 of the best compact desks
Whether it’s work, life admin or finally writing that memoir, every home needs a laptop landing spot. Here are our favourite diminutive desks to suit every small space, style and budget.
Best wall-mounted desk
Image: Influences via Trouva
Providing a pop-up mini office in a space the size of a suitcase, clever clogs wall desks can even double as a bedside table. This version, created by Trouva seller Influences, is customisable in your favourite Farrow and Ball shade and is pretty and practical.
Best bureau desk
Image: Maisons du Monde
The perfect way to sneak an office into your living area, a bijou bureau provides plenty of useful work space, converting Transformer-like into an attractive piece of furniture once the desk is popped away. We love the modern-retro styling of the Paulette from Maisons du Monde.
Best ladder desk
Image: Dunelm
When you can’t spread out, go up. Tall, narrow ladder desks are a savvy solution when you’re working with a small footprint as they make the most of your vertical space, creating a stylish work zone with room for files, plants and notebooks. Try the Fulton ladder desk, £169, from Dunelm.
Best clutter free desk
Image: Made
Streamline your work station with a desk that combines small-space design and spacious storage. This nook-worthy Leonie compact desk from Made packs roomy compartments and an extendable work surface into its tiny 79cm-wide frame to keep things compact and clutter free.
Best shallow desk
Image: Swoon
Lacking depth is rarely a positive trait, unless you’re talking space-saving desks. The Fresco desk from Swoon is wide for a compact option but, at 40cm deep, is shallow, offering a compromise between petite and practical. Partner with a stool that can be neatly tucked underneath to maintain the low profile.
Best console desk
Image: Atkin & Thyme
With their slim proportions and elegant looks, a clever console accommodates brains and beauty, doubling as both display and work space without dominating your living area. This Atkin and Thyme console desk has plenty of depth for the average laptop, and drawers to hide away work-related accessories so it’s easy to quickly de-clutter.
Best occasional desk
Image: Cox & Cox
Don’t have full-time floor space for a desk? Plump for an occasional option that can be stored away as needed. This tray-style desk from Cox & Cox is a practical piece that folds down, and does double duty as a side table when not a functioning workstation.