Tiny apartments, home offices: tight spaces call for adjustable desks

Shrinking apartments and tiny homes require creativity in work from home offices. Furniture that transforms – like stand-up desks – make it work.

In Chicagoland, the average studio apartment measures 466 square feet. But developments in New York, Seattle, and San Francisco are testing the demand for micro-units. These are as small as 220 square feet, very often situated in the most popular parts of town – and they may be coming to the Windy City sometime soon.

Now, imagine home offices in these small spaces. It is possible, and they can be ergonomic. It just takes a little imagination.

Proponents of the downsized living spaces (some call them “sleeping rooms,” “micro-lofts” and “metro suites”) say they enable people to live close to work, particularly in downtown areas, as well as other life amenities such as clubs, restaurants, coffee shops, large urban parks, and fitness centers. A Seattle-based developer told USA Today that his company already has built and fully rented six buildings with 40-60 units each. Where a standard-sized studio rents for $1200 in that city, these mini-sized apartments rent for $600-$900 each.

Consider also the phenomenon of “tiny homes,” as well as kitchen offices in average- to large-sized homes. Both generally place limits on home office space.

What’s noteworthy is how so many of these apartments can also double as work-study spaces for students, for independent contractors in the creative class, for individuals with flextime from their employers, and for entrepreneurs. Indeed, work from home options are offered by many employers today. Given the extra space required for desktop computers and a desk, is that even possible in smaller living arrangements?

In short, yes. But as with all things micro the furniture has to be flexible and adaptable. For example, many have beds that fold up into sofas, and tables that either nest or stow away under counters. One resident of Chicago Flats, a developer/landlord firm that is renovating vintage buildings with 300-square-foot apartments, told Curbed Chicago that he built a bed loft to free up floor space. A photo in the article shows about 9 square feet of this unit are dedicated to a computer workstation.

A height-adjustable desk would be ideal for this apartment. With so little room to roam, a person working in this environment needs the best ergonomics available to improve productivity, including what he or she could get with a sit-stand desk. Further, the adjustable desks can serve multiple functions at different times of day: as a dining table (lower position), but a standing-desk table for portions of the working or study day. It might even be adjusted and positioned for laptop-streamed video entertainment one would watch from a sofa or bed, wherever that might be.

There are several options on the market to accommodate this small-home versatility:

Laptop Standup Desk - By pulling a lever, the desk rises from a 28-inch height to as high as 41 inches. Because it’s also on wheels (which lock), the adjustable height desk can be moved around for storage or an alternative use such as breakfast nook or movable TV stand.

Adjustable Standing Desk - With four programmable positions, this desk can support up to 300 pounds, making it also adaptable to changing needs.

Standing Desk Converter - With four programmable positions, this desk can support up to 300 pounds, making it also adaptable to changing needs.

Each of these home office solutions is consistent with the advice doled out by HGTV. In an article titled “Live and Work in a Small Space,” the iconic shelter media organization interviews author/architect Sarah Susanka (“Not So Big House”) who suggests alcoves and converted closets make for good office space. Aesthetically, she suggests using a strong color on one wall, which has the optical effect of increasing the perception of space. Other advice from her includes maximizing natural light and the use of rolling carts for office supplies. The website urges use of ergonomic chairs and a wall for a library that helps organize reference materials. A ceiling-hung curtain or a screen might be used to temporarily separate office functions from the rest of the home.

If you have any questions about ergonomic furniture and accessories, feel free to give us a call at 888-404-2136 or use our contact page.