Where To Put Desk In A Bedroom

Tom Gaffey
by Tom Gaffey

In the last few years, the need for home offices has skyrocketed. More jobs have become remote, which can be great for the employee, but can also cause some interior design difficulties. If you have limited space or privacy in your home, the odds are you need to put your desk inside your bedroom. As you look around your bedroom you will inevitably wonder where exactly you should put your desk.

When you put a desk in your bedroom, place it near an reliable power source. Putting a desk near a window is a great way to add natural light and fresh air to your work space. To create a home office within your room, consider purchasing room dividers or converting your closet into an office space. If you have limited space, you can mount a fold-out desk.

In theory, you can put your desk anywhere that it can fit in your room. While this may be the case, some places are definitely better than others. In the end, you will have to determine which part of your bedroom works best for your desk and your work needs. However, it can be quite helpful to know some of the key factors to consider when you decide where to put your desk.

Five Key Factors When Deciding Where To Put Your Desk

1. Desk Size

One consideration you need to make is the size of your desk. Make sure you know the dimensions of the desk you have before you pick a location. Keep the depth is often as important to consider as the length. Remember you also need room for your desk chair.

If you have a smaller space, you should really think twice before purchasing a grand antique desk for your space. When you already have a large desk, think about how it can be cross-utilized. If it doubles as storage and decor, it might be worth using, as we will mention later in this article.

2. Your Home Office Requirements

Not every worker uses a desk the same way. Some simply need a place to rest a laptop and do administrative and writing tasks throughout the day. Other professions require much more elaborate setups.

If you are a teacher, or someone who uses video-conferencing frequently, you need to consider not only where you put your desk, but also what is behind the desk. Some professions require space to look at multiple documents at a time. Make sure you set aside enough space.

3. Nearby Power Sources

No longer do we live in times where desks are lit by candlelight and a quill and paper is all you require. Desks need power. In fact, some desks and home offices require quite a bit of power.

At the bare minimum you likely need a plug for a light and a laptop. Many offices, however, also have printers, shredders and various chargers for other devices. If your desk requires ample power, make sure there is a plug nearby that can handle that much usage. You don’t want to have to make fiddling with the circuit breaker a regular part of your work routine.

4. Lighting

Although you don’t always notice it, proper lighting is essential to consider when it comes to desk placement. No one wants to work in a dark area. It is bad for your eyes, can make work more difficult and it makes the job far more depressing than it needs to be. Full fluorescent lighting is often equally depressing and painful on the eyes.

Find a place with ample overhead lighting. In a perfect world, your bedroom has a window or two. Natural light is a great way to breathe life and energy into your work space. Be aware, however, that sunlight and strong overhead lights may cause glare on your work screen.

5. Wall Space

You also need to consider your wall space when you are deciding the best place in your bedroom for your desk. Survey your room and see what part of your wall is bare. How much of the wall is actually usable? Ideally you want to place your wall on a long flat portion of the wall, without grooves or columns.

Many bedrooms are in the shape of rectangles and squares, which makes finding a possible space on the wall easy to find. Other rooms, however, are curved, or in all sorts of curved shapes. Rooms with unique walls may require you to think creatively as to where exactly you should put your desk.

9 Great Places For A Desk In Your Bedroom

1. A Desk Next To Or In Front Of A Window

One popular place to put a desk in your bedroom is next to or in front of a window. Parking a desk by a window has several benefits. For one, it makes your office space more lively. Natural light and fresh air are both great ways to improve your mood and increase productivity at work. Putting your desk by a window is also a nice way to make sure your work space is always lit.

Remember, however, that too much direct sunlight can create a frustrating glare. In most cases, there are solutions for this, but you can avoid this by angling your desk accordingly. Also remember that having a desk by an open window poses potential electrical issues. Always be extra cautious about opening a window by electrical equipment.

2. Convert Closet Into Mini-Office With Desk

For those who really require more of a “home office” than simply a desk, but just don’t have the space, look no further than your closet. A closet, especially if it is going relatively unused, is a great space for a desk.

If possible, you can remove the closet doors from their hinges to truly open up the space. Closets may require a bit more narrow desk, but what you lose in depth you can often make up for in length. Closets also lend themselves to shelving and storage, both of which come in handy when you try to create a home office.

A closet office, also known as a “cloffice,” is a great way to separate your work area from your bedroom area. For many, making this physical and emotional separation is imperative to productivity and also mental health.

3. Mount A Fold Out Desk On A Wall To Maximize Space

For many people who have switched to remote work, space is a big issue. If you live in a city where rents are very high, you likely have limited space throughout your apartment, especially when it comes to the size of your bedroom. One solution to this space shortage is to install and mount a fold out desk onto your wall.

Foldout desks have the benefit of serving as a workspace by day, and then nearly completely disappearing when they fold into the wall. If you have limited space and are just in need of a reliable work space, consider mounting a fold-out desk. It is best to put this type of desk somewhere less visible, possibly on the same wall as the entry door.

4. A Portable Desk On Wheels

If your work needs tend to fluctuate, or if rooms in your home tend to serve multiple purposes, you might benefit by putting your desk on wheels. A desk on wheels can have a home on any wall of your apartment. Also, you can wheel it to a spot in the home with an attractive or open background when you need to have video calls.

5. A Combination Desk And Bookshelf On A Corner Wall

There are several desk designs on the market that double as book shelves. You can opt for this type of desk, and then put it along a side wall or by your bed, just as you might put a bookshelf.

This is a great way to maximize space in your room. These desks are also often more appealing to the eye. You can decorate your bookshelf to help give your room personality. This means it will look great on any part of the wall you think fits best.

6. Have Your Desk Next To Your Bed

Another popular place to put your desk inside your bedroom is next to your bed and against the wall. For one, placing your desk on the wall next to your bed is a great way to maximize wall space. It flashes two of your largest pieces of bedroom furniture (your bed and desk) along the same wall. This should in theory, free up more space on the other walls, and open up the space.

Having a desk next to your bed can also help the desk (or part of it anyways) double as a night stand. While it is not ideal for those who want to separate their work life and personal life, it can be a very quaint look if you throw in a nice lamp and wall art.

7. Tuck Desk Next To Entry Door Facing The Wall

Another great way to maximize your wall space is to put your desk on the same wall as the entry door. Often, the wall where your entry door is located does not provide enough space for a bed, but it is wide enough for a small to medium-sized desk.

Not only is putting a desk here a great use of space, it is also practical. Putting your desk facing the wall here also puts it further away from your bed. This creates a separation between your bed and your desk, and might improve your focus.

8. Use Room Divider To Create An Office In Your Bedroom

If you need some privacy or professional separation where your desk resides, look into room dividers. There are lots of DIY room divider options like curtains. You can also invest in room dividers or movable shades.

Often, the room size will dictate how much of a private space you can make for your desk. Still, even including one divider, or even a plant as a barrier between the desk and the rest of the room, can help make your desk feel like its own space.

9. Center The Desk On An Empty Wall Making It A Focal Point

If you have a larger bedroom and a beautiful desk, why not show it off? A grand desk might not work in a smaller bedroom, but it can serve as a focal point of a larger bedroom. You can place it facing out from any corner, or even toward the middle of the room.

If you decide to make the desk a focal point, placing a large lamp, and even a small area rug underneath it, will help anchor the space. This will help show it off and also make it seem like its own area.

Concluding Ideas On Where To Put A Desk In Your Bedroom

When you place a desk in your bedroom, make sure you put it close to a reliable power outlet. If possible, place your desk near a window, as this will help bring in fresh air and natural light. To save space, put the desk along the same wall as the entry door, in your closet, or next to your bed. If, however, you have ample space and a beautiful desk, show it off and make it a focal point in the room.

Tom Gaffey
Tom Gaffey

Tom Gaffey is an expert writer who currently resides in Washington D.C. Tom has a passion for real estate and home improvement writing, as well as travel and lifestyle writing. He lived the last twelve years in Hawaii where he worked closely with luxury resorts and event planners, mastering his knowledge of aesthetics and luxury products. This is where he found his passion for home improvement and a keen interest in DIY projects. Currently, Tom resides in Washington D.C, and also working on his debut fiction novel.

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