The partners' desk is a form that you see more often available as an antique than as a contemporary piece. It's an extra-deep desk (often 5' - allowing 30" of depth for each "partner") that seats two facing one another:
We love the setup of a partners' desk, as it allows you to sit face-to-face with your significant other in a home office or your business partner at work. Which, in turn, allows for casual meetings, conversations, and the sharing of some important things like a power source (which could come up through the center of the desk) and space (two desks in one saves space!).
We've used this setup in the workplace before and, while we just extolled its positive attributes above, we also learned its negatives in our own experience. We were assigned to a partner. It can feel uncomfortable sitting face-to-face with an almost stranger at first. We did, however, get to know one another faster than if we'd been sitting with our backs to one another.
Partners' Desks shown above:
1. From Abbey Nova's Sneak Peek on Design*Sponge
2. From a 1920's home on House Beautiful
3. The DK-28 Desk by Antoine Proulx at CustomMade
4. Building Your Own Double-Sided Desk on Small Furnish
5. A woodworker's post about creating a partners' desk on Dorset Custom Furniture
Do you love a partners' desk as much as we do? Ever used one for work at home or the office?
Images: Design*Sponge, Victoria Pearson/House Beautiful, CustomMade, Small Furnish, Dorset Custom Furniture
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I *love* the table-through-the-bookcase idea. What a great idea as homework/craft station for little ones!
Looking at number five I have to wonder why the postioning of the drawers isn't switched on one side. Being able to see your partner is one thing, but do you really want to play footsies with them?
I like the idea of a partner's desk (and picture #4!), but it won't work in the office we're planning, sadly.
I'd like a partners desk for interviewing in a small office where I don't have room for a separate table and chairs.
@Sprklberie on the matter of footsie....it all depends on your partner!
I love no. 4. Wish I'd had this in the old condo. Would've been perfect.
How does this save more space than two desks next to each other? In which case the power source could still go between them. It depends a little on the dimensions of the space, but I'd think the side-by-side alignment is generally more space-saving.
... are you still using the royal we? >.>
i had a partners' desk in college--school issued furniture. it would have been great--if my roommate and i had gotten along. we spent the majority of our time pushing things that belonged to the other back across the imaginary middle line.
I bought a vintage partners' desk from the 30's a few months ago, and thought "partner's" referred to a partner in a law firm... like an executive desk! Oops! Glad to know now what it really means.
My boss and I share a partner's desk at work...much rather share one with my husband at home. Actually, I think I'd just rather have my own quiet office or cubicle at work.