Over the past few years, it has become abundantly clear that nearly every home, loft and apartment needs a proper space for a home office, but with space such a premium, could a corner desk be the perfect option?

Ostensibly, a corner desk is a perfect option, as it provides as much tabletop space as possible within a fairly small space, allows you to properly zone your office as a small part of a larger open plan setting and looks clean and stylish doing it.

Whilst we are proud of so much of our reclaimed scaffold board furniture for how it reflects 15 years of expertise working with industrial materials and the passion of artisan furniture building, our corner desk might be amongst our favourite pieces.

Is a corner desk right for you? To understand, here is a guide to how to use, implement and design around a corner desk to ensure that your industrial loft has the perfect workspace to go along with spaces to rest and play.

Of the many different types of desk on the market, corner desks are amongst the most useful and yet most misunderstood.

Often known as an L-shaped or V-shaped desk, a corner desk is two desks in one which meet at a right angle and can be perfectly placed into a corner. 

This provides two work surfaces without having to move, rather than one longer workstation you may need to reach or move to use.

The exact dimensions of a corner desk can vary dramatically; some corner desks have an equal surface on each side to provide as much space as possible whilst taking up as little surface area as possible, whilst others are the length of a conventional desk with a short side wing.

Some corner desks feature built-in storage, whilst others provide a lot of room underneath and next to them to fit shelves, boxes or filing cabinets.

Whilst you theoretically can place a corner desk anywhere in your office, if you happen to need a particularly unusually shaped piece of furniture to break up the room, corner desks work best in rooms where space is at a premium.

In a lot of homes, a home office is not a separate room, but a section of a multifunction or open-plan space, and in that context a corner desk helps you fit your entire working equipment without having work encroach on your living spaces.

If the choice is between using a sofa in your living room or a space-saving corner desk, the choice is usually fairly obvious.

Theoretically, you can also install a corner desk in reverse, with only one side against the wall, which not only provides a clear distinction between the office and the rest of the room, but also allows you to frame your wall with the right kind of ‘bookshelf wealth’ for video calls.

In other cases, our reclaimed scaffold board shelving kits provide the best of both worlds, allowing for a beautiful backdrop whilst also providing shelving filled with character.

If you have a small room to use, a corner desk is perfect for adding comfort, space and allowing you to fit your desk close to a window without risking glare on your screen, giving you the best of both worlds in the process.

On the subject of walls designed for remote meetings, designing your room around a corner desk should begin with the desk itself, and you should take design inspiration from its dimensions, texture and colour scheme to create the ideal home office.

The beauty of using a reclaimed wood corner desk, similar to other scaffold board furniture, is that it gives you a lot of very clear directions you can go to design your home office:

• You can opt for Scandinavian minimalism, emphasising the beauty of natural textures by draping the room in beautiful neutral shades.
• You can focus on an industrial-style office, highlighting the natural, rugged features and creating an office for fostering creativity.
• You can make a bold, clear statement, creating an accent wall that works as your office’s backdrop.

Corner desks sometimes require a different thought process when designing around them, so with that in mind, here are some frequently asked questions we get about them and where they can fit in your home.

Do Corner Desks Come With Storage?

In a word, yes! These desks can be designed with shelves, built-in draws and hutches, so you have space to put desk items and keep everything tidy and well organised.

Where Should You Put Your Computer On A Corner Desk?

Contrary to popular belief, and the belief of the designers of the Packard Bell Corner Computer who ironically designed a computer that could not be snugly placed in the corner of a corner desk, you can place your computer anywhere that is comfortable.

This can mean having your computer or laptop on the main part of your desk with a work phone or tablet on the side part of the desk, or in any configuration that feels comfortable.

You can even set up your desk with two monitors, one on each side of the desk, to help with multitasking.

Are Corner Desks Ergonomic?

Good ergonomics all come down to the arrangement of the desk, irrespective of its size and shape. Make sure computer monitors are at eye level, with space to ensure that your elbows maintain a 90-degree angle.

Can You Use A Corner Desk In A Small Room?

Absolutely! You can use a corner desk in any room it will fit, but corner desks tend to provide even greater relative space-saving benefits in a small, cleverly designed home office than a large room.

Want to bring true industrial aesthetics to your home office? Explore our collection of reclaimed scaffold board furniture and celebrate the timeless heritage of industrial design in style.

The Scaff Shop works with customers on many levels. Some need more time, tools, or necessary skills; no matter the reason, you can purchase everything you need, and it can be delivered to your door as a finished product. Some customers have the time, skills and tools that may want to build your corner desk, and that is cool with us, too! What we have offered below is a list of the products required to make your perfect corner desk.

First up are the Scaffold Boards. One thing to remember when buying reclaimed scaffold boards is that they have previously been used. The life-altering wear and tear changes to those boards make them unique compared to new boards. For this, you will need four six-foot boards and two two-foot boards. Once the boards have been cut and joined together using biscuits, glue, and clamps, they will make the desktop. Sounds easy. Well, I'm sure there will be some sweat and tears before you finish.

Once the desktop is joined, you can start the finishing process by rubbing it down and selecting the type of oil you want to use to finish your desk. The last part is deciding what legs you want to use with your desk, which depends on the look you are going for.