Remote workers and students in small houses need strategic desk placement to maintain productivity while preserving household flow. Understanding core placement principles helps you choose the most functional and comfortable location.
The Core Rules for Proper Desk Placement in Small Houses
Before exploring room-specific locations, start with these universal guidelines recommended by interior designers and ergonomic specialists.
| Rule | Why It Matters |
| Measure your area before buying furniture | Prevents overcrowding and ensures proper fit |
| Position near natural light when possible | Reduces eye strain and improves mood |
| Ensure access to power sockets | Avoids unsightly extension leads across rooms |
| Keep 90cm clearance behind chair | Enables comfortable movement and sitting down |
| Avoid blocking main walkways | Maintains household flow and prevents congestion |
| Choose flat, stable flooring | Prevents desk wobbling and chair rolling issues |
| Consider noise levels throughout the day | Supports concentration during work hours |
Best Places to Put a Desk in a Small House (Room-By-Room Guide)
1) Bedroom Corner
Bedroom corners offer privacy and separation from household activity. The quiet environment and existing furniture arrangement make corners ideal for dedicated workstations.
What makes this work:
- Natural boundary creation: Corner placement uses two walls for support and visual separation, creating an office zone without room dividers or screens
- Minimal footprint: Corners are often underutilized dead areas, and L-shaped or corner desks maximize functionality
- Privacy for video calls: Being away from doorways and facing the corner delivers a neutral background and reduces interruptions
Ideal for: Renters, first-time home workers, small bedrooms, people needing quiet concentration, and those wanting a permanent workspace.
2) Bedroom Window Wall
Positioning a desk directly under or beside a bedroom window creates an inspiring workspace with excellent illumination and views that can significantly boost productivity and wellbeing.
Why this location excels:
- Fresh air circulation improves alertness and prevents stuffy conditions during extended work periods
- Window views offer mental breaks and reduce feelings of isolation
- Morning workers benefit particularly from sunrise exposure
Best suited to: Creative workers, early risers, those sensitive to artificial lighting, and homes with pleasant outdoor views.
3) Living Room Alcove
Living room alcoves, especially those flanking fireplaces or chimney breasts, offer recessed areas perfect for fitted or freestanding desks. These architectural features create natural office nooks.
Key advantages:
- Built-in appearance: Alcove desks look intentional and custom-fitted, enhancing room aesthetics rather than appearing as afterthoughts
- Wall-to-wall storage potential: Alcoves enable floor-to-ceiling shelving on three sides, maximizing vertical storage
- Maintains open-plan flow: Recessed positioning keeps the desk tucked away, preserving the living room’s spacious feel
Perfect for: Victorian and Edwardian homes with chimney alcoves, open-plan living, couples sharing rooms, and design-conscious homeowners.
4) Behind the Sofa
Placing a console desk behind a living room sofa creates a dual-purpose zone. This clever placement uses otherwise wasted wall area and naturally divides the room.
How it solves small-house challenges:
- The sofa back acts as a visual barrier, psychologically separating work from relaxation zones
- The area behind sofas typically remains empty, making it ideal for narrow console desks that don’t interfere with seating
- Console desks resemble decorative furniture, so the workspace blends seamlessly when not in use
Works well for: Open-plan homes, studio flats, minimalist design preferences, and homes where the living room is the only viable option.
5) Under the Stairs
Under-stair areas, whether open or previously used as cupboards, offer hidden workspace opportunities. The sloped ceiling creates a cozy, enclosed environment that many find conducive to focused work.
Unique benefits:
- Reclaims wasted real estate often underutilized for storage or left empty
- The confined layout offers psychological boundaries and acoustic dampening, helping workers concentrate despite household activity
- Doors or curtains can easily conceal under-stair offices, keeping your home looking tidy for guests
Recommended for: Terraced houses, families with children, those needing privacy, homes with generous stair cupboards, and people comfortable in smaller areas.
6) Hallway Against Long Wall
Wide hallways with uninterrupted wall sections can accommodate narrow console desks or wall-mounted fold-down desks. This placement works particularly well in older homes with generous corridor widths.
Strategic advantages:
- Hallways serve only as throughways, so adding a desk brings function to otherwise unused square footage
- Slim desks (40-50cm deep) still permit comfortable hallway navigation, meeting building regulation guidance for accessible routes
- Central home location offers equal access from all rooms, making them convenient for shared household workstations
Ideal for: Victorian and Edwardian terraces with wide halls, families sharing one workspace, temporary work setups, and homes with limited room options.
7) Kitchen End or Dead Space
Kitchen ends, particularly in galley or L-shaped layouts, often have short wall sections perfect for compact breakfast bar-style desks. This placement suits those who don’t mind ambient household activity.
What this location offers:
- Enables monitoring cooking, supervising children, and working simultaneously appealing to busy parents and multitaskers
- Kitchens already have excellent lighting, power points, and hard flooring, eliminating the need for modifications
- Excels for brief admin tasks, homework supervision, recipe planning, and household management rather than full workdays
Best suited to: Parents with school-age children, part-time workers, households needing admin stations, and homes with spacious eat-in kitchens.
8) Spare Room or Box Room
Dedicated spare rooms, even small box rooms as tiny as 2m x 2m, offer the best solution for permanent home offices. Complete room allocation eliminates compromises and creates professional workstations.
Why dedicated rooms win:
- Closing the door delivers acoustic and visual isolation, enabling focus during important calls or complex work requiring sustained attention
- Permanent setup justifies investment in proper office furniture, multiple monitors, filing cabinets, and other equipment that would overwhelm shared areas
- Rooms can be decorated specifically as offices, ensuring appropriate backgrounds and eliminating domestic items from view during meetings
Recommended for: Full-time remote workers, freelancers, households with unused bedrooms, and people requiring extensive equipment or storage.
9) Dining Room Along Wall
Dining room walls between windows or opposite the dining table can accommodate desks. This works best when the dining room sees occasional rather than daily use.
Key benefits:
- Desks against dining room walls don’t prevent table use the room functions for both meals and work
- Dining rooms typically have quieter, more composed atmospheres than living rooms
- Keeping work out of sleeping areas supports better rest and clearer work-life boundaries
Works well for: Homes with separate dining rooms, formal entertainers who use the room infrequently, couples needing work separation from bedrooms, and those with dining-kitchen combinations.
Places You Should Avoid
Even the best desk won’t work if placed in the wrong environment. The following locations consistently create discomfort, health issues, or productivity problems.
- High-Traffic Hallways or Narrow Passages
Constant interruptions from family members destroy concentration and create frustration for both workers and household members needing access. - Directly Facing Blank Walls Close-Up
Positioning desks immediately against walls (closer than 30cm) creates claustrophobic conditions and removes peripheral vision, which increases stress. - Near Front Doors or External Doorways
Temperature fluctuations from opening doors create uncomfortable working conditions, and delivery disruptions break focus repeatedly. - Dark Corners Without Window Access
Relying solely on artificial lighting causes headaches and low mood, particularly during extended sessions lasting multiple hours. - Rooms with Difficult-to-Clean Carpet Near Desks
Coffee spills, ink stains, and dropped food create permanent marks in carpeted areas, while hard flooring enables quick cleanup.
Proper desk placement is essential for optimizing productivity in small houses. By considering factors like privacy, lighting, and space, you can create a functional and comfortable work area without overcrowding your home. Whether you’re setting up in a quiet corner or a dedicated room, the right desk location can make all the difference in both your work efficiency and overall comfort.
If finding the perfect desk setup in a small space seems challenging, our collection offers stylish and functional options that maximize productivity without compromising comfort. Aosom’s desks are designed to enhance your workspace with thoughtful layouts that fit your needs.
FAQs
1. What’s the best desk for a small apartment?
The best desk for a small apartment is one that combines functionality and compactness. Look for desks with built-in storage to reduce clutter and multi-purpose features. Foldable or corner desks are great options for saving space without sacrificing work surface.
2. What should I consider when placing a desk in a shared room?
When placing a desk in a shared room, prioritize creating a designated work area that minimizes distractions. Ensure the desk is placed near natural light to boost productivity and avoid blocking common pathways for easy movement around the room.
3. Where to put a desk in a studio apartment?
In a studio apartment, choose a desk location that maintains the flow of the space while offering privacy. Consider placing it near a window for natural light, or use room dividers to separate the desk from the living area to create a sense of organization.
4. Can I place a desk in a bedroom in a small house?
Yes, you can place a desk in a bedroom in a small house, but it’s important to keep the space functional and uncluttered. Position the desk near natural light, and consider a compact, stylish desk that complements the bedroom decor without overwhelming the space.