May 4, 2007
Who’s got a good, modern desk?
Time for a lazyweb: who makes a good, modern desk? I currently use a Fritz Hansen Plano (trés chic) but it’s not exactly built for use — it’s kind of a showpiece. I’ve had my eye on the classic Eames Desk Unit (in natural, above) for quite some time, but I’m really open to suggestions. I need something decently sized (so the Nelson Swag Leg is out), reasonably durable, and, well, not ugly. I guess I could rock it Ikea style like in the old days, but isn’t there anything else out there?
Co-founder of 
Sharper Image has some modern designs.
The MILK desk is no-doubt your best choice…
http://www.milk.dk/
Ha! You know, I was going to mention it, but isn’t the Milk like $5,000? For less than half of that I could snag a far less functional, but far sexier marble Saarinen desk.
I’m currently rocking Dania’s Magna office desk. It’s roomy and works rather well for me.
http://www.daniafurniture.com/?page=shop/flypage&page_back=shop/category_items&offset=0&product_id=1499&category_id=bb042df9788be5bc56b9194667b13104
Cooper, that doesn’t look too bad! Doesn’t look like they sell/distribute in California, do you know if they do?
For functional and ergonomic I love Biomorph desks, but stylish they are not.
http://www.biomorphdesk.com/
GAWD I’m cheap! I rock the Ikea Jerker desk — not the ugliest desk I’ve ever seen and, at $175, one of the cheapest! Did I mention it’s functional beyond all get out? I mean, I just bought a pickup truck for less than $2K! =)
Take that cash you save, stick it in your 401K or Roth IRA for when you’re an old man and need to pay someone to take care of you (or: for when you’re an old man and there’s a litanny of incredible biomechanical augmentations available in Hong Kong … if you’ve got the money).
I like the Mason glass top table from Williams Sonoma – http://www.wshome.com/products/p152/index.cfm?pkey=cfurdsk
it’s basically a knockoff of a similar Ralph Lauren desk at about 1/10th the price. May not be modern in sense you’re looking for, but I love the clean look of a glass top desk.
#8. Glass tables … how can one appreciate these things ? everything make an unbearable noise : keys, glass, everything made with metal or glass … brrrr … wood rules :D
I have that exact desk that you have in the picture… It’s ok, but one drawer and no place for a keyboard, I could ask for more.
But hey, it was given to me w/ my dorm, better than nothing.
I use an Anthro computer cart and Jonas desk from Ikea to form an L-shaped work area. They match reasonable well (off-white), look good enough, and didn’t break the bank.
There are about 10 awesome ones here:
http://hivemodern.com/products/?cid=1&cid2=120
You should check those out.
Looks like they sell it through their other stores, Plummers Furniture (Awesome name, no?) and Scandinavia Designs which have some California locals.
Rather stupid to have three differently named stores that sell the exact same thing and use the exact same site design… You’d think they would make this fact more obvious but it’s just this little blurb at the bottom of their locations page.
But I digress…
http://www.plummersfurniture.com/?page=location/index
http://www.scandinaviandesigns.com/?page=location/index
Ryan,
I went the IKEA route myself: a big L-shaped Galant (corner + two rectangles) with T legs and rounded corner pieces. Cheap, clean, and tons-tons-tons of desk space for 1 PC, 3 notebooks, 2 printers, 2 land-line phones, 3 Klipsch speakers, the Pigs is Space playset, and whichever 20 phones or so I’m reviewing at any given time. A matching file cabinet or two can fit underneath, but they’re on wheels and can be pulled out for more desk space (creating a “U”). I also pulled some shelving units from their kitchen department in the same blond wood finish.
This is nowhere near as pretty as the MILK desk Kyle suggests, and has absolutely zero cachet – it is IKEA, after all. But it works…
-avi
An old topic, but thought you might still be looking. I bought a MILK desk (see links in other posts). It is absolutely fantastic. Quick and quiet height adjustment, stable despite the single foot (it weighs ca. 70 kg!) and looks terrific, especially with all the cables hidden away in the trays/slots.
poshboy