The 14 Best Desks for Small Rooms

Are you headed back to school? Perhaps you and your employer decided to make your temporary work-from-home situation permanent, and you need a proper office. Either way, you have a small space, and you need to start looking for desks for small rooms. 

What are the best desks for small rooms? Below, please find 15 models that are sure to delight your tastes, whether you prefer a classic, vintage or sleek modern style. 

Dorm-Style 

If you’re moving into a dorm, you don’t have much room to put a desk. You get half of a 130 square foot space on average, plus you might have to lug your belongings up several flights of stairs. You need something easy-to-assemble and straightforward.

1. Writing Computer Desk Modern Simple Study Desk Industrial Style Folding Laptop Table, $69.88 to $99.88.

Folding desks serve double-duty. You can use them to hold your laptop while you type an essay and carry them to the great outdoors when you want to throw a picnic minus a blanket full of ants. Plus, at only eight kilograms, you can practically schlep this up several flights under one arm. 

2. Designs2Go Blue No Tools Student Desk, $104.37.

If you’re heading off to college, you probably don’t have a tool belt with you. That lack creates a problem when it comes time to assemble your new desk. With the Designs2Go No Tools Student Desk, you won’t need to swing a hammer to construct your study space. You’ll gain convenient shelves on either side for holding books or pictures of your pet hamster back home.

3. Grovelane Amos Secretary Desk, $125.99.

Eco-warriors, this desk is for you. Rubberwood is an ecologically sourced hardwood that produces latex throughout its lifetime. When the yield subsides, they get made into furniture — like this piece. 

4. Techni-Mobili Graphite Compact Computer Cart With Storage, $72.

This desk is uber-convenient because it has wheels. You can roll it up to your bed for when you want to burn the midnight oil without sitting in an uncomfortable chair. 

Client-Facing 

If you sometimes see clients in your home office, you need a credenza-style desk that hides clutter and cords while keeping pens and files close at hand. Here are two styles so affordable, you’ll barely have to send your expense report to HR. 

5. Ikea MALM Desk, $199.00.

If you are a tax preparer or an accountant, you want a handy drawer or two to stash a calculator and informational packets. This credenza-style desk comes in three colors to match any home office scheme, from streamlined modern to farmhouse cozy. You’ll find two drawers, one for supplies and another for files, as well as a hidden shelf to tuck away your computer cords. 

6. Lorell Chateau Series Mahogany Laminate Desking Credenza, $379.00.

Not all desks for small rooms are built the same and sometimes, more room behind your desk is what you need. If you’re an architect, you may need a place to stash blueprints or an oversized printer. The Chateau Series offers ample area to conceal what you need to from clients’ prying eyes while presenting a polished, professional front. 

7. Ameriwood Mansfield Natural and Grey Computer Desk, $168.89.

This desk goes back to basics, but you’ll love the sleek style if you have modern office decor. However, if this color scheme doesn’t suit your tastes, you can choose from various alternatives. 

Corner Models

One way to save home office or dorm space is to tuck a desk into a corner. That way, you preserve more area on the floor for throwing down a yoga mat. 

8. Porch & Den Hearty Silver Metal & Glass Corner Computer Desk, $259.12.

You need room to spread out and place a printer, but you don’t want to clutter the middle of your carpet. Fair enough — invest in this Porch & Den model to make the most of a corner while leaving space for your little ones to play on the rug while you work. 

9. Breakwater Bay Smoke Grey Oak Corner Computer/Writing Desk, $459.99.

If you are short on space but big on ideas, dream away at this tiny corner computer desk. With only enough room for a monitor and a sheet of paper, you won’t take up much floor area with this model. However, you’ll adore the cozy design — it’s so cute, you might even enjoy sitting down to pay your bills. 

10. Brunei Desk Return, $227.93.

Do you have a ton of books but not much space? This corner model partners with a shelf to give you ample room to display those pricey law textbooks and encyclopedias. 

11. OS Home and Office Furniture Brown Corner L-Work Center and Two Hutches, $737.54.

Do you and your spouse share a home office since the pandemic began? If you plan to continue this system, you need a desk with elbow room for two. This model comes with a hutch and file cabinet drawers for you both. 

Floating Desks 

Floating desks save significant floor space because they mount to your wall. You will need to locate the studs, but once you do, you’ll have ample room to work and play, even in a tiny studio apartment. 

12. Burgeo Reversible Floating Desk, $141.99.

If you need both shelves and a place to hang your laptop, invest in this hanging baby. You have plenty of room to display your treasured photos of your grandkids and even a houseplant or two —  no legs required. 

13. PrePac Rectangular Black Floating Desk With Cable Management, $127.44.

If you want something more permanent that also hides those nasty cords, you found it with this floating desk model. It can support up to 100 pounds, so you won’t tear out the drywall if your toddler uses it for balance. 

14. Andover Mills Sanner Fold-Away Floating Desk, $309.99.

When you want to go strictly minimalist, you’ll love this model that takes less space than an old-fashioned rotary dial wall phone. It folds up into a box so that you don’t bang your hip whenever you walk by it. 

Select One of These 14 Desks for Small Rooms 

If you have a tiny space to work-from-home, or you’re heading back to the dorms, you need a desk that doesn’t monopolize your living area. Select one of the 15 models above to telecommute or study in style.