It's ok, but it seems small to me. If I were doing a home office, I'd definitely want a larger work surface than that seems to provide and also more leg room. I would prefer drawer space and "modesty" panels as my work spaces can get messy and it's great to have a place to hide the mess.

Agree that the desk seems too small (not deep enough?) for the space (and that is an awesome space for an office BTW! Jealous!)

You house looks very lovely from the rooms you have shown. You said you like the Pottery Barn look and like things more traditional, so, to be honest, I am kind of surprised you bought that desk. It's pretty contemporary. It can definitely be work with traditional elements if you love it. I always start a room with something I love. I also find I am more successful, in the long run, if I do lots of planning.

You also said you like the idea of a glass top to keep the room airy, I get that. Your inspiration office has an open table-type desk to keep the space feeling lighter.

What will you actually be doing in the office? Not trying to be nosy, but I work at home and that desk would no where near cut it with me.

So perhaps this is a home office for paying bills and doing all the household record keeping. Possibly is still a bit light on storage. Like Annie, I like some space to hide my mess. Also, personally I don't like a glass top. Glass is a cold surface, it clangs when you put things on it. If you keep you will need a blotter to write. Again, it's personal but I like leg room, have really long legs, and I swivel quickly from right to left when I am working. I do not want to knock my knees on anything.

Have you worked out the furniture layout for the room? If you are going to be sitting at a desk working, what do you want to face? I like to look a window. But if you sit at a desk interacting with people you might want to give them the window view.

Will you have electronics on the desk, if so what are you doing about cords?

When we laid out DH's office, we put his desk in the "power" position, facing the door. This also gave him a view out the window and the window shines some light on his desk. You might think about having it face the double doors.

The 20" seems very narrow...that's less than even kitchen counters.

But I also think it's the glass. Esp in the shot from the DR where the table and chairs are substantial, I think I'd want the same feeling from my desk. Note in your inspiration pic how they used a wood table to give some weight to the room as well.

20" is very shallow for a desk. Even 24" would be minimum, I would think. 30" is a nice depth. Of course if you really don't have to spend a lot of time at that desk, it may be OK. I'm just thinking there isn't much room to spread out. I'm guessing that, while it's a desk, it's really meant for an entry hall or some other space that calls for such a shallow depth.

i don't think it's a problem to have two wooden pieces in a small room. You could 3ven have two very different finishes, painted and stained, for instance.

This is another one I was eyeballing just afraid it's too wide:

• 66.1"W x 28"D x 30"H

I love the desk, but it seems a departure from the look you want to achieve. Are you open to using a small dining table for a desk? Or do you need drawers?

The last one you posted is in line with the inspiration photos you shared and the look you are going for.

What paint color will you use? Are you sticking with what you have?

I think the 66" would be too wide...it wouldn't leave a lot of room to get around it. Perhaps something like this would be a better size and still give you that openness...

overstock desk

I would paint the desk a darker color and when you get the sideboard in there, that would add the weight the room needs. I am assuming the sideboard is going on the wall directly across from the French doors, and if so, I would keep desk turned the way it is in last pic.

If the glass cabinet is the desk, then no it is not big enough for a main desk. It could be a nice secondary desk.

Do you like touching glass on your hands and arms as you work? I have always preferred wood as my work surface ( and it does not show every little mark).

i would get a table that can grow really big should you need extra space for a really big project ( preferably with self contained leaves) and two two-drawer rolling file cabinets to put under either side of the table- presuming you need that much more space.

If the room is 10' and the desk is 4' that still leaves 3' to get around it on either side...or you could cheat it down closer to the window and leave more room on the door side. So both the credenza and the desk would be centered on the back wall when that door is open.

I think once you get a chair and get the desk set up and the sideboard is in place etc. it will look great! Stick with it if it is not your main desk. I think it will look beautiful!

Also, I like where you have it now facing the doors.

That would look great. I like the blue one too. What color are you painting your office?

I'm in the nay camp...it's very large, especially if you go with the glass desk you have. It also looks hard to move when you want to sit at the desk.

Just a few comments:

For desk size, it depends on how you work: I need to have a huge desk to spread out all my stuff, lots of papers. In contrast, DD uses no paper or actual books anymore, so she just bought a desk that's probably even smaller than yours.

Desk itself: If you find it too contemporary, I'd consider spray painting it a matte gold and/or then gold leafing it.

Also, looking at your inspiration pic, the glass desk may read to dainty, so I'd either get a larger wood table or if glass, a larger glass table.

IKEA hack below:

So I'm really struggling to find a good sideboard (mainly because of budget).

What do you think if I purchased antique one like this and then refinished it with chalk paint? I've seen people do that it and the end result is gorgeous! I just want to make sure the "look" would work well in my home considering it would be a Craigslist find and I'd be stuck with it once purchasing. I'm wondering if an older piece would throw a more traditional vibe into the room.

That desk is gorgeous! Great find! My area is Atlanta or Athens GA. Thank you!

So you see the desk as purely modern? Do you think it would look good with a traditional piece? My home is transitional in style I think.

Pretty room and I like your inspirations!

Not crazy about the desk. Too modern and too small. Especially, it looks too insubstantial to float in a room. A small desk is usually against a wall. What you could look for is a small outdoor dining table or even just the base, and buy a piece of glass or a white marble remnant. Do note, both are cold when you are cold surfaces on your forearm working at them. It can be a tad unpleasant in winter. Even a wooden library table or small dining table would work as desk, as long as it is open it should not look too cluttered.

I would look for a sideboard or armoire that you don't need to paint, unless you are experienced with chalk paint.

In re chairs, I would think long and hard before I bought an inexpensive chair at Homegoods to use at a desk. To me those chairs are for décor; ie to flank a sideboard or somesuch. They are rarely comfy because of their poor construction. For a desk, you really need something that feels good to sit in for an extended period. I have an off white duck tufted chair on wheels and it is very comfy without screaming "desk chair"

It's interesting because in pictures the desk takes up a nice portion of the room. I think it looks smaller because it's glass/see through - not sure. With the glass top on, it's 59"wide by 24" deep.

As I have it now, there is 4-1/2 ft clearance from the French doors.

On each side of the desk, approx 32" clearance.

Behind the desk, there is 6' clearance but I still need space there for a chair and sideboard.

Does that still sound too small?
Thanks again for help!
I attached the view from front door too.

Do you have a sideboard already? Why can't this take the place of the sideboard?

Craigslist is definitely the place to look for sideboards. You can find any style in very good quality furniture. You might start looking for something that you don't have to refinish, primarily because that's going to be more traditional. If you do end up with a piece you want to paint, you might pick up something inexpensive that will go in some unobtrusive room to get a feel for chalk paint, wax, etc. It's not hard to use by any means, but if you've not painted furniture before it would give you a piece to get comfortable with.

I think your glass top desk could fit with the traditional look if your chair and accessories are all in the mood that you want. But I agree with others that you need to ask yourself honestly how you work before you commit to such a narrow desk. I cover every surface of my office with books and papers! But if you're just pulling out a laptop as needed (and if you're a lot neater than I!) it could be fine.

Here's another thought just to throw out: is there space in the room to put a big comfy armchair and a reading lamp? Maybe a leather club chair, nice and traditional. Along with the sideboard, that would be a nice touch of natural materials to balance with the glass and metal of the desk, and it might be a nice additional use for the room.

To me, 24" deep seems a bit odd to float in a room. Usually desks/table that float would have more depth. DH and my kids and I only use laptops, but we all find narrow desks suboptimal. Esp floating, where it will be easy for things to drop off

The glass desk doesn't do anything for me, but how do your older kids feel about it? I work from home, so have a very nice computer armoire, and an incredible Hancock Moore leather 'Berwind' leather office chair from Craigslist. I paid $200 for that chair and it's like new. I'm in that chair as many as 17 hours a day and it's fantastic.

I think you want to 'stage' this room so it looks good. I'd be consulting the kids on the chair, now that we know it's mainly for their use. Since you currently have carpet in there, I'd want something on wheels.

Since you mentioned budget above, while looking for sideboards, I kept that in mind. This one was listed a month ago, but it looks good and has lots of storage space for $125. It's 22 wide x 72 long x 30 high, but since it'll be against a wall, maybe that's OK.

Sideboard

22 wide x 72 long x 30 high. "LEXINGTON" Secretary desk made in USA massive wood with leather top in mint condition. Free delivery

condition: like new
make / manufacturer: Lexington
model name / number: The Palmer Home Collection

Since the room is so prominent, you do want it to look nice. I like floating desks for that look. But, it does occur to me, than if they really are just surfing the net and don't need a big desk, then why not do it more like a library with two big comfy chairs and an ottoman?

My kids are of the generation that they don't use desks for Internet surfing or academic work, for that matter. So, yes to comfy seating, maybe a small laptop table.

What will the sideboard be used for? I would prefer bookshelves in an office. I also miss having a couch in my office, but that may not be the aesthetic you are looking for (I loved it for naps and when kids would come in and talk to me).

I wanted to comment on the desk size, as I also work from home, and my desk is not very deep. It is 22'x47', and I happen to like that size. I had it freefloating in our last house (my office was 12x12) and it was fine. I don't do much paperwork. I am a writer and editor, so everything is done on my laptop. I have a stackable file thing on one side. When I had room, I had a file cabinet for the notes and crap. A bigger desk would accumulate more stuff, I think.

3BP, Good morning! Are you keeping the glass desk? Everyone has gently advised that they think it's too small, and that your older children (how old are they?) are more likely to surf the net in comfy chairs.

You wrote in your first post above "I love the Pottery Barn look and like things a little more on the classic/traditional side. Don't want modern."

If we know that you are keeping the desk, although it's not like your inspiration pic in your first post, and this piece just above isn't like the one in your inspiration, you have a decor vision for the room, so that anything you like is sure to work in it. :-) Go for it!

I would probably see how the kids prefer to surf before finalizing choices for the furniture. I think the sideboard is a great idea for storage - can't go wrong with that idea. Looking forward to seeing how it all turns out!

Do you think this will work better with my home and add a painted sideboard in possibly a pop or color?

• Overall: 30" H x 60" W x 26" D
• 
  

That one is much nicer and a better size than the glass one.

Let me ask a question; How old are your kids who will be using this room, and how do they currently use their laptops? I ask only because I am getting the impression, which may be 100% incorrect, that the look of the room is more important that how the room works for them using it.

Once we learned that it was for your kids, I thought that only one of them can use the room at a time, if you go the desk and sideboard route. I loved nosoccermom's idea above, so that more than one child has a place to sit and surf at the same time. Or do they usually just use their laptops in their rooms or in the living or family room.

Do you think the kids will use this room? If not, I'd set it up any way that you'd like it to appear and feel for your vision.

Hi My3dogs! My kids are in middle and high school. We actually already have a "lounge" room in the house and a media room too so I really want this to be a small home office that is very pretty as it's right off the foyer. They don't use the laptop often as they have their own ipads for homework too.

Yes, looks is the priority as we do have plenty of space in our home to move the laptop around if need be. I just want an option to use it in that room. :)