A niche desk or built-in desk is the best way to economize on small and tight spaces in the home office. Many times we do not have the extra room needed for a larger home office. Store bought furniture just doesn’t fit in those smaller spaces and alcoves very well at all. By building a niche desk, you more efficiently use the space and create a custom work space unique and functional.
Locating a Space
Whether it’s a corner of a room, large closet or odd shaped alcove, a niche desk is best placed as close as possible to an electrical outlet or two for task lighting, computers and other electronic home office equipment that needs a power supply. A phone line, cable and good reception from wireless are also things to consider when choosing a location for your home office niche desk.
Natural light sources are also a concern when placing a niche desk in the home office. Windows provide the best possible light source but aren’t always available. Consider installing a tubular skylight in closets and other niche areas where windows aren’t possible.
Construct 101 Tip: When natural light sources just aren’t possible, use a combination of cool white fluorescents and natural white bulbs. These two bulbs combined provide a broader spectrum of light colors mimicking natural light more closely.
Height and Width
Desk height can easily be obtained by measuring the primary occupant of the office, seated in his/her favorite desk chair. From the seated persons lap, measure down to the floor. Factor optimal arm adjustment by adding four inches to your overall measurement. This will be the final height of your desk.
Width of the niche desk really depends on two things. The first factor is simple-how much desk space do you need? You can always go vertical from ceiling to floor when custom building your own home office built-in desk. You might find space where you least expect it.
The second factor and the most important is how big is the niche? The size of your desk is limited to how much space you have in the room/area. Consider other factors such as printers, fax machines, copiers and other bulky equipment-it needs to go somewhere.
Construct 101 Tip: Keep in mind space for clearance as you navigate around the desk. A minimum of 36″ is required for comfortable passage for the Average Joe. Going smaller around corners and jutting edges can create a bottleneck in the niche desk you might regret after it’s too late.
