Creative Desk Ideas for Small Spaces

Need some desk ideas for small spaces?

Whether you need to carve out a niche in your home or your apartment lacks extra space for working from home, desks for small spaces are all the rage. Figuring out how to get all the tools you need nearby without cluttering up your apartment isn’t easy.

If you have less space than you’d like, or you’ve simply embraced tiny living, you’re probably looking for some creative desk ideas for small spaces.

1. Float a Window Desk

A shelf placed under a window takes up less space and allows you to utilize an area you otherwise might not. You’ll also have a fantastic view instead of staring at a blank wall all day. You can purchase a desk specifically for this purpose or use a wide shelf. Just make sure you measure your computer or laptop to ensure it fits on the size desk you buy.

2. Carve Out a Workstation

Another idea when you lack space is to use your entry closet or some other recessed space. You might lose a bit of storage, but you can shut your work away at the end of the day and not worry about it until later. It also gives you some separation between your personal life and work activities.

3. Add a Drawer

If you have extra wall space in your kitchen, add a floating drawer to use as a desk. You’ll have space to keep paper, pens and other necessities and a work surface for completing tasks or writing. Look for a chair that tucks fully underneath, so it’s out of the way when not in use.

4. Make a Murphy Desk

You’ve heard of a Murphy bed, but why not create a similar concept in a desk. Make your own small space desk that folds up onto the wall when not in use. If you finish the underside with chalkboard paint, you can use it as a message center.

5. Create a Collapsible Standing Desk

Another one of our desk ideas for small spaces is to create a standing desk that folds away and gets tucked under your bed or pushed into a closet when not in use. There are several options available online, or you can build a standing desk for the dimensions of your space.  

6. Buy an Armoire Desk

If you have room for a small cabinet, there are desks created to look like furniture. The advantage is that when you aren’t using it, everything shuts up neatly inside, and it doesn’t take up any extra floor area. 

7. Install a Wall-Mounted Drop Leaf Table

You’ve likely seen this type of setup on Tiny House Hunters and similar home improvement shows. The table folds out when you need space to work and folds down flat against the wall when not in use. You can put this type of setup anywhere and fold it away when you no longer need it. 

8. Use a Secretary Desk

The size of the average American home increases over time. Back in the 1800s, though, people lived in much smaller spaces and with larger families. They learned storage tricks and how to make do with less. One example of this is the antique style of a secretary desk. Most of these are only a few feet wide and fairly narrow, making them the perfect choice for a small space. 

9. Try an Expanding C-Table

Also called a TV tray, an expanding C table folds flat when not in use and tucks up under a couch or chair when needed. There are tables available that fold out to give you more workspace. Store your supplies in a bag or rolling bin you hang in the same closet where you store your table. 

Think Outside the Box for Desk Space

Do you have a space you can turn into a dual-purpose area? Perhaps you don’t even need a new desk as much as you need to reallocate what you already have. Think about what makes you comfortable when working and seek out space in your apartment that you can carve out for your specific needs with these desk ideas for small spaces.