The pandemic changed everything about how we work. What started as “just for a few weeks” with your laptop balanced on the kitchen table has turned into three years (and counting) of permanent work-from-home life for a lot of Fort Wayne professionals. And if you’re still working from that temporary setup? You already know the truth: the desk you work at every single day matters way more than anyone told you it would.
We’ve been doing this for over 70 years now, helping people in Northeast Indiana figure out how to furnish their homes. In the last few years especially, we’ve walked hundreds of folks through the process of turning spare bedrooms, basement corners, and unused dining rooms into actual functioning offices. Here’s what we’ve learned about picking a desk that won’t make you miserable.
Measure Your Space First (Seriously, Do This First)
I know, I know. You’ve already fallen in love with that gorgeous executive desk you saw online. The one with the leather inlay and all those drawers. But before you get too attached, grab a tape measure.
Can’t tell you how many times someone walks into our showroom with a photo of their dream desk on their phone, we start talking measurements, and their face just falls. It’s not going to fit through their doorway. Or it’s going to eat up their entire spare bedroom and leave about six inches to walk around it.
Here’s what you actually need to measure:
The wall space where this desk is going to live (width and depth—don’t forget depth)
Your doorways and hallways, especially if you’re looking at bigger executive pieces
Ceiling height if you’re thinking about adding a hutch or overhead storage
Here’s a trick that’s saved people a lot of headache: use painter’s tape on your floor and mark out how big the desk actually is. Then live with that taped outline for a couple days. Walk around it. See if you’re constantly bumping into it or if it blocks your closet door or creates this weird traffic jam every time you need to get to something.
Think About What You Actually Do All Day
Not every desk works for every kind of work, and this is something people don’t think about enough. Someone who’s designing graphics all day needs something completely different than someone who’s mostly on Zoom calls with clients. Be honest with yourself about what your workday actually looks like.
If you’re glued to your computer most of the day: You want cable management built in, space for a keyboard tray, and enough depth (we’re talking at least 24–30 inches) so your monitor sits at the right distance. Computer desks actually designed for this kind of work will save you from having a rat’s nest of cords and chargers everywhere.
If you work with a lot of paper: Surface area is your friend. So is storage. Writing desks with drawers, space for a file cabinet, places to actually put things. If you regularly have documents spread out while you’re working, you probably want at least 48 inches of width. Maybe more.
If you’re on video calls constantly: This is where executive desks earn their keep. What’s in the background when you turn on that camera? A solid wood desk looks professional.
If you do a mix of everything: L-shaped desks or corner desks are kind of genius for this. You get different zones—computer stuff on one side, space to spread out paperwork on the other. They’re especially good for making use of corners that would otherwise just sit there being useless.
The Thing About Height That Nobody Mentions
Standard desk height is somewhere around 29–30 inches. Works fine for most people. But if you’re really tall or really short, if your back gives you trouble, if you like to switch between sitting and standing—height becomes this whole thing.
Sit at the desk before you commit to buying it. Your elbows should hit about a 90-degree angle when you’re typing. Feet flat on the floor. Monitor at eye level, which might mean the desk needs to have room for a monitor stand or riser.
If standard heights don’t work for you, adjustable desks cost more money upfront but they might be worth it.
Storage Sneaks Up on You
Here’s a pattern we see all the time: someone buys this beautiful, clean, minimalist writing desk because it looks so good and modern and uncluttered. Six months later? Papers stacked on top. Had to buy a filing cabinet that doesn’t match. Office supplies all over the place. The clean minimalist look is long gone.
Be realistic about what you need to store. Do you need:
File drawers for actual files and paperwork?
Small drawers for pens, sticky notes, all that stuff?
A keyboard tray so your surface doesn’t get cluttered?
Shelving for books or equipment?
Closed storage for when you need to make your background look presentable on video calls?
Some people really do work better with almost nothing around them. Clean surface, minimal storage, very intentional about what they keep. But most of us? We need more storage than we think we do. An executive desk with built-in drawers often ends up being better than a simple writing desk plus having to find space for a separate filing cabinet somewhere.
Not All “Wood” Desks Are Actually the Same Thing
Walk through any big box store and you’ll see wood desks at every possible price point. $200, $500, $2000, whatever. They all say “wood” in the description. Here’s what they don’t always tell you clearly: those are very different products.
Solid wood desks: This is real hardwood all the way through. Heavy. Durable. Expensive, yeah, but you can refinish them if they get damaged.
Wood veneer over engineered wood: Real wood surface on top of an engineered core. When this is done right—quality substrate, proper veneer thickness—it can be both durable and beautiful.
Laminate or particle board: Less expensive, lighter, can’t be refinished. Fine if this is temporary or you’re using it lightly. But if you’re working 40 hours a week at this desk, it’s not going to hold up.
If you’re working from home full-time and this is your permanent office, solid wood or quality veneer makes sense.
Style Matters Because This Lives in Your House
Your desk doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s in your home. And unless you’ve got a dedicated office with a door you can close, people are going to see it. Your family sees it. People on video calls see it. You see it every day.
Traditional/Executive style: Rich wood finishes, substantial and solid-looking, detailed craftsmanship.
Modern/Contemporary: Clean lines, often mixing materials like wood with metal.
Transitional: The middle ground between traditional and modern.
Industrial: Metal frames, rustic wood, that utilitarian warehouse vibe.
If you’re thinking about how your desk ties in with the rest of your home’s style, you may find inspiration in our older post on different types of bed frames since it covers how furniture styles influence the feel of a room.
Think about where this is going to live and what else is already in that space. A massive mahogany executive desk might completely overwhelm a small condo. A delicate writing desk might look kind of insubstantial in a large traditional home office.
What Should You Actually Spend?
This is the question everyone wants answered, and the honest answer is going to sound like a cop-out but: it depends on how much you use it and how long you plan to keep it.
Working from home full-time? Spending somewhere in the $800–$2,500 range on a desk that’s actually going to last breaks down to maybe a few dollars a month. Cheap desks that wobble or wear out or just don’t work for you end up costing more when you have to replace them.
Using it occasionally or this is temporary? A decent writing desk in the $400–$800 range might be perfectly adequate.
Building your dream office? High-end executive desks ($2,500 and up) offer heirloom-quality construction and presence.
The biggest mistake we see is spending $200 on a desk you hate within six months, then spending another $200 on a replacement, when spending $600–$800 once would’ve just solved the problem.
Why You Should Actually Test Desks Before Buying
Look, this probably sounds self-serving coming from someone who owns a furniture store. But there really is no substitute for sitting at a desk in person before you buy it. Photos don’t tell you:
How the height feels
Whether the drawers glide smoothly
If the scale is right in person
How stable it is
How the finish looks in your lighting
We’ve watched people change their minds completely after sitting at desks in our showroom.
The Advantage of Shopping Local in Fort Wayne
Shopping here in Fort Wayne for your desk offers things online retailers can’t match:
We know Fort Wayne houses. The narrow staircases. The tight corners. The basement offices.
We deliver, assemble, place it where you want it, and remove all packaging.
We answer questions about construction, materials, proportions, and long-term durability.
We’re here in a few years if you want matching pieces.
You can reach us anytime through our Contact Us page.
Making Your Decision
Choosing the right desk comes down to being honest with yourself:
How much space you actually have
How you work day-to-day
What storage you really need
What you want to invest in long-term
What style fits your home
A good desk affects your productivity, comfort, and workflow every single day.
Come Test Some Desks
Come spend time in our showroom here in Fort Wayne. Try different heights, sit at various styles, ask whatever questions you have, figure out what actually works for how you work.
You can also browse our desk collection online.
Fairfield Galleries
5010 US 33 North
Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10–8
Tuesday and Thursday 10–5:30
Saturday 10–4
Closed Sundays
The right desk isn’t just furniture. It’s the foundation of how you work from home. Might as well get it right.
