35 Best Desk Ideas for Small Spaces

Whether you have a designated office in your home or you're incorporating a workspace into another room, a small desk can make the most efficient use of a space that's short on square footage. From putting a desk intentionally into a bedroom to utilizing space-saving styles like corner desks, L-shaped desks, bookshelf desks, and wall-mounted desks , there are great small space solutions that can turn any area into a functioning workspace.

If you need a desk for work, studying, or game, but you don't have a ton of room, here are desk ideas for small office spaces that will make the most of the space you do have.

The 12 Best Desks for Small Spaces of 2024

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Ladder Bookshelf Desk

Cathie Hong

Small spaces often require unique solutions. If you don't need a ton of surface area, using the lowest shelf of a bookcase, like in this room by Cathie Hong, can be a perfect solution.

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Midcentury Modern Desk

@ann.living / Instagram

Low-slung, midcentury modern furniture works in small spaces because pieces like these do not carry much visual heft. This wood desk in a Scandinavian apartment decorated by Ann Living is a terrific example. Its beautiful wood finish and compact design made it a chic fit for the small living room. The plush yellow chair completes a perfectly functional home office space.

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Built-in Alcove Desk

Arbor & Co.

Making every inch count in a teensy dwelling can be tricky. In this rustic home, interior designer Arbor & Co. rises to the challenge by filling an empty alcove with a tiny built-in desk and additional shelves for storage.

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Kids Room Desk

Emily Henderson

In small spaces, including kid's rooms, large pieces of solid furniture can be oppressive, so why not opt for something different? This one in a room designed by Emily Henderson captures a vintage style with two iron cast legs that sit at the perfect height for your little one to do schoolwork or read.

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Minimalist Desk

@nudeandnovice / Instagram

By choosing a minimalist desk with slim features, like in this apartment by Instagram account Nude and Novice, you can still have a stylish home office setup without taking up too much space.

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Adjustable Desk

@dommdotcom / Instagram

It's essential to get a desk that can work with you—especially if you're working in a smaller space. This adjustable one from IKEA can have its height changed from a sitting to a standing desk. Domm Dot Com claims that even the smaller version of this at 45" is still plenty of space to get work done.

11 DIY Standing Desks You Can Build Today

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Modern Wood Desk

@jcdesign1.1 / Instagram

Adding a desk to your bedroom will certainly take up some space. Choosing a modern wood desk with a flat surface, such as this one seen in this bedroom, can serve as a table when not in use as a workspace.

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Repurposed Vintage Table Desk

Mary Patton Design

We love cheap, vintage pieces loaded with character. Here, an old wood desk in this apartment decorated by Mary Patton Design is a perfect fit right next to the window.

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Basic Standing Desk

@ekaterynagonchar / Instagram

This basic standing desk is perfectly minimalist and looks more like a simple piece of furniture than office gear. This apartment incorporates the desk as a place to work or a place to display decor, without taking up an unnecessary amount of room.

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Monochromatic Desk

Laquita Tate Styling and Designs

If you worry about a desk being an eyesore, then trying to tone it down can be a helpful approach to take. Laquita Tate Styling and Designs matched this white desk to the exact same shade as the wall behind it—making it look almost invisible.

14 Desks We Love for Every Type of Decor

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Closet Desk

Design by Emily Henderson / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

Thanks to inexpensive, wall-mounted shelving, this closet featured on Emily Henderson conceals a small desk and storage shelves. Your home office vanishes simply by closing the sliding closet door. Home storage retailers and home improvement centers offer a variety of products that can be adapted to create a desk like this.

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X-Leg Desk

Jenn Pablo Studio

Desks come in plenty of different shapes and sizes—meaning you can find a selection that will work well in any space in your home. This desk in a room designed by Jenn Pablo Studio features a set of crossed X-legs that give the appearance of a sleeker model.

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Glass Top Desk

Jenn Pablo Studio

Looking for another way to create the illusion of a smaller desk? Glass top versions not only have a chic, elegant feel but can give appear almost invisible at times. In this living room by Jenn Pablo Studio, the combination of a glass surface and thin, silver legs looks as though you can see right through it.

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Long, Shallow Desk

@kirsten.diane / Instagram

Sometimes a smaller space requires a different approach. Rather than choosing a desk that is smaller, you can choose a table that stretches longer but more shallow across the surface, such as this space. This can depend on space but can work well to ensure you have plenty of room to walk around rather than choosing a smaller yet bulkier choice that won't be as practical in the long run.

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Floating Nook Desk

Latham Interior Design

This nook sure is pretty, but its size could easily deem it wasted space. Enter Latham Interior Design, who turned this funky spot into a functional work area with a custom-built floating desk shaped to fit the space. Odd angled corners like this are awkward fits for most commercial furniture pieces, and a custom-built hanging desk like this one is the perfect solution.

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Hallway Desk

Britt Design Co.

Sometimes the perfect space is right in front of you, even if it seems unconventional. This small nook in a hallway between rooms, in a home designed by Britt Design Co., is the perfect size for a simple desk, which is exactly what it is used for. While the nook may seem small, its position in the hallway still allows for plenty of space so as to not feel cramped and contained.

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Floating Shelf Desk

@kjdesignmortarandstyling / Instagram

Another take on the floating desk concept, KJ Design Mortar and Styling used thin gold braces to mount a dark piece of wood to the wall, creating a simple, elegant setup.

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Built-in Desk

LeClair Decor

Making use of the space between built-ins is incredibly underrated. This setup by LeClair Decor includes a small surface with drawers, as well as a few floating shelves, in between large cabinets, creating an all-inclusive workspace.

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Open Shelving Nook Desk

LeClair Decor

Another stunning example of putting a nook to good use, this corner by LeClair Decor doesn't waste any space—a wood desk, a pair of spacious drawers, and open floating shelves that stretch to the ceiling make an ideal home office out of a small space.

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Built-in Furniture Desk

LeClair Decor

A unique approach to the usual small space dilemma, LeClair Decor didn't opt to cut down this desk to fit between other furniture. Instead, the piece of wood extends all the way down the wall, where a set of cabinets are built around the piece. The results are unconventional but stylish.

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Upside Down L Desk

LeClair Decor

Small spaces don't always leave room for a full desk. The solution? Use the wall for support instead of an additional leg. LeClair Decor took this approach, using two pieces of wood to form a desk, but mounted the top piece to the wall for stability.

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Small Classic Desk

COTTAGE + SEA

Realistically, selecting a desk for a small space may come down to...getting a small desk. As long as it has room for all your essentials, a small desk can work exceptionally well, as COTTAGE + SEA proves here in this classic space.

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L-Shaped Desk

Mary Patton Design

Mary Patton Design proves that having a small space doesn't mean you have to scale down your options. An L-shaped corner desk can help work with the length of your room and still leave you with plenty of space for all your office supplies.

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Minimalist Floating Desk

Michelle Boudreau Design

Truly, a small space may require just the basics, like this small office from Michelle Boudreau Design. A singular wood surface serves as a minimalist floating desk, holding only a lamp, computer, and small plant.

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Rounded Desk

Ashley Montgomery Design

Rather than a rectangular desk with sharp corners, try choosing a desk with rounded edges instead. This can work great in smaller spaces, like this home office by Ashley Montgomery Design. The desk is angled away from the wall, and the curved edges make the surrounding area appear more spacious.

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Window Desk

Tyler Karu

In nooks that aren't big enough for a full-blown office space, but are certainly large enough to house a workspace, try implementing a floating desk like this one in a window. It can double as a makeshift office and a place where you settle down with a good book on weekends.

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Storage Desk

@ann.living / Instagram

When you're trying to maneuver a desk into a small space, it helps when it matches its surroundings and has storage. The small wooden version seen here works wonderfully with the picture frames and the board behind it. When materials are cohesive, your workspace won't feel intrusive or stick out like a sore thumb.

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Closet Desk

Arbor & Co.

Make the most of a small desk area in a closet by implementing storage space around it, too. Whether it's to hold extra office supplies, decorative objects, or something else unrelated to work, don't forget to take advantage of the vertical space that often frames a small nook like this.

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Accent Wall Desk

COTTAGE + SEA

To help designate a work spot in your home without deeming an entire room your home office, you can carve it out with an accent wall using wallpaper, a divider, or a splash of paint. This room doubles as a dining space and a work room, which is perfectly punctuated by the striped divider.

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Small White Desk

Dazey Den

The space beneath windows is prime real estate for a desk setup and it's normally not taken up by other furniture items. Measure the area before bringing in a table and then curate a comfortable work space—extra design points if you pick a window with a good view. This white desk feels light and airy next to this window.

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Bedroom Desk

@jcdesign1.1 / Instagram

When your bedroom also serves as your office, it's smart to really separate the two (and prevent your bed from becoming a workspace). While many desks go up against a nearby wall, this foot of the bed configuration is a nice change. This set up shows how even in smaller bedrooms you can still successfully place a desk.

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Vintage-Inspired Writing Desk

Rikki Snyder

Don't select a desk based on utility alone. You want it to fit in with the rest of your home, so when it's not in use it doesn't feel out of place. For example, a vintage-inspired room might be off balanced by an ultra-modern desk or a sleek, contemporary space won't look right with a distressed wooden table. This special writing desk nicely displays how to pick something right for the room that feels like a piece of decor all by itself.

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Simple Desk With Plants

@leafandlolo / Instagram

Desks can be cold, sterile places. To liven up the folders and pen holders, bring in a plant or two (or five in this case) to reap all the benefits they provide while you work. This is a win-win situation for plant lovers who may not have space elsewhere in the home to add to their collection. Be aware if your desk is in a sunny or light-lacking spot, so you can pick plants that work well in that specific environment.

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Wallpapered Desk

Michelle Boudreau Design

Once the furniture is in a room, there might be wall space or corners that aren't big enough to house other pieces, but will perfectly serve as a desk space. This bedroom shows how room left between two dressers can become an ideal spot for your work surface, particularly when there's wallpaper to add pizzazz.

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Modern Wood Desk

Tyler Karu

Life extends beyond work, so when it comes to blending the worlds of your career and your home, choose simple pieces to avoid always feeling like you're sitting in your office on days off. This simple modern desk and chair configuration is stylish, design-friendly, and not extremely corporate, but it still provides a nice place to buckle down and tick items off your to-do list.

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Storage Shelf Desk

Tina Ramchandani Creative

If you prefer to keep your desk minimally decorated and stocked, look to additional shelving units to make room for other decor bits and work staples. Utilizing floating shelves means you won't have to find extra space for housing a file cabinet or floor-bound side table.

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FAQ

How can I fit a desk into a small space?

You can fit a desk into a small space by relying on creativity. That may mean utilizing a hallway, a nook in a closet, floating shelves, or even just spring for a small desk. It's all about making the most of the space you do have.
What can I use instead of a desk?

If you don't have room for a traditional desk, you can use a small table, a wall-mounted shelf, or even a bookcase to create a desk.
How do I maximize space on a small desk?

Maximize space by looking up! Mount shelves above a small desk to make the most of your space without cluttering the surface of an already-small desk.