There comes a moment for many of us when we’re decorating our homes, when we have to choose between form and function. Do we go with the pretty version of what we need or the one that works the best/is the most comfortable? Well, as I established in the first part of this “From Gross to Good” series on recliner sofas, we increasingly have more options (maybe “Gross to Gotta-Have-It? I’m still workshopping here…) so we aren’t stuck with a Rosemary’s Baby-type choice.
This week, we’re tackling something I myself am possibly on the hunt for: an adjustable standing desk. Earlier this year, I established in this post that I really wanted to incorporate a compact vintage secretary desk into my bedroom in order to use a big open space in there as an occasional office when I need more quiet. But after some more thought on the matter, I wondered if I should take a different approach entirely. A standing desk is tempting to me as I try to get more movement into my life in as many organic ways as I can. A friend of mine has a walking pad under her standing desk, and I liked the idea of doing the same.
While some of this is anecdotal, people I know who have a sit-to-stand desk claim the following pros:
- More alertness
- Better productivity and creativity
- Improved posture
Some things *have* been studied, and if you have the patience to read through this one from the National Institute of Health, the conclusion is, at the very least, a standing desk can help with acute lower back pain, though it could aggravate lower extremity pain, such as knee pain. Guess we can’t have it all.
Keep in mind, though, that if you’re using a standing desk at home, where, say, you normally work barefoot (like me…or in slippers), it’s important to have supportive footwear. I recently bought an indoors-only pair of training sneakers for my workouts I do in my bedroom, so you may need to consider something similar unless you’re not a shoes-off household.
The promise of less back pain might just be enough for anyone who has ever suffered from it ::raises hand:: I’m sure increased blood flow from going from sitting to standing often throughout the day would also be beneficial to those of us (again, raises hand) who constantly have parts of our bodies tingling from falling asleep.
One of the biggest “cons” of a standing desk? The cost. While I did find a handful, including the one shown above, to be south of the $500 mark, most were $1,000-$2,000, or even upwards of $4,000-$5,000 for more executive styles. The mechanism to lift and lower the desks has to be slow, smooth, and adjustable for different worker heights, which equals $$$. Oh, and don’t be fooled by some of the pretty styled room photos you see on product listings. If you don’t see a power cord, they’re just not showing it to you. Adjustable standing desks need a power source, so they must be plugged in. That’s fine for anything flush to the wall, but if you have a floating desk in your home office, you’ll need to account for that.
Curious how these look “open” and “closed”? This desk above is from Room & Board (don’t worry, I linked it below in the round-up), and below it’s engaged in its standing position. It takes just a few seconds to go from sit to stand. Most of these desks raise the working surface up via a lift mechanism, while a few lift solely from the bottom of the legs (these tend to look less high-tech).
While this article is “gross to good” in terms of style, the main intention was to find adjustable standing desks you wouldn’t look at and immediately think of Silicon Valley offices, but I did include some more contemporary versions in case that aligns with your home’s modern style. I split up the round-ups into decorative and utilitarian, depending on what you were looking for. Let’s start with the pretty stuff.
12 Great-Looking Standing Desks
All but one of these go from sit to stand with the push of a button. These are great for anyone who wants to fit a desk into their home that looks more like a traditional desk. Yes, you’ll have the cord to deal with, but for the most part, you get something that doesn’t scream I PLUG IN!
Top row, from left:
- Geiger Leatherwrap Sit-to-Stand Desk, from $3,995 at Design Within Reach: Fancy materials like walnut and leather often mean fancy price tags. The details on this one are likely much better in person. You can pick between three wood finishes and a multitude of leather color options (the green is so sharp). It has four concealed motors and you can choose to get it with no drawers—like shown here—one drawer, or two (you’ll see that one below).
- Tate 50″ Walnut Wood Standing Desk with Drawers, $500 at Crate & Barrel: The only non-motorized standing desk of the bunch, so you’ll have to commit to standing here. It almost looks like just a pretty bookshelf, and would work great in a bedroom or living room as an occasional work surface.
- Louise Mid-century Modern Electric Adjustable Standing Desk with Wireless Charging, $1,699 at Hulala Home: The more I look at this one, the more I think it kind of looks like E.T. BUT it’s also a cute E.T. It has integrated charging so you can just plug your devices into the desk, and also has a flip-top charging port in the back to hide the outlets.
Bottom row, from left:
- Athena Standing Desk, $1,732 at Rove Concepts: The fluted legs on this one are beefier than a Taco Bell Chalupa, but in the right room, it’s a cool vibe. It’s also just big in general, at about 63 inches wide and 31 inches deep. The top has cable management holes to organize desktop and monitor cords, and the buttons are easy to find right up front.
- Soan Adjustable Desk, $370 at Fezibo: Look, I’ve never heard of this brand, and I do wonder why this desk is so vastly less expensive than all the others, but the reviews were good so I’m including it for the price point. You can get it in two different sizes and choose between white and black legs.
- Wright Natural Wood Adjustable Desk, $995 at Living Spaces: This one is a little bit of a mullet. Business at the bottom, party at the top, but I still think it’s a good option. It has a drop-down keyboard key and the drawers have lots of options for dividing into compartments.
Top row, from left:
OE1 Sit-to-Stand Table, from $1,545 at Herman Miller: It’s like a little bistro table but with sit-to-stand functionality! So clever and cute. Pick between several top and base colors; it’s even available square. I love this for a home office that’s not shut away behind a door.
Mid-Century Adjustable Desk (36″), $649 at West Elm: This mid-century design is a best-seller for West Elm, and I love to see it in an adjustable desk. It’s super compact (one of the smallest in my findings), which is perfect for fitting right next to a bed or just for general small-space living. The top comes up manually, unlike the other electric ones here, but under that work surface is storage for all your office supplies and laptop to tuck away at the end of the day.
Veritas 360-Degree Rotating Desk Electric Adjustable Standing Desk with Flip-Top Lid, $2,499 at Hulala Home: Similar to the other E.T. desk I showcased earlier, but with a side component for anyone who needs tons of tabletop space. It swivels 360 degrees to adjust to your needs, has a sedentary warning to remind you when it’s time to stand, and has a big storage cabinet for books, printers…anything you’ve got.
Bottom row, from left:
Lincoln Adjustable Standing Desk, from $4,499 at Room & Board: This is a proper, beautiful executive desk that also happens to be an adjustable standing desk. It’s THE most expensive one on the list, but Room & Board makes a very high-quality product, so if it’s in the budget and you have a need for something of this nature, I’d bet it’s a worthy investment. It was designed in collaboration with renowned architecture firm Gensler, and as someone married to an architect, I can tell you that those brains really think through the most minute of details…
Geiger Leatherwrap Sit-to-Stand Desk, from $3,995 at Design Within Reach: Here is the two-drawer version of the first leather-wrapped desk I showed you. Pricy, but very snazzy and handsome.
Lincoln Adjustable Standing Desk-No Drawers, from $3,799 at Room & Board: This is the same desk as the bottom left (I didn’t even realize when I was making the graphics) but basically, it just has no drawers. I love how sleek and modern it looks.
9 Streamlined & Modern Standing Desks
Alright, we’ve reached the less decorative section of this post, but honestly, I’d consider any of these. Maybe not for my bedroom where most would clash with my existing furniture, but certainly for a proper home office.
Top row, from left:
Branch Four Leg Standing Desk, $1,099 at West Elm: If you’re serious about a standing desk, definitely check out Branch, because they specialize in cute, cool office furniture. They also sell through West Elm, like their popular Four Leg Standing Desk. I can always appreciate a standing desk that doesn’t have those splayed feet, as it looks more like a table.
Copilot Standing Desk, $999 at Burrow: I didn’t know Burrow, the flat-pack furniture darling of the internet, had a standing desk, but alas, they do at a fairly competitive price. It’s even won a handful of awards from CNN Underscored, Business Insider, and Esquire.
Duo Standing Desk, $549 at Branch: Love the color options on this one from Branch. It’s utilitarian but happy and friendly. And at the price, it would also work great in a teen or young adult room.
Middle row, from left:
Steelcase Height-Adjustable Sutton Desk, from $1,919 at West Elm: Four sizes, three tabletop finish options, veneer or laminate (with laminate being the cheapest option). It’s contract grade and can work in a commercial office as well as a home office.
Spout Sit-to-Stand Table, from $2,300 at Herman Miller: Here’s another one with plenty of sizes to choose from, and tons of color (like this glacier blue and even a punchy red). The design feels more traditional with four legs, but the discreet cable management system is innovative. You’ll also find tons of add-on options like bag hooks, drawers, and more.
Aedric Electric Adjustable Standing Desk with Drawers, $1,899 at Room & Board: Very similar in design to the Burrow one, but with all the size and finish options you’re used to from Room & Board.
Bottom row, from left:
Motia Sit-to-Stand Desk, from $1,035 at Herman Miller: Super compact and streamlined, but with some cute colors to choose from. It’s from Herman Miller, so you know it’s made to take the beating of working life (it comes with a limited lifetime warranty).
Heidelberg Adjustable Desk, $250 at Fezibo: I couldn’t decide whether to put this one in the decorative category or here, but I had a hole in the grid, so here it went. I love the brass knobs and the slate color, though keep in mind it has to be assembled, and the top is laminate, not wood or veneer.
Tenon Smart Adjustable Desk, $2,899 at beflo: This one looks simple, but I think it has more than meets the eye. At least according to its description: “Meet the Tenon luxury desk: The first-ever modular, sit-stand smart desk for your home office. We’re talking a touch screen, companion app, power and USB outlets, all standard with the desk, plus add-on accessories to maximize your productivity and minimize your clutter.” Any wood-look desktop is a scratch-proof, water-proof hardwood veneer with a beveled edge (it’s better for your wrists and forearms). Pricey, but top of the line.
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Welp, this whole exercise certainly made me want an adjustable standing desk, especially with the added benefit of there being so many great-looking versions on the market (not to mention being able to put a walking pad under it).
Stick around because I have some more in this “Gross to Gotta-Have-It” series. If you have any requests, be sure to pop them into the comments below because I’m open to doing the work for you all where you need it!
Until next time…
Opening Image Credits: Design by Emily Henderson and Julie Rose | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Mountain House Reveal: How I Transformed an Awkward Space Into My Dream Work Loft
