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What Furniture Do I Need to Work From Home?

Desk with analog camera behind laptop

Due to social distancing, millions of Americans are now required to work from home. If you're a seasoned remote worker, you've doubtless already got your work space all figured out. But what if you're one of those people who never thought they would work from home? What if you don't even own a desk? If you’re new to working from home, read on for tips and tricks to make your home feel more like a work space.

Tips for Setting Up the Perfect Home Office

  • Declutter your space—its going to be easier to set up your office initially if you get rid of some of the extra stuff taking up your physical space and depleting your focus by crowding your mental headspace.
  • If you’re not in the market for buying a new desk chair, at the very least fashion yourself a chair that you can tolerate sitting on for eight hours a day by buying a foam seat pad or memory foam cushion.
  • Setting up your workspace near a window can help increase productivity, boost mood, and allow the opportunity for little peeks outside. Oh yeah! That’s what the outside world looks like!
  • Add some joy to your work from home space. Family photos, plants, or your kid’s drawings are all surefire ways to make your space more cheery. If scents foster happy emotions for you, you can set up a scented candle or oil diffuser in your work room.
  • Adding another monitor—even if it means using your TV—does wonders for your productivity. It really underscores that you are at work and in the productivity zone, not just tinkering on your laptop while sitting on the sofa. With modern tech options that let you mirror your screen from your devices to your TV (Google Chromecast or Apple Airplay AppleTV are two easy ways to do it), you don’t even need to worry about HDMI cables.
  • An important tip for everyone but especially for small spaces—declutter your desk at every opportunity. Nothing robs you of your focus like having to reach around empty cereal bowls, mugs, and stacks of office supplies.
  • Have a dedicated workstation! Read on for tips on buying a new desk, or setting up your very own diy desk space.

Tips for Buying a New Desk

Man Standing at Desk

We now have a wealth of research to prove that sitting all day is bad for your health. That’s why standing desks and adjustable height desks that go from sitting to standing are so popular now. It's important to change positions regularly, even with a standing desk, so sit/stand adjustable desks are a great choice.

Shop Adjustable Height Desks

However, if you find you’re more productive when seated or a standing desk isn’t an option, consider a seated desk. A lot of standing desks don’t offer a lot in the way of storage, so a traditional seated desk with storage pedestals or a hutch might be a better option for you.

Shop Desks with Storage

Office with Ivory Furniture

What's the Right Size Desk for Me?

Sitting Figure
Standing Figure

Sitting

Standing

  • Your eyes should fall about 2 inches from the top of the monitor to prevent neck pain.
  • The height of your desk should allow your hands to sit flat on the keyboard.
  • Your elbows should bend at a 90 degree angle and rest close to the body.
  • To find your ideal desk height, take your height in inches and divide it by 2.5. So if you are 5'9'', the ideal desk height is 27.5 inches.
  • When you're standing, you should be able to type with your elbows at your sides, and your forearms slightly angled down towards the floor.
  • Your monitor should be eye level.
  • Elbows should be close to the body and the keyboard should be around hip level so the hands are at the height of the elbows, or slightly lower. That means that the tabletop should be roughly at or slightly below elbow height.

Discover the Right Desk For You

Lift Top Desk
Lift Top DeskHampton collection
Retail Price: $2,970
Sale Price: $1,629
In Stock
On Display
60" Half-Ped Desk
60" Half-Ped DeskWeston collection
Retail Price: $1,850
Sale Price: $1,019
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On Display
Polk Desk
Polk DeskHighland Park collection
Retail Price: $2,010
Sale Price: $1,199
In Stock Limited Quantities Available
On Display
Lift Top Desk
Lift Top DeskCaraway collection
Retail Price: $2,540
Sale Price: $1,399
In Stock
On Display
Executive Desk
Executive DeskCaraway collection
Retail Price: $2,500
Sale Price: $1,369
In Stock
On Display
Lift Top Desk
Lift Top DeskTrellis collection
Retail Price: $2,450
Sale Price: $1,349
In Stock Limited Quantities Available
On DisplayClearance
Writing Desk
Writing DeskTelluride collection
Retail Price: $2,310
Sale Price: $1,389
In Stock Limited Quantities Available
On Display
Executive Desk
Executive DeskSutton Place Home Office collection
Retail Price: $3,270
Sale Price: $1,799
In Stock Limited Quantities Available
On Display
66" Executive Desk
66" Executive DeskHampton collection
Retail Price: $2,860
Sale Price: $1,569
In Stock
On Display
Adjustable Lift Desk
Adjustable Lift DeskOxford collection
Retail Price: $2,360
Sale Price: $1,299
In Stock
On Display
Pedestal Desk
Pedestal DeskTrellis collection
Retail Price: $2,500
Sale Price: $1,379
In Stock Limited Quantities Available
On DisplayClearance
Ford Writing Desk
Ford Writing DeskMelange collection
Retail Price: $3,130
Sale Price: $1,879
In Stock Limited Quantities Available
On Display
Aventura Desk
Aventura DeskAventura collection
Retail Price: $4,440
Sale Price: $2,659
In Stock
On Display
Executive Desk
Executive DeskSutter collection
Retail Price: $3,960
Sale Price: $2,379
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On Display
Adjustable Height Desk
Adjustable Height DeskPlatinum collection
Retail Price: $2,650
Sale Price: $1,459
In Stock
On Display
Writing Desk
Writing DeskHome Office collection
Retail Price: $2,050
Sale Price: $1,329
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On Display
Desk
DeskVera Cruz collection
Retail Price: $3,390
Sale Price: $2,059
In Stock
On DisplayClearance
Writing Desk
Writing DeskGetaway - Coastal Living Home Collection collection
Retail Price: $2,840
Sale Price: $1,569
In Stock Limited Quantities Available
Clearance
60" Adjustable Desk
60" Adjustable DeskOxford collection
Sale Price: $1,300
In Stock
On Display
Credenza and Desk
Credenza and DeskOxford collection
Retail Price: $4,260
Sale Price: $2,339
In Stock Limited Quantities Available
On Display
Credenza Desk
Credenza DeskHampton collection
Retail Price: $3,060
Sale Price: $1,679
In Stock Limited Quantities Available
On Display
Writing Desk
Writing DeskCrawford collection
Retail Price: $1,560
Sale Price: $859
In Stock Limited Quantities Available
On Display
Executive Desk
Executive DeskHome Office collection
Retail Price: $3,620
Sale Price: $1,989
In Stock Limited Quantities Available
On Display
Prado Desk
Prado DeskPrado collection
Retail Price: $3,550
Sale Price: $1,319
Available to Order
On Display
Junior Executive Desk
Junior Executive DeskHouse Blend collection
Retail Price: $4,150
Sale Price: $2,499
As-is Clearance Floor Model
On Display
Desk
DeskDune collection
Retail Price: $2,720
Sale Price: $1,499
As-is Clearance Floor Model
On Display
Secretary Desk
Secretary DeskCharleston collection
Retail Price: $3,950
Sale Price: $2,399
Available to Order
On Display
Celine Desk
Celine DeskWork From Home collection
Retail Price: $1,850
Sale Price: $1,019
As-is Clearance Floor Model
On Display
Computer Credenza
Computer CredenzaHouse Blend collection
Retail Price: $4,600
Sale Price: $2,759
As-is Clearance Floor Model
On Display
60 inch Writing Desk
60 inch Writing DeskLiving Room Accents collection
Retail Price: $2,420
Sale Price: $1,459
As-is Clearance Floor Model
On Display
Credenza
CredenzaBurnham collection
Retail Price: $6,360
Sale Price: $3,499
As-is Clearance Floor Model
On Display
Writing Desk
Writing DeskHighlands collection
Retail Price: $5,750
Sale Price: $3,499
As-is Clearance Floor Model
On Display
Ellsworth Desk
Ellsworth DeskWork From Home collection
Retail Price: $2,000
Sale Price: $999
As-is Clearance Floor Model
On Display
Writing Table
Writing TableHome Office collection
Retail Price: $970
Sale Price: $539
Available to Order
On Display
66" Executive Desk
66" Executive DeskWeston collection
Retail Price: $3,190
Sale Price: $1,959
As-is Clearance Floor Model
On Display
Executive Desk
Executive DeskOxford collection
Available to Order
Writing Desk
Writing Desk Stockyard collection
Available to Order
Writing Desk
Writing DeskTraditions collection
Available to Order
66" Exec Desk
66" Exec DeskCanfield collection
Available to Order
Ronan Writing Desk
Ronan Writing DeskModern Farmhouse collection
Available to Order
Silhouette Desk
Silhouette DeskSilhouette collection
Available to Order
Executive Desk
Executive DeskSutter collection
Available to Order
Desk
DeskLinville Falls collection
Available to Order
Junior Executive Desk
Junior Executive DeskCorsica collection
Available to Order
Junior Executive Desk
Junior Executive DeskBurnham collection
Available to Order
Writing Desk
Writing DeskBristowe collection
Available to Order
Desk
DeskLinville Falls collection
Available to Order
Executive Desk
Executive DeskLa Grange collection
Available to Order
Writing Desk
Writing DeskMelange collection
Available to Order
Writing Desk 54in
Writing Desk 54inHome Office collection
Available to Order

For more advice on buying office furniture check out our Office Chair Buying Guide


Not in the market for a desk? No problem!
Transform your existing furniture into a desk or DIY one

Anything can become a desk if you're creative enough. Here's some ideas for an instant work surface:

Floating desk with computer on top