You don’t have a home office, and you need to put a desk in your bedroom.
So, how do you determine where to put the desk in the bedroom to create a dedicated workspace without letting work ruin your sleep?
Read on to learn more.
Is a Desk in the Bedroom a Good Idea?
An office space separate from the bedroom is the best option for keeping work, study, and rest separate. But sometimes, you don’t have room to put a desk anywhere else in your home.
When you have to put a desk in bedroom spaces, you can arrange it so as not to disrupt your sleep schedule and tempt you to work when you should be doing other things.
After all, a desk in your bedroom is still better than working or studying in bed.
7 Ways to Put a Desk in Your Bedroom
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There are a limited number of places in one room where you can put a desk or any large piece of furniture. The size of your bedroom will determine whether a placement will work for you or not.
Sometimes you’ll have to put the desk in an inconvenient place because there isn’t another space available.
We’ll look at every placement so you can figure out the best place to put a desk in your bedroom. We’ll also cover how to tweak your desk so that the arrangement works as well as possible.
1. Across the Bed
If you have room to put the desk against the opposite wall as your bed, this placement has several advantages.
You can position the desk facing the wall (or a window if there is one) or put your back closer to the wall and face the bed if your room is big enough.
One reason to face the room and the bed is to enjoy your bedroom décor.
A tidy room with a lovely comforter on the bed and pleasing décor on the walls can create a calm and pleasant environment for your work. If your room doesn’t make you feel peaceful, a desk facing the wall to limit distractions could be better.
2. Next to the Bed
It isn’t ideal to place a desk (that represents working) next to a bed (that represents sleeping). However, if you have to put the desk next to the bed, you can still arrange your bedroom office in a way that works best for you.
If you can put a barrier between the desk and your bed, it’ll draw a stronger line between the two purposes of the room.
A rolling or stand-alone privacy screen with a design that matches your décor can provide a barrier and add something pretty to the room.
3. Against One of the Side Walls
Desk placement against a wall on the left or right when you’re in bed can work well.
The desk won’t be so close that you could reach out and touch it, and it’s not your focal point when you look across the room from the bed.
4. Facing a Window
Some room layouts make it impossible to avoid putting your desk in front of a window or part of a window. You might also prefer a window view to facing a wall or facing the room.
If your desk has to be in front of a window, center it rather than let it block part of the window. Also, make sure you can easily close the shade or curtains to avoid things like sun glare or distractions.
5. In the Corner
If you have a free corner in the room, a corner desk can be an ideal place to put a desk in bedroom spaces.
If your room is large enough, a privacy screen or some other barrier that blocks the corner from view when you’re not using the desk can help establish that corner as your office space.
6. In the Closet
If you have more room in your closet than in the rest of the room, or you can make room in there, consider putting a desk in your closet.
You can install a shelf at desk height and use a stool or low chair that can roll into the closet when you’re not using it. You can also use a chair that you keep in the bedroom if you prefer not to keep it in the closet.
7. Somewhere Hidden
Where to put a desk in bedroom spaces if you want to hide it away but don’t have room to set one up in your closet? You have a few options.
Portable Desks
Portable desks, also called mobile desks, are on rollers, so you can move them from place to place. These desks aren’t for storage since they’re typically just a flat surface to use at seated or standing height, or both.
If you’re short on working space, you can roll the desk into the room and sit on the bed or stand to use it, then move it into another room for storage when you’re not working.
Small rolling platforms big enough for a laptop might be able to serve as a portable desk in your bedroom, too. You might be able to roll this into your closet even if a permanent closet desk doesn’t work.
A Desk Behind a Partition
Whether you put up a corner desk or place it against one wall, any partition, like a privacy screen, serves as a line of demarcation between your office space and your bedroom.
The more you can hide the desk, the better the chance of achieving a good work-life balance.
When you see your desk every time you’re in the bedroom, you might start to feel like you should always be working. A privacy screen, rolling partition, or another barrier can help prevent that.
Roll-Top or Secretary Desks
Old-fashioned roll-top desks had a curved door that you could roll down to close the top of the desk and hide whatever was on its surface. Secretary desks are similar but usually have a straight door.
These desks are vintage styles, so if your bedroom décor is modern with glass and metal, it might be a challenge to find a closing desk like this to fit into the room’s look. Otherwise, a desk that closes offers a barrier without the need for a partition.
Murphy Desks
Murphy desks have a large frame that attaches to the wall and closes up to hide the desk away, much like a Murphy bed that folds up into a wall space when you’re not using it. Typically, these desks look like a cabinet on the wall.
You can fold the desk surface down to use it when you open the cabinet.
Unlike a floating desk that’s usually just one surface that folds up and down, a Murphy desk has an enclosed space when you fold it up where you can store office supplies and some small equipment.
Fold Out Wall-Mounted Desks
These desks are like Murphy desks but with a design that folds out into a flat surface and bracing support that goes to the floor.
Murphy desks don’t usually have support and only require a wall mount. Fold-out desks mount to the wall and fold down in a small ‘h’ shape.
They usually have compartments in the wall-mounted part for supplies and storage. All wall-mounted desks are a good option if you have limited space for a traditional desk in your bedroom, but you have wall space and can roll a chair there to work.
Things to Consider
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Putting a desk in your bedroom can work well if you keep a few principles in mind.
- If you can hide your desk away in a closet when you’re not using it, this option will keep the best line between your work and resting space and time.
- Keep your room tidy for a more relaxed and less distracting work environment. You’ll sleep better in a clean room, too.
- If you can clear your desktop or at least keep it organized, the room will feel better when you walk into it.
- Put away paperwork or other items when you’re not using them. You’ll feel less like you need to be working every time you’re in the space if the work is out of sight.
- Don’t be afraid to rearrange your bedroom to make a desk work. You can also get a Murphy bed that folds into the wall or a smaller bed if you need more space.
- If you rearrange the room or change your bed, be sure you don’t give up any comfort to add a desk.
- Your bedroom should be a haven where you can sleep, relax, and recuperate from the day. Try to keep your desk in line with that theme of relaxation by adding a green plant or a photograph to blend it into the more personal space of your bedroom.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about where to put a desk in bedroom spaces.
How far should a desk be from a wall?
If you have a lamp, computer, or anything that needs to plug into an outlet on the desk, you’ll want to put it about 3 to 6 inches from the wall to allow room for cords in the back.
If you don’t need room for the cords and you have enough legroom, a half-inch should be enough to keep the desk from scuffing the wall.
What is a floating desk?
A floating desk is a surface attached to the wall that you use as a desk. The design is like a floating shelf that doesn’t have visible brackets. Some floating desks fold up against the wall as a space-saving feature when you’re not using them.
Should you place a desk in front of a window?
Some people will find a window view distracting, while others enjoy seeing the outdoors while working. Whether the placement will work for you is something you have to determine.
Many people prefer a window to their side rather than in front of their desk. This placement allows them to look out when they want to without being distracted all the time.
What is a feng shui bedroom?
A feng shui bedroom is a room placement and décor that follows the principles of feng shui. This philosophy focuses on the peacefulness and flow of a room with specific colors and furniture placements.
One of the rules is that you should never sit with your back toward a door or window, so avoid that at your desk if you want a feng shui bedroom.
Should you put your desk in a bedroom?
If you can avoid putting your desk in the bedroom, you should. But if you need to do work in your room, keeping it separate from the rest of the room can help.
If you can put the desk in a closet or behind a partition, it’s less likely to disrupt the atmosphere of your bedroom.
So, Where to Put a Desk in a Bedroom?
Even if you have to put a desk in your bedroom, you can still enjoy aesthetic bedroom décor and a peaceful place to rest.
The top considerations are striking a balance between a dedicated workspace and catching up on proper sleep without distractions.
We hope you found some ideas that will help you put your desk in bedroom spaces in a way that works best for you and your room.