3 Expert Tips To Choose A Floating Desk

Floating desks come in a wide range of types and styles, so be sure to browse through all of your available options before settling on a particular type and style.

Hanging floating desks

Hanging floating desks are generally compact models that protrude just enough to accommodate your laptop. They are a useful addition to any room and can also be used for dining, holding drinks or for decorative items when you're not typing away.

As hanging floating desks don't have any legs, they give the impression of a more spacious room. While they are aesthetically pleasing and provide a handy place to set things down, if you are very short on space or need a larger working area, then you would be better considering a fold-away floating desk.

Fold-away floating desk

Fold-away floating desks provide excellent space-saving solutions for small homes. They also prevent the clutter and build-up that you tend to get with a traditional desk, for an optimized, streamlined workspace.

When you are choosing your fold-away floating desk, there are two distinct types to consider.

Drop leave style

Firstly, you have styles that work like traditional drop leaves; you drop down your working area that floats from the wall-mounted base.

This provides you with a compact desk, where you will be facing the wall. Often these units are fairly narrow, making them a good choice for small rooms that tend to get a lot of traffic, so you can still work away and have plenty of space for other people to pass.

Fold-out style

The second type of fold-away floating desk folds down into a larger, conventionally-sized desk with an end piece that serves as a support leg.

This makes for a larger, better supported workspace, which can also serve for other purposes such as dining or craftwork. You sit at a right angle to the base station and have a much larger desk surface area at your disposal.

However, while these floating desks fold away to just a few inches, when in use they can hamper circulation in very small homes.

Floating desks with storage

Whether you opt for a hanging floating desk or a fold-away one, choosing a floating desk with storage is a smart way to keep your home organized.

• Shelves

  Even compact hanging desks are available with shelves, giving you a handy space to store paperwork and accessories. Fold-away models often come with shelves built into the wall unit for out-of-sight storage.

• Hutch

  Some fold-down floating desks have a hutch section with a variety of different compartments into which you can organize your work or letter writing equipment, as well as file paperwork or store computer and electronic gadget accessories.

  As your desk conceals this area when it's not in use it makes for a neat and tidy finish, with no visible clutter. 

• Cabinet

  Some more traditional-style floating desks resemble storage cabinets. They tend to be taller than hanging style models and often feature cabinets that are accessible even when your desk is not deployed. This makes this style of floating desk a great option for very small homes where you really need to maximize every inch of space.