Does it have to be a "proper" desk? If you have a nice (and big) enough dining room table, you could use it to work on when you must while you have office supplies (beautifully concealed/contained) in reach. I like dual-functioning pieces. maybe bringing a desk home will eat up floor space you can't afford to lose (although I have to say, that expanding desk above is fantastic).

I have a similar desk from West Elm called the Jay desk and I love it. My MacBook slides away out of sight when I'm not working which is such a great feature.

http://www.westelm.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=17001&langId=-1&catalogId=17002&viewSetCode=E&partNumber=WE-PRODf355&retainNav=true&parent_category_rn=&cmsrc=SCH&parentId=jay desk

I need a desk that has space to spread out papers and books beside my laptop. I'm trying to do more in all-electronic mode, but I'm not there yet. Luckily, we have a spare bedroom for a guest/craft/home office room.

wow, that Container Store desk is exactly the same as the Jay desk from West Elm, which I have and love. Small, expandable, good looking - highly recommended!

I also have the West Elm desk for my home office, and I LOVE it! I actually found it used on craigslist, then spruced up with a new paint job, glass tops for the surfaces, and a new pull. It's a perfect workspace, and everything rolls back in to hide away. Seconding RLW, highly recommended!

I have the Jay Desk - I do love it, however my only complaint is that the finish has not held up. It's easily scratched and has worn in areas. I've had it for several years, so it really just needs to be painted.

I have the Jay desk as well, but after hitting myself with the abrasive pull, i replaced it with a curved one from Ikea.

I've seen the one at the container store, and DAYUNM... it looks so very similar, it's scary.

Personally, I think my iMac looks wonderful on the desk... and doesnt feel like an office at all!

-Ruth

If the OP doesn't want their space to look like an office - then they shouldnt get a desk.

A drop-lid office cabinet like the Sukiya or Linear from Room and Board, would provide plenty of storage and workspace - and close up when work-time is over.

http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/category.do?method=get&id=40

Even a traditional drop-front Secretary from Craigslist or local Flea markets would be a great solution if there are significant budget constraints.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/fuo/869250255.html

It depends on what you mean by "not like an office". Do you want something that just looks like a table? Something that hides out of sight? Something that doesn't have much visual impact?

I find that a lot of desks are too deep for what I need. A console table is sometimes plenty of surface area, and it takes up less space. There are lots of options out there. If you're just going to use a laptop and you don't have lots of books or papers, you could even go with something crazy like the clear Peekaboo console from cb2. (But keep ergonomics in mind - desk height is important.)

What about a table and a mobile pedestal.
Also, I have low bookcases under my window with bins to store my supplies and to keep my reference books and the top surface houses my printer and its my additional workspace.
My table is too big for my office because it was once my dining room table its a le corbusier lc6 dining table and I cannot depart with it. I would rather have the white parson desk from Cb2 or west elm I think they both look smart and simple more of a table than a desk.

I do like working from a table rather than a real desk its less constrictive. The only problem is if you are a stacker or pile maker a table makes it easier to do so. I clean everything off ever three days.

I run my business out of my home office and it will never be a show place like some of the pictures I see here, but I have great natural light in there and lots of orchids so have a table in the middle of the room looks less like an office.

I liked these post, depending on how much space you have floating a desk in the middle of the room may not be an option, the second picture has a table up agaist the wall and using a rail to store odds and ends..I loved this idea.
-http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/fall-colors-2008-midwest/midwest-7-zohrehs-antidepressant-color-065455?image_id=6411

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/inspiration/inspiration-leahs-dining-room-workspace-064627

I am thinking about getting the Ashford Desk from West Elm. I haven't seen it in person, it is only online, but it looks like it could work as a desk but also close up and be a nice looking not-desk.

Link:
http://www.westelm.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?partNumber=WE-PRODf678&storeId=17001&langId=-1&catalogId=17002&viewSetCode=E&parentId=WE-SH1FRNSKS&retainNav=true&cmsrc=WE-SH1FRNSKS

You may just want to use a regular table - check here - http://www.exoticaunique.com/products/index.php?cid=6