How to Choose Your Secretary Desk

Secretary desks are so versatile that it is important to know what you want before looking for a secretary desk for your office space. There are 4 main questions to think about when making your choice.

1. Is it important that your secretary desk be functional as a piece of office equipment?

This is, perhaps, the most important thing to consider. While many older secretary desks are beautiful, they may be fragile or in need of refinishing or repair before they can really function as an everyday desk. You also want to consider whether you would want to use a very expensive antique secretary desk as an everyday writing place. Will you hyperventilate when an enthusiastic small child colors off the page and all over your beautiful writing surface?

2. What room is your secretary desk going to go in?

Secretary desks might traditionally be in a home office, but anywhere there is space, you could put one. In the living room, a bedroom…I have seen secretary desks live off of kitchens (where parents can supervise homework while fixing dinner), and even and old beaten up secretary desk in my grandfather’s workshop shed (all those drawers and shelves made perfect storage places for his tools!).

3. What size do you want your desk?

Once you know where you want to put it – measure out the dimensions for your desk. Do you want one that is very wide for a large writing surface? Now is the time to think about whether you want to have a storage armoire that traditionally sits atop a secretary desk. If your room has particularly low ceilings, this will make the desk seem even larger than it is.

4. What type of style do you want for your secretary desk?

From very ornate to minimalist shaker styles to modern lucite secretary desks, there is a style to fit every décor.

Read on to the next posts for more information on some of the different styles of secretary desks available.