14 of the best minimalist desks for the simple home office

It’s time for another ‘Best of’ – with lots of people now working from home and seeking to create an inspiring workspace, I thought it was a good idea to focus today on the best minimalist desks. One thing I’ve learnt from working from home is the importance of setting up a dedicated space just for work. It needn’t be a large space or a whole room, but it really helps if it’s a quiet corner set away from where you’re relaxing in the evening. I really believe that a tidy desk equals a tidy mind – a calm, stylish desk area, with everything ordered and in its place, will make for a more focused and more productive worker.

In my home office, I have a white IKEA desk – it’s clean and simple with much-needed storage to hide away stationery and papers. If your desk doesn’t have storage, think about where you’re going to put everything, whether it’s on shelves above, in a filing cabinet nearby or in some storage baskets. Our IKEA desk is really flexible, we can have the drawers on the left or the right – below you can see what it looked in our previous flat. It’s perfect for one person but now that Olivier is working from home for the foreseeable future, we’re going to extend it with another tabletop and make space for two. Watch this space and I’ll share the results soon.

Here I’ve rounded up 14 of the best minimalist desks for the simple home office. There’s a range of designs to suit every space, from compact desks for small spaces to longer desks that can be customised to size. They range in price from only £25 to £750, with just one design over £1,000. They all have streamlined legs and neat, simple details, giving an uncluttered look. There’s a lot of designs with unnecessary add-ons or superfluous details but all you really need is a clear surface and plenty of space to spread out. Top makes to those that have cable management holes and concealed drawers.

[This post features affiliate links, where I earn a small commission on any potential sales. The green text highlights a sustainable design]

1. HAY Copenhagen desk, £569, Insidestore Ldn – designed by Bouroullec brothers, this simple design features asymmetrical, matt laquered oak legs and a coloured Lino top
2. House by John Lewis Cube storage desk, £350, John Lewis [ad – affiliate link] – this contemporary desk is finished in a natural lacquer and has three generous, white drawers
3. Normann Copenhagen Journal desk, £580, Utility Design – designed by Simon Legald for Normann Copenhagen, a simple steel frame inspired by French industrial furniture is combined with a laminate desk top with a visible oak edge and small drawer
4. Skagerak Georg desk, £778, Utility Design – designed by Christina Liljenberg Halstrøm, the Georg Desk from Skagerak has a minimal profile that makes it perfect for compact, small spaces. Made from 100% FSC certified oak
5. Linnmon/Lerberg desk, £25, IKEA – IKEA’s desk range allows you to mix and match tops and legs – choose from trestle legs or drawer unit bases. The top is made from board-on-frame, a strong and lightweight material with a frame in wood, particleboard or fibreboard and a recycled paper filling. It requires less raw materials and is easy to transport, which reduces its environmental impact
6. Scout desk, £295, Habitat [ad – affiliate link] – this veneered desk has a single, spacious drawer and a sturdy, powder-coated metal frame
7. Robson desk, £650, Habitat [ad – affiliate link] – this oak-veneered desk has a strong, powder-coated metal frame and plenty of storage space
8. Hübsch oak wood desk, £427, Smallable [ad – affiliate link] – this wooden desk has a built-in magnetic board to hang planners, memos and inspirations
9. Hartô Victor desk, £650, Connox – the Desk Victor by Pierre-François Dubois for Hartô is made of MDF with high-quality oak veneer and a metal frame. Two drawer help conceal office supplies
10. Gideon console desk, £399, Made [ad – affiliate link] – a simple desk in a a washed oak finish and a slim drawer
11. HAY Pyramid desk, £765, Connox – designed in the sixties by Wim Rietveld, the functional desks were originally used in Dutch schools
12. Alex desk, £129, IKEA – keep your office clutter free with this desk’s built-in cable management for collecting cables and cords
13. Ercol Pero desk, £1,500, Utility Design – designed by Matthew Hilton, this solid oak desk features a discreet drawer. Ercol’s factory in Buckinghamshire is heated by a biomass boiler that is fuelled by wood waste and sawdust from the factory. Their wood comes from sustainable forests from North America, Europe and China
14. Table, from £418, Faust Linoleum – customise your desk with their 3D online configurator and choose from over 20 different colours. Handmade in the Alps using CO2 neutral manufacturing, these high quality linoleum tables are durable and sustainable made

How are you finding working from home? Which of these minimalist desks would you choose? Let me know in the comments what piece of furniture you would like to see in my next Best of round-up.