Refine your workspace with our edit of contemporary home office desks to buy now, from multifunctional pieces to design classics, compact tables and simple desks that help keep your study organised

Touch Down Unit, by Studio Klass, produced by UniFor, home version distributed by Molteni&C

The best office design begins with a great desk. And the best home office desks feature an ergonomic design, well-considered proportions and the right amount of accessories. Whether you need a compact work surface for a small home study or a large bureau for a more expansive office, these contemporary desks are sleek and elegant, while functionality comes from features such as integrated USB ports and lighting, and discreet storage.

Conceived by some of the most celebrated creative minds and produced by some of world’s best furniture manufacturers, our selection of office desks includes historical designs, multifunctional workstations, essential furniture pieces and desks in bold colours.

Browse our pick of best office desks by contemporary makers

An elegant desk with functional details

Photography: Emanuele Tortora

Name: Romancier deskDesigners: David/Nicolas, for Carpenters Workshop GalleryPrice: on request

In true David/Nicolas fashion, the Romancier desk for Carpenters Workshop Gallery features exquisite details, from the oval purple leather top to the satinated brass hardware, and the ridged  curved legs in amaranto wood doubling as storage cabinets. Combining the functionality of a home office desk (such as the well-considered proportions, discreet front drawers and spacious cupboards on each side) with eclectic elegance, the Romancier desk is available in a limited edition of 8 pieces, and follows a large collection from the Beirut-based duo for the gallery, which demonstrated the studio’s design talent through an extensive collection of furniture made of stone and wood.

The exquisitely crafted small desk

Name: Treviso DeskDesigner: Matthew Hilton, for L. ErcolaniPrice: from £1885

This compact desk by Matthew Hilton combines a small footprint with intelligent design and honest craftsmanship. Available in ash or walnut, the desk features built-in drawers and a raised shelf, and takes up little space in the room thanks to the oblique legs and small desktop space. The design nods to Ercol’s history and modernist aesthetics, updated by Hilton for the modern workspace.

The historic office desk design reimagined for the future

Name: ’Petit Bureau en Forme Libre’Designer: Charlotte Perriand, reissued by Cassina Price: on request

Part of Charlotte Perriand’s freeform design experiments, Cassina’s ’Petit Bureau en Forme Libre’ was originally designed for her own Montparnasse studio. Perriand’s pioneering design approach is evident in the curved forms of the home office desk, allowing users to approach the piece according to their needs and allowing flexibility of use. The desk was an innovative design when it was first conceived in 1952, and remains a marvel of furniture design to this day. Made of solid Canaletto Walnut and available in a black version, Perriand’s desk design was discreetly updated with optional space for cables, combining its modernity with an added functionality.

Leather-bound office desk that combines Italian expertise with a Japanese aesthetic

Name: ‘Iren’ deskDesigner: Kensaku Oshiro for Poltrona FrauPrice: £4.150 + VAT

Designer Kensaku Oshiro was inspired by the Japanese concept of ‘iren’ ( indicating ‘an invisible but deliberate continuity between points, lines and characters’ in Japanese calligraphy), a motion that ensures complete harmony between symbols. The resulting office desk is a combination of harmonious lines and practical details. Thanks to a simple movement, the desk’s double surface can overlap to extend the workspace or create storage, and recharging and USB are discreetly concealed in a leather-bound metal box. The gently curved work surface is engineered for a more comfortable arm positioning, and the desk is also available in a wall-mounted version with fitted LED lighting.

A colourful office desk to create a working alcove at home

Name: ‘Akira’ bureauDesigner: Mathias Hahn for SchönbuchPrice: from €2,950

The ‘Akira’ home office desk by Mathias Hahn for Schönbuch is a bold piece of furniture that is both a functional workstation and a peaceful retreat. The compact surface can be extended to maximise deskspace, and the bureau includes storage compartments that can fit a laptop and notebooks, as well as a smaller case to fit pens and similar items. The desk is a sculptural statement piece whose elegant design is enhanced by the rich palette of matt painted finishes, which can also be customised to create bold, contrasting colour compositions.

The compact and versatile workstation that adapts to any environment

Photography: Amos Fricke

Name: ‘Touch Down Unit’ workstationDesigner: Studio Klass for UniForPrice: on request

This versatile office workstation adapts to any environment, from airport lounges and libraries to high-end offices and private studies. It sits on 360-degree swivel castors and offers a rich palette of colours and configurations, and compact storage space, as well as a modular walnut desktop, allowing you to work sitting or standing. A wired version comes with a flip-door hiding USB ports and a rechargeable battery, while wood and leather trays let you display your sharp stationery on the side cabinet (or hide it inside, if you are of a messier disposition).

The organic, modular table

Name: ‘POV’ tableDesigner: Kaschkasch for TonPrice: €7,493,53 (for ‘POV’ table 467)

Designed by Cologne-based studio Kaschkasch, and produced by Czech bentwood specialist Ton, the ‘POV’ collection of tables comes in two heights, three base types and six tabletop shapes, allowing for multiple configurations. The bases are made by joining three bent plywood forms, and the same process is used to produce a stackable conical stool. The collection is available in beech, oak and American walnut, and can be finished in various colours.

The mini office desk addition with space for plants

Name: ‘World of Plants Sideboard’Designer: USMPrice: £1,373.10

A design classic since its creation in 1965, the ‘USM Haller’ modular system is branching out with a new range featuring integrated plant pot cut-outs, allowing you to build a towering green wall or simple herb display around your desk. Not only is the contrast between the furniture’s metal grid and soft cascading plants aesthetically pleasing, but the greenery should also help reduce stress and boost creativity. The range includes panels in five sizes and 14 colours, pots in terracotta or basalt, and a discreet watering set.

The compact writing desk that fits anywhere

Name: ‘Harri’ writing desk SDesigner: Peter Fehrentz for More MoebelPrice: from €2,517

This compact writing desk is sleek and elegant while small enough to fit anywhere. Featuring a veneered tabletop available in walnut and oak, the table’s design is defined by a curved edge that results in a slim writing surface and a more generous side for a ribbed drawer and discreet flap for cables.