You don't need to be Mr. Money Bags to afford stylish home office furniture. Whether you're straight out of college with hardly any funds, a must-have-design-at-any-cost, or somewhere in between, there are lots of options when it comes to outfitting your home office with the basics - a desk to write on (or compute) and a chair to plop our behinds. We explore some great options for both ends of the spectrum.
Okay, so we're not talking Hellman-Chang money for the high end, but let's say our high budget is perhaps a grand and low is a few hundred. What kind of options do we have for setting up our new home office?
DESK:
High: We love the Crate & Barrel Strut Work Table ($799) (shown at left above) so much so that we use it ourselves. Its huge glass surface floating on an angular wood frame is great for that minimalist look. We're also digging the Blue Lounge StudioDesk XL ($599.95) for its Herman Miller on a budget look. For a true classic we'd jump to the George Nelson Swag Leg Desk (1,949).
Low: The Ikea Besta Burs ($269) (shown at right above) is a popular choice among Apartment Therapy readers and writers, and its long length makes it suitable for two as well.
CHAIR:
High: The Herman Miller Aeron (from $600) (shown above right) has been an iconic work chair for generations. With its focus on ergonomics creating a visual aesthetic that has long been copied. Get a true original with an Eames Management chair ($1,839) but boy is it expensive, especially when you consider the alternatives.
Low: You could pop into any office supply or cheap furniture store and find yourself an "ergonomic" office chair. Chances are the cheap plastic bits and construction will fail soon enough. But for a couple of hundred you can actually get yourself a decently comfortable chair. For example a Tempur-Pedic mesh chair ($280) provides great comfort and support for those long hours you're likely to be sitting in one spot. If you don't mind knockoff designer furniture, you can always try an AG Management Chair ($219) (above left) for the classic Eames look at a fraction of the price.
Images: Crate & Barrel, Ikea, AG Management, Herman Miller
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Am I the only one who finds the Aeron chair wildly uncomfortable? My parents have them in their upstairs home office. I think they are gorgeous and obviously well made, but their comfort seems a bit overstated to me.
Also, "home office furniture for every budget" devoid of options below $200 is a bit rich.
If you've saved up $, there are so many great contemporary and modern classics for office furniture. The best way to find nice design on the cheap is to go vintage. Vintage desks can look fantastic and are usually in good shape. I found two McCobb Planner desks for less than half the price of one from someplace like Restoration Hardware because I hunted around.
The fake Eames management chair reminds me of the "reproduction" discussion yesterday. They always look horrible and reaching to my eye. If you want an Eames Aluminum Group chair, hunt vintage or save up for it.
The expense of things are really relative. Daily Starbucks drinks are an incredible rip-off. $4 gasoline is not, as its subsidized, and driving is heavily subsidized by walkers, cyclists, and mass transit users. Herman Miller products are made in the USA of licensed designs by highly-regarded designers. Well-made furniture in your home may be worth saving for. Its expensive if you want the "look" "NOW."
Can anyone recommend a basic desk with a keyboard pullout that looks decent and doesn't take up too much space? Thanks!
I have an Aeron chair at work and would not change it. The confort is not alway visible at first. But you're simply better in the long run when you sit all day in this chair. Your posture is better. If like me, you're seated more than 6 hours a day, that makes 1500 hours a year seated. I don't think the 900$ I payed for mine is overated. And they are guaranteed 7 years. Mine broke (I'm heavy) and they did repair it within a week, all shipping included. That's good service.
51DESKS, what's your budget? I love the Crate & Barrel Loop Spotlight desk for $500
There is no having a conversation with Miller true believers. *sigh*
@GIRL & LAMP: me, too. I had an Aeron for years at work but down it to be downright uncomfortable for any length of time, not so much the mesh part but the hard plastic edges/outside.
Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way!
I had an Aeron at my old job. It was OK, but didn't seem like anything special. I currently use a vintage Eames aluminum group leather chair (the more padded version) that I found on eBay that I love. It cost less than many new options and is even more comfortable than the brand new ones I sat on at a store before I bought my chair.
Is there such a thing as a "Miller true believer?" Herman Miller is a huge maker of cubicles, who also manufactures some contemporary artful and classic designs. I personally have no affinity for HM the furniture company. I like some of their products, though. I've always thought the Aeron Chair to be inelegant, but I've never sat in one.
I *am* a fan of companies that decide to go-it with US manufacturing, and I'm happy to pay more to support them.
Any chair is uncomfortable if it, the desk height, keyboard, mouse and monitor position are not adjusted specifically for you. Ergonomics is not just a product label, it's the science of appropriate distances between surfaces and components and the human frame.
You can wreak havoc on your body equally in a $900 or $200 chair adjusted improperly. For that reason I would also suggest an adjustable-height desk, regardless of price.
Anybody have any suggestions for a well designed thin desk? The Ikea Besta Burs desk would be nearly perfect, but it's too long ...and wouldn't mind something a bit more well made then Ikea (no offense to Ikea stuff). I'm looking for a desk that falls somewhere in the at max 52" wide, and anywhere from 14" to 23" deep.
I have asked the same question as @VIEARCAL and got a couple of useful suggestions. It's important to have some kind of pull-out for a keyboard, and the Crate & Barrel desk mentioned above comes in a 48" version, 22 inches deep. I'm looking for something with lots of empty space underneath, so the only disadvantage of that desk is the crossed leg supports. Otherwise it would fit the bill.
Thanks for the suggestions! Still looking . . .