Home Office Desks: Iconic Designs That Look Cool

Gone are the days when home offices needed to be extravagant spaces that stored up all the paper, files and a series of other bulky accessories. Modern home office designs are all about frugality and sophistication. When you are using a MacBook, iPad and wireless accessories, there is no real necessity for a huge desk with garishly large drawers! Obviously technological advances have helped immensely in cleaning up the home study nooks. From elaborate and exclusive rooms, they are now multifunctional additions to the kitchen, bedroom and living space. Ergonomics is indeed the flavor of the day.

by YLiving

Irrespective of how much tidier the home offices and work areas have become, you still need a fabulous desk to make it all work. These trendy and classic designs get that job done with ease. Crafted by masters such as George Nelson and Florence Knoll, some of these designs obviously are mid-century modern icons that fit in seamlessly with contemporary homes. Others are eternal favorites like the Parsons desk. What they have in common though is finesse and flair!

Lovely Series 7 Chair coupled with the Parsons Desk

White Coral Branch Lamp steals the show here!

by JAC Interiors

Cross-legged Spotlight desk in black tuck in next to the fireplace

by Rebekkah Davies Interiors + Design

Design of the Spotlight desk makes it an easy fit

by Nest Design Studio

Form of the Parsons desk saves up on ample leg room

A rectangular version of the cool Parsons Desk

by Elad Gonen & Zeev Beech

Gorgeous green version of the sleek Parsons table

by Stephanie Wiley Photography

Versatile Parsons Desk

If you are looking for a table that has several tricks up its sleeve, then that search begins and ends with the Parsons desk. It is by far the most beautiful, efficient and contemporary home office table you can bring home. Sure, there will always be fancier designs, but the inherent simplicity and the proportional beauty of the Parsons desk is unmatched. Crafted by Jean-Michel Frank, along with his students at the Paris branch of The Parsons School of Design, the table is a stable in contemporary and modern interior design schemes.

Home office in the attic with a mini version of the Parsons desk!

by Cardea Building

Stylish work space with the Parsons at its heart! — Stylish workspace with the Parsons at its heart!

by Vanessa De Vargas

Ensure that you get the lighting for your home office just right

by Shaw Coates

Specialty of the Parsons collection is that the depth and width of its square legs are the same thickness of the top of the table. The smart drawers give you the necessary space to tuck away your accessories. With gadgets and home office equipment gravitating towards the minimal, the Parsons is an ideal choice.

Kids' bedroom in blue and white with a simple work station — Kids’ bedroom in blue and white with a simple workstation

by Marie Burgos Design

Modern bedroom exudes a refined Scandinavian style

by Mark English Architects

You do not need plenty of space to add the Parsons to your bedroom

by Erika Bierman Photography

Pretty pink version of the Parsons table - Transform it into an instant display! — Pretty pink version of the Parsons table – Transform it into an instant display!

by Design Manifest

The parsons can turn any nook, corner and even corridor into a home workstation with ease. Combine it with some comfortable seating and smart, focused lighting and you are good to go!

Cleverly concealed drawers of the Parsons desk offer enough storage space

by Incorporated

Keeping the desks uncluttered is essential for the stylish minimal look — Keeping the desk uncluttered is essential for the stylish, minimal look

by Laura U

Parsons Desk in black blends with the chic Hollywood Regency style

George Nelson Swag Leg Desk

It is amazing that the 1958 creation of George Nelson is probably far more relevant today that it was in the last few decades! But that probably is something that can be said for all of his creations. Contemporary to its core, the Nelson Swag Leg Desk was created to clean up offices and to give them a sleek and stylish outlook. Obviously, the large cubicles of the 90s did not fit that billing. But with home workspaces now needing just a simple desk that accommodates the glossy gadgets, the Swag Leg Desk is back with a bang.

Turn the corner in the bedroom into a work station with ease — Turn the corner in the bedroom into a workstation with ease

by Sam Crawford Crawford Architects

Combine the Swag Leg Dining Table with the Swag Leg Desk!

The cool cubicles on the top shelf add color to the design and seem like a perfect place to stash away your new smartphone or iPod. Bright chrome legs add sculptural and textural contrast to any modern room. Looking at the Swag Leg Desk, one almost wonders if George Nelson had a time machine to travel into the future so that he could design a trendy desk that fit the tomorrow’s world perfectly!

Create a compact work station in the kitchen with the savvy Nelson Swag Leg Desk — Create a compact workstation in the kitchen with the savvy Nelson Swag Leg Desk

by UpInteriors

Elegant Swag Leg Desk is a perfect work station for both kids and adults — Elegant Swag Leg Desk is a perfect workstation for both kids and adults

by d’apostrophe design

A closer look at the George Nelson Swag Leg Desk - Iconic and elegant! — A closer look at the George Nelson Swag Leg Desk – Iconic and elegant!

by Platemark Design

Open home office design with wonderful views

Spotlight, Airia and More

The Herman Miller’s Airia desk, designed by Kaiju Studios is probably the benchmark for all great modern desks. Its overall look seems inspired by the Nelson Swag leg design. Yet, it lends a whole different sophistication to the space it adorns. White aluminum and warm walnut tones are merged to create a masterpiece that transcends styles and eras. Its hidden at the front allows you to tuck away things with ease. There is plenty of leg room on offer here while you are working as the Airia seems custom-designed for the laptop generation.

Industial home office with the lovely Airia Desk — Industrial home office with the lovely Airia Desk

by Adrienne DeRosa

Spacious home office in white and yellow with the Spotlight desk

by Kipnis Architecture + Planning

If the flowing curves of Airia and its walnut design remind you of the George Nelson design, then the Spotlight desk from Crate & Barrel seems to generous borrow from the Parsons desk. The storage here is divided into various compartments and the desk comes in a variety of sizes. A cross-legged design helps it stand out from other similar desks.

Cool Josephine Desk adds chic glamor to the girls' bedroom — Cool Josephine Desk adds chic glamor to the girls’ bedroom

by Erika Bierman Photography

Sleek design of the Spotlight desk makes it perfect for modern home offices

Providing a more well-rounded option is the Florence Knoll Table Desk that can easily double up as a gorgeous dining table in an instant. With an oval top combined and angular metal base, it is a good choice for homes with ample space and preferably an open living plan.