Another option would be to do a built in slide out bench sort of thing like the images below. What are your thoughts on this?

My goal is to have an efficient command center for messages, laptop, paper shredder, school papers, mail organization, etc.

Thanks again!

Here is another idea - slide out desk. Like the flip down desk, where does the chair go when the desk is not being used?

This post was edited by lzhwong on Sun, Mar 31, 13 at 14:46

My kids do homework using the computer at the kitchen desk. My 13 yo has his own lap-top and uses it his room. My 10 year old is too young to have his own lap-top. I am not willing to let him use it without our supervision. Kitchen desktop has been the best solution.

My husband uses his lap-top while sitting on the couch. I often use the desk top in the kitchen.

If you have kids, you have to think about where they will be using the computer for several years until they have their own that you are willing to let them use without supervision.

Because we use our desk top many hours a day, I did NOT want to have an area where I would not be able to store the chair easily. I have a traditional desk area.

Many families I know have a traditional looking desk area near the kitchen or the family room where the kids are allowed to use the computer.

Additionally, you need a place to store the printers (we have a color laser and a b/w laser that is combined fax/scanner/copier), shredder, paper, pens/pencils etc. We decided to bite the bullet and buy a color laser to 'do' the school projects. I was driving to Kinkos way too often.

I have matching cabinets (referred to as his and her caves)
Each has a pull out work surface and storage - I have not bought chairs yet - but probably will get something that can fold
Ours are too high to use with a standard chair - so pay attention to the work surface height.

Most computer desks are 29 inches from the floor.

Do you have island or peninsula seating? If so you might consider a counter height desk like clergychick's. If you do a pullout, drop-down, or enclose it in doors, the extra stool can sit at your island or peninsula when not in use. Or, you can keep it open like she did and just use it as extra counter space when not in use. It would be perfect as a buffet or beverage area.

Here's some info clergychick had posted about her desk: "Our kitchen desk area is command central in our house. We decided to keep it at counter height and have no regrets. During parties, it is cleared off and becomes the beverage station. We have a strip of plugmold under the upper cabs, phone line and cable line come directly into the box above."

Here is a link that might be useful: source link

ICFGreen has a very nice command center, linked below. It's a little bit bigger than what you are planning, but there still might be some helpful info on their blog details of the unit.

Our computer is housed in an antique secretary desk in our dining room. The printer lives in a base cabinet nearby, with a window-seat bench in between the two that houses our file drawers as well as a lift-up top so that we can get at the outlet hidden behind the drawers.

The secretary desk is just across the way from our dining table so that we can swing a chair around to work at the desk, and then tuck it under the table when not in use.

Is your command center near island or peninsula seating, perhaps? If so, you could put the desk at counter height (nice for quick standing work) and pull up a bar stool for longer tasks.

We've set up computers in closets before, which is great for hiding the clutter. What's not so great is the feeling of working inside a box. (Up for a little mock-up in a spare closet before building?) But it's sooo nice to close the door and have everything disappear, so it might be worth the trade-off. A backless stool could slide under the desk so that you could close the doors and have the stool tucked inside.

Here is a link that might be useful: What a command center!