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Thanks. I already did. :)

IMHO, a partners desk is less than optimal. Also, I think having it stick out into the room diminishes the open space every room should have. If this were my office, I would build in a long desk-like counter with cabinets or shelving above (and tall cabinets at the ends for hidden storage) on that 15 foot wall. The long counter would allow you to roll your desk chairs together to look at what you are working on, or you can have separate areas for separate things (like work on 2011 tax returns, writing, keeping tabs on your business, etc). Fifteen feet of "desk" counter space is not a lot of real estate for two people. And it gives you far more flexibility than a stand-alone desk. I would also put a large coffee table in front of the sofa so you can work together there as well. What a fun project. Please post your results!

Do you see clients in your home office? If not, why do you need a sofa? The work space should have priority. I have a large home office but have wood cabinets overhead and as a base, arranged as an L shaped counter topped with granite on 3 walls. Thats room for a computer, t.v. set, and at the end of the L is a sewing machine. The wood cabinets keep supplies neat and tidy, and I have a bookcase for reference material. I think thats the kind of office that cupofkindness had in mind. My husband can use it with me (altho he has a separate spot for himself in another room) If you have a sofa, somebody can come in and visit with you when you are trying to work. I'll have to take a photo if I can figure out how to load it. We use secretarial chairs at the desk.

No, we don't see clients in our home office. We don't need a sofa in there but thought it would be nice to have, so one person could relax on it while still thinking about work-related stuff. We do want the office to look formal or upscale, as it is right next to the conservatory where the grand piano is. There is no wall that separates these two rooms. I think wood cabinets with granite (or wood) countertops could look fabulous. We are going to look into that option.

I actually like it. My home office office has a corner desk with long credenza, but we also have a large (4 station) desk in the middle of the room, much like your partners desk. (My filing cabinet is in the closet, which needs dedicated time for filing since it isn't convenient to putting things away while sitting, which I would change for myself!) We also have a chair in the corner of the room, which also gets used when someone isn't in ''office'' mode. I'm relating to what is similar here in my space, because I know it works for us. I like the idea of a sofa in your office if you have the space for it, which you do. A table lamp at the wall end of your partners desk would look great. Good luck with your project.

I will chime in to say: please get really good-quality filing cabinets--by this I mean "ones with full-extension drawer slides that are really durable."

NOTHING will make it feel luxurious and efficient like those. Even if you have to buy office-looking ones and then have a carpenter built a shell to go around them.

My living room is 13x15, and I think you'd be okay w/ the desks sticking out--unless you have the option of a slightly shorter desk.
My only thing woudl be that in a true *working* office, I want a computer space that's separate from the "lay out papers and a notebook" space.

And it would annoy the heck out of me to be facing someone, esp. my husband (much as I love him, bcs his work habits are very different from mine), so I wouldn't want a partner desk at all.

claire_de_luna,

It's good to know a similar layout works great for you! I was concerned it might look great on my drawing paper, but not practical in real life. I wrote down your suggestion about the table lamp. :) Thank you.

talley_sue_nyc,

We went with a slightly shorter but deeper partners desk, which is 76'' long and 50'' deep, so hopefully it will stick out less (6'' less).

We ordered it 2 days ago, and it won't be here until 6-8 months later, but I will keep your quality suggestion in mind when looking for a filing cabinet (or a credenza).

We are going to put the two 30'' monitors in the center of the desk, back to back, so my husband and I will be facing the screen, instead of each other. :)

About separating papers/notebooks from the computer space -- we are very unorganized at the moment.. we lay out papers on our current temporary desks, as well as on the kitchen counters where the counter stools are.. How to organize papers better is definitely something we should figure out soon.