On aligning your desk with your needs

A solid desk is more than mere furniture. It’s an ecosystem, a space where ideas and projects come to life; where goals are reached and new plans are made. This is why it’s important to take choosing the right desk seriously - to align it with your needs, preferences, and expectations. In this article, you’ll find our tips on what to consider when picking a desk and learn more about the differences between our Standing Desks.

Why pick a good desk?

Before answering this question, let’s establish what a good desk is.

First and foremost, it’s solidly and thoughtfully crafted. This is especially important because it translates not only into durability and longevity, but also into comfort and safety of use.

Secondly, it is well thought out and designed in a way that ensures full functionality and ergonomics. The perfect design is one in which the practical and aesthetic aspects intertwine, creating a compatible entity.

Thirdly, it is tailored to individual preferences - on, to put it simply, made just for you. Consider ordering a custom-made desk if the ones in stores don’t feel enough like you.

A well suited, quality desk impacts your comfort, quality of your work, productivity, and creativity - even health. Sedentary lifestyle contributes to many health issues and, coupled with sitting in an unergonomic position, at a desk that is either too small or too big, the risk of serious repercussions increases massively. Working in a comfortable position (importantly one beneficial to your spine) and a pleasant environment helps relax, reduce tension, and, what naturally follows, increase our effectiveness. 

What to look for: the criteria?

When thinking of buying a new desk, analyse a few key points to make finding the most well-suited model much easier on yourself. The most basic criteria is the available space: whether you have a spare room to make into a home office, or is it only a corner in your bedroom? Start with measuring everything to establish the maximum dimensions of the desk - this will help in finding the optimal model. Apart from the measurements, consider aesthetically matching the desk to your interior style to create a cohesive composition.

Another important detail to consider is what material the desk is made of. If you care about durability, go for quality, natural materials like wood or wood veneer.

You should also think about storage. In this case, you have plenty of options: you can pick a desk with built-in drawers or cabinet; you can also buy them separately - this gives you more creative freedom. Our modular drawers are the perfect choice as they can be customised and combined at will.

Don’t forget about making sure the desk is of optimal height, tailored to your height. According to work ergonomic standards, the tabletop should be elbow-high, so that you can easily bend your arm 90 degrees and rest it on the desk. To make things easier, use desk height calculators available online - you’ll be able to calculate both the optimal sitting and standing height.

Classic or regulated? Which desk to choose?

When considering the measurements and model, think of additional amenities like height regulation. Standing desks allow you to precisely customise the desktop’s height, but also change positions from sitting to standing - this helps you take care of your spine and overall health (granted you switch positions regularly during the day).

A desk with height regulation can be a costly purchase so the decision requires a lot of thought. When should you invest in this solution? It’s a fantastic choice for people who work from home (remotely or in hybrid mode) and spend much of their time in front of a screen. Because of its frame, a regulated desk is rather big. This is an upside for those who need a considerable amount of space on their desk to store their equipment and accessories. On the other hand, it requires more space in your home office. Luckily, our 3D configurator can help you effortlessly tailor the size of the standing desk to your space and precisely customize tabletop size.

If, however, you prefer to avoid your screens at home or you have very little space available, our classic desk will be the best choice - it’s perfect for small interiors. Besides, it’s simple yet sophisticated design suits minimalist, scandinavian, japandi, mid-century modern, or even industrial styles.

Comparing Oakywood’s Standing Desks

We don’t need to remind anyone that when it comes to standing desks, Oakywood is the choice :). We have recently updated this iconic product with a new version: you can now choose between Standing Desk Touch and Standing Desk Pro. How do they differ? Mainly in the height regulation systems. We created a simple table to simplify it:

Specification

Features	Standing Desk Pro	Standing Desk Touch
Height range	63 cm - 128 cm	67 cm - 132 cm
Width (in the 3D configurator)	100 cm - 200 cm	120 cm - 200 cm
Speed	60 mm/s	40 mm/s
Engines	2	2
Column profile	7 cm x 7 cm	7.5 cm x 7.5 cm
Control panel	LCD DPI pilot (quick lever adjustments)	LCD Smart pilot (touch screen)
Saveable settings	4 (for 4 users)	2 (for 4 users)
Reminders option	Yes	Yes
Key lock	Yes	Yes
Warranty	5 years	5 years
App	Yes	Yes
Assembly time	5 minutes	20 minutes
Anti-collision sensors	Yes (Gyroscope in control panel and column)	Yes (Gyroscope in control pilot)
Noise levels	< 40 db	< 45 db
Maximum load	68 kg (150 lbs)	68 kg (150 lbs)
Frame manufacturer	LINAK	AOKE

One of the biggest benefits of the pro model is being able to link it to the Desk Connect app, which sends you regular notifications to switch positions from sitting to standing. Who hasn’t sat glued to their screens working on an absorbing project? Such a reminder would be a valuable nudge. Additionally, the LINAK control panel, recognized with the Red Dot Design award, is very easy to use: you don’t even have to look at it to raise or lower your desk.

However brilliantly aligned the desk, it lacks the power to completely relieve you of work. What it can and will do is make your work much more comfortable and therefore more effective. If you put enough thought into making this choice, it will yield fantastic results in no time.