Comments on: Ask Unclutterer: Dual desks

By: anastasia.z-g

anastasia.z-g — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:12:29 +0000

I find third workplace really gorgeous. I love minimalism style – mix of black and white colours is really great, if anyone knows the designer of this desk, please send his/her name to my e-mail.

Yours truly,
Anastasia Z.-G.

anastasia.z-g@mail.ru

By: Emma

Emma — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:09:15 +0000

I just found a pic of an office earlier today that I thought was a brilliant use of shared space, http://www.marthastewart.com/a.....sc=cf_link
Love it!

By: twosandalz

twosandalz — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:40:47 +0000

If your space is long and narrow, try something like the third option. I used a rectangular kitchen table (long enough to seat 6) for several years set up like this, one person on each end. It left very little room for file, papers, etc, but forced me to evaluate my work habits. After a while, I didn’t mind the loss of space very much.

By: Thom

Thom — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 06:52:08 +0000

I would have a real problem with all of these, other than the final image with the bookcase acting as divider. They would only work (for me, anyway) with only one user at a time. Not that this makes a double desk setup redundant, since each person still wants their own, dedicated space.

But if I were working at the same time as a partner, there is no way I would want to sit opposite facing them without some kind of substantial divider so remove eye-contact and to diminish noise. That’s where some of the long side-by-side solutions seem more sensible. Or one that I’ve seen, where two people sit on opposite sides of the table but also at opposite ends, i.e. so when you look up you don’t look at your partner.

By: Eric

Eric — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:38:28 +0000

Our computer room has 2 of the same desk side by side, and it works out pretty well for us. Check it out, and please excuse the mess:

http://www.deskography.org/peo.....hotos/949/

By: Aliza

Aliza — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:30:45 +0000

My boss and I had a setup like that – one desk, two of us sitting opposite each other and it worked really really well. When we got bigger office space and we were able to have our own desks, we sort of missed being so close!

By: Another Deb

Another Deb — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:07:40 +0000

I visited the Flickr site of the desk in the first picture and was totally inspired by the setup UNDERNEATH that desk! My cables and connections have been a real mess but now I know what I will be doing to fix it! Thanks so much!

By: Giggles

Giggles — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:41:09 +0000

That last one looks like there’s a table coming out of the middle of a bookcase. Or a bookcase growing out of the middle of a table. I like that idea. And the baskets hanging on the end of it are brilliant.

By: Rue

Rue — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:45:03 +0000

Some friends of mine bought two of the same desk and put them back to back, with one end against a wall. Like the last picture, but without the bookcases. Their printer is at the end of the desks.

If you don’t have room for two desks, I’d try to find one big table and each of you use a lengthwise half of it (as in the first picture). The bonus for this is money – you wouldn’t have to buy a desk, necessarily. You could easily buy a folding table. Much cheaper than a desk

By: Sky

Sky — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:10:02 +0000

My husband and I moved our office home to cut expenses and we have them facing each other. We each have bookcases behind us and the copier at the end of the desks. It works great.
Love the pictures!

By: SavvyChristine

SavvyChristine — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:31:25 +0000

I love the setup in that last picture. If I had Mr. Savvy across from me while I was at the computer, I’d be distracted unless there was something like a wall in the way. Plus, the shelving would allow me to keep the stuff I need close at hand, and same for him.

By: Lauren Halagarda

Lauren Halagarda — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:16:04 +0000

Cory,
My husband and I have a similar set up to the first picture and it works great for us. We actually have a wall of Elfa shelving including a shelf at desk height and have centered a 3′W X 4 1/2′L desktop flush with the Elfa shelves (supported by 2 legs from Ikea and 2 file cabinets). This way office supplies are stored within reach on the shelves but the desktop is reserved as spreading out and work space.

We custom cut the desktop for us and our space b/c we wanted something as large as possible but yet not too large for the space. Plus, I had a difficult time finding a desktop that wide. The size we have gives us enough desk surface to spread out and leg room, too.

Good Luck!